Wrexham Soldier Killed in Afghanistan

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence confirmed this afternoon that Guardsman Jamie Shadrake of the Reconnaissance Platoon, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, was killed in Afghanistan on Friday.

Guardsman Jamie Shadrake was born in West Bromwich. He was brought up in the Cardiff area, subsequently moving with his family to Wrexham recently.

He had celebrated his 20th birthday last Tuesday.

Guardsman Shadrake joined the Army as an 17-year-old in 2009. Upon completion of the Combat Infantryman’s Course at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick he moved to Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards, in London where he conducted public duties at the Royal Palaces and participated in state ceremonial tasks.

In April 2010 he moved to 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in Aldershot, joining his elder brother in The Queen’s Company. So competent was his performance on a training exercise in Canada in the summer of 2011, that he was placed into the Battalion’s elite Reconnaissance Platoon. He subsequently completed Mission Specific Training and deployed with the Platoon to Afghanistan on his first operational tour.

Guardsman Jamie Shadrake’s family said “Jamie was a tremendous son and brother. He was proud to be a soldier and died doing a job that he loved. We are all devastated by the loss of Jamie who was such a loving son and brother.”