<div><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></strong> <div> <div><strong>Dec 2010 Update:&nbsp;</strong></div> </div> <div> <div>A heartfelt thank you on behalf of Sue, to all those who donated a whopping &pound;3,000 to 'Help for Heroes' since October 2010. &nbsp;Will was a strong supporter of the charity and the money raised goes straight to supporting members of the Armed Forces who have been wounded in the service of their country.</div> <div><span style="color: #ffffff;">-</span></div> <div><strong>Will&rsquo;s Story:</strong>&nbsp;</div> <div>Sapper William Blanchard from 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) serving with the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday 30 October.</div> <div><span style="color: #ffffff;">-</span></div> <div>He was killed as a result of a gunshot wound suffered whilst he was tasked to a suspect device in the Nahr-e Saraj North area of Helmand Province.</div> <div><span style="color: #ffffff;">-</span></div> <div>Sapper William Blanchard deployed to Afghanistan on 17 September 2010 as part of the Counter Improvised Explosive Device Task Force. Trained to assist in the preparation and operation of explosive ordnance disposal equipment and the recognition and management of conventional munitions, he was part of an improvised explosive device destroy team operating in Helmand province.&nbsp;</div> <div><span style="color: #ffffff;">-</span></div> <div>On 30 October 2010 his team were in the process of destroying a device when they were engaged by small arms fire. During the engagement Sapper Blanchard was struck by a bullet and died from the injuries he sustained.</div> <div><span style="color: #ffffff;">-</span></div> <div><a title="http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/SapperWilliamBlanchardKilledInAfghanistan.htm" href="http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/SapperWilliamBlanchardKilledInAfghanistan.htm" target="_self">http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/SapperWilliamBlanchardKilledInAfghanistan.htm</a></div> </div> <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></strong></div>