Funeral of Derry soldier killed in Afghanistan

THE FUNERAL took place on Saturday of Aaron McCormick, the British soldier from Northern Ireland who was killed on Remembrance Sunday in Afghanistan.

The 22-year-old was buried after a full military funeral service at St Mary’s Church in his native Macosquin, Co Derry.

Serving with the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, he was killed on November 14th when an improvised explosive device exploded in Helmand in southern Afghanistan.

Ranger McCormick had been helping to clear an area of IEDs during a security patrol in Nad Ali when the device exploded. It was his second posting to Afghanistan.

Among those who attended the funeral service was Northern Secretary Owen Paterson.

Church of Ireland minister Rev Mike Roemmele said Ranger McCormick was a credit to his family, his regiment and Northern Ireland.

In every aspect of his military life, “he was a pioneer who cleared the way that others might follow him”, Rev Roemmele said.