Tributes to North soldier David Watson killed in duty

Jan 4 2010 by Robert Weatherall, The Journal

TRIBUTES have been paid to a soldier from the North East who died trying to disable a Taliban bomb.

Sapper David Watson, from Whickham in Gateshead, lost his life while carrying out a controlled explosion on a bomb which had been planted by extremists in Afghanistan.

The 23-year-old bomb disposal expert was part of a team specialising in neutralising Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) which pose a threat to both allied forces and civilians in the dangerous Sangin region of Helmand province.

Sapper Watson died on New Year’s Eve during his first tour of the war-torn country.

In a statement released over the weekend, his family described him as a “true hero” who “lived his dream”.

They said: “He loved life itself and all of its challenges. David’s dry sense of humour combined with his ability to articulate any situation into a moment of laughter were two of his many talents, he was loved by all.

“The Army was his career which he loved the most. Among his many accomplishments, David was awarded the fittest soldier upon completion of his basic training, moving on to do his Commando and Paratrooper training as well as becoming top recruit for P Company Infantry training.

“He lived his dream and did what a true soldier is ready to do for his country, a true hero.”