Lance Corporal of Horse Jonathan Woodgate killed in Afghanistan

It is with regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that Lance Corporal of Horse Jonathan Woodgate, from the Household Cavalry Regiment, serving as part of the Brigade Reconnaissance Force, was killed in Afghanistan on the afternoon of 26 March 2010.


Lance Corporal of Horse Woodgate, aged 27, was on a Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF) foot patrol operating about three kilometres to the south of Sangin District Centre when he was fatally wounded by a grenade thrown from behind a wall.

Lance Corporal of Horse Jonathan Woodgate

Lance Corporal of Horse Jonathan Woodgate was born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. He attended Great Cornard Upper School before joining the Army Foundation College in 2001.

After completing his training, he moved to Windsor and joined D Squadron, Household Cavalry Regiment, and deployed on Op FRESCO and on Op TELIC 1 as a driver in 2 Troop. These tours were followed shortly by Op HERRICK 4 as a gunner for the 1Troop, Corporal of Horse.

After returning home from HERRICK 4, he immediately moved across to B Squadron and started training to deploy again to Iraq on TELIC 10 with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force. He completed Close Observation Training Advisory Course as a team commander and deployed in May 2007.

Recently Lance Corporal of Horse Woodgate completed a Formation Recce Crew Commanders' Course finishing in the top three of the course.

Shortly after completing the course, Lance Corporal of Horse Woodgate went to Canada to take part in two MEDMAN exercises in the OPFOR Recce Company, to gain experience as a vehicle commander. On returning to Windsor he was sent to Command Troop for a few months before rejoining B Squadron shortly before Easter 2009 to prepare for Op HERRICK 11.

He completed the Surveillance Reconnaissance Wing course as a Section Commander with a high pass, and also took part in the testing pre-deployment training needed to be part of the Brigade Reconnaissance Force.

Lance Corporal of Horse Woodgate was killed by an insurgent’s grenade on 26 March 2010 whilst on foot patrol with 4 Troop, BRF, near Sangin.

It was to be his last patrol of the tour. He leaves behind his parents and three sisters.

Lance Corporal of Horse Woodgate's family said:

"The family are immensely proud to have had a son, brother and friend who was so brave and dedicated to his career. We feel so very, very lucky to have had Jo in our lives.

"He was more than just a professional soldier…he was a friendly young man with immense charisma, humour and artistic flair whose laid back manner belied a great strength of character, Jo was self-disciplined, focused and carried out his duty to the very best of his abilities."