Lieutenant Mark Evison from 1st Battalion Welsh Guards dies in Selly Oak

It is with deep regret that the MOD must confirm the death of Lieutenant Mark Lawrence Evison from 1st Battalion Welsh Guards who was shot in Afghanistan on 9 May 2009 and later died of his wounds in Selly Oak Hospital on 12 May 2009.

Lieutenant Mark Evison died after sustaining injuries whilst on patrol outside Check Point Haji Alem in Helmand province, Afghanistan, where he was serving as a Platoon Commander in 1st Battalion Welsh Guards.

Lt Evison was the Officer Commanding Number 7 Platoon, which was part of the Number 2 Company Group operating in the south of Nad e-Ali. The company has four patrol bases or check points, one of which - Haji Alem - was occupied by Lt Evison and his platoon.

In addition to defending the check point they were responsible for patrolling the local area in order to deter insurgent activity and improve security for the local population.

On 9 May 2009, Lt Evison was leading such a patrol when they came under enemy fire. He was hit in the shoulder by a single round, and was evacuated back to the hospital in Camp Bastion.

Despite the best medical treatment available, he was showing no sign of recovering, and he was flown back to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. His family were with him when he died.

Lieutenant Mark Evison

Lt Evison was born on 17 July 1982, was educated at Charterhouse School and later read Land Economy at Oxford Brookes University after which he went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Welsh Guards on 14 December 2007.

Following the Platoon Commanders' Battle Course he joined Number 3 Company, commanding Number 7 Platoon on ceremonial duties in London. Subsequently he commanded his platoon with distinction on overseas exercises in Canada and Germany. Following the re-rolling of his company, his platoon was attached to Number 2 Company, with whom he trained his men for the deployment to Afghanistan.

Lt Evison was an outstanding young officer. He was intelligent, charming, tactically astute, and he cared deeply for the men under his command and was well-liked and respected both by the soldiers under his command and his fellow officers. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.