Repatriation of blast death soldier 01.12.11
4The repatriation of a soldier with a "big heart" who was killed in Afghanistan will take place today. Rifleman Sheldon Steel, from 5th Battalion The Rifles, was killed by an explosion in Helmand province. The body of the 20-year-old will be flown to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. A private ceremony for his family will be held at a purpose-built repatriation centre on the air base before the cortege leaves via the Britannia Gate on its way to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The cortege will be escorted at walking pace past the memorial garden in Carterton, where the Union Flag will be hung at half-mast and members of the public are expected to gather. Rifleman Steel was taking part in a foot patrol in Babaji, in the Lashkar Gah district, on 27th November when he was caught in the blast from an improvised explosive device. He was described as a skilled marksman and had proven to be "one of the stars of his company", the Ministry of Defence said.