23 Pioneers plan tribute for fallen comrades (From Bicester Advertiser)
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23 Pioneers plan tribute for fallen comrades
9:40am Tuesday 8th May 2012 in News
DEFENCE chiefs were yesterday still working on when the bodies of two Bicester-based soldiers will be repatriated to Britain.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it was too early to confirm if the repatriation this Thursday.
Corporal Andrew Steven Roberts and Private Ratu Manasa Silibaravi were killed at Forward Operating Base Ouellette, in the northern part of Nahr-e Saraj district, Afghanistan on Friday.
The pair were serving with 23 Pioneer Regiment, the Royal Logistic Corps.
Cpl Roberts, who had been serving as a section commander in the regiment since 2008, was a 32-year-old father of three, born in Middlesbrough.
Pte Silibaravi was 32 and was born in Fiji. He joined 23 Pioneer Regiment in 2003.
Major Steve Hanson-Church, of 23 Pioneer Regiment, said: “We, as a regiment, will go and pay our respects in Carterton to our fallen colleagues (for the repatriation).”
Mayor of Carterton Norman MacRrae said the news of the deaths was “desperately sad”.
He added: “With these chaps being from Bicester, I think there will be a good turnout of people to pay tribute.”
Information on the two soldiers’ repatriation will be posted on this website as soon as it is confirmed.
