PARENTS of a soldier who died after an explosion in Afghanistan have spoken of their pride after a new memorial was unveiled in Barnsley in his memory.
The names of three Barnsley soldiers all feature on the plaque in the memorial garden at St Mary's Church in the town centre - Marine David Marsh of Thurgoland, Captain Martin Driver of Cudworth, and Private Matthew Thornton of Darton, all died between 2008 and 2011 as a result of the conflict in Afghanistan.
"We were very proud of our son," said John Driver, Martin's father. "He was a Barnsley lad and he achieved an awful lot in his short life."
Capt Driver, of the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, was 31 when he died at Selly Oak Hospital on March 15 2010 after suffering injuries in Helmand Province on February 21.
Marine Marsh, of 40 Commando Royal Marines, died aged 23 on March 30 2008 when the vehicle he was travelling in was caught in an explosion in southern Afghanistan.
Private Thornton, of the 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, was 28 when he died on November 9 2011 when caught in a blast from an improvised explosive device near the checkpoint of Loy Mandeh.
