Father pays tribute to Cpl Chris Harrison ten years after his death

Corporal Chris Harrison died on May 9 2010 at the age of 26 after he was killed by an improvised explosive device in Helmand Province.

Cpl Harrison had been conducting a patrol alongside the Afghan national army in order to help provide security for the people of Sangin.

But at 6.20am local time, south of Patrol Base Shuga, Cpl Harrison was fatally wounded in an explosion.

Chris, who grew up in Garston, will forever be remembered by his proud family, including his wife Becky and father, Martin.

And this year will be the first time Martin marks the anniversary without his wife, Gill, who died in July last year.

Ten years after his son's passing, Mr Harrison said: "It has always been important to our family to keep Chris's memory alive but, having reached the ten year milestone since he was killed, this year seems even more significant than usual.

"We have always been keen to promote Chris' memory as a brave and fearless servant of his country.

"I was due to attend a commemoration ceremony at his 40 Commando base in Somerset with some of his former comrades to mark the ten year anniversary but it has been postponed due to the virus.

"It was due to be a significant ceremony for his comrades as 12 were killed in that fateful six month tour in 2010."

Chris, a former pupil at Lea Farm JMI - now Grove Academy - and Parmiter's, joined the Royal Marines in 2003, aged 19.

He served for a short period at the Northwood NATO base before he was sent out to the Dominican Republic for an operation relating to drug trafficking.

Corporal Harrison served with the Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines, and qualified as a heavy weapons (mortars) specialist in 2005, the same year he was part of the Queen's guard at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday.

Cpl Harrison was part of the Fleet Protection Group

In 2007 he deployed with 40 Commando Royal Marines on Operation HERRICK 7 and had recently returned from an amphibious exercise in the Mediterranean and the Far East.

In January 2010 he was selected for, and successfully passed, junior command training at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines.

Returning to 40 Commando he then deployed on Operation HERRICK 12 as a mortar fire controller with Bravo Company, based at Patrol Base Shuga, Afghanistan.

But Cpl Harrison, who had recently married Becky near their home in Somerset would not return home alive after that fateful event on May 9.

Cpl Harrison pictured in 2010

Lieutenant Colonel Paul James, commanding officer, 40 Commando Group, combined force Sangin, said at the time of Cpl Harrison's death: "Corporal Chris Harrison embodied the best of his generation; fit, bright, dedicated and incredibly courageous. He died leading his fellow Marines in an operation to disrupt an insurgency threat in Sangin.

"A larger than life character, both in stature and personality, he was one of the few men who was known across the whole of 40 Commando.

"He achieved legendary status amongst his cohorts, having overcome snakebites in Brunei and delivering rapid and accurate mortar fire support on this, his second deployment to Afghanistan."

Read more: Garston park dedicated to Corporal Chris Harrison

Cpl Harrison's father, Martin, who will mark the anniversary with his elder son Russ, continued: "We were all devastated because we though Chris was invincible.

"Chris had made it clear to his family that he wanted to stay as a Royal Marine for a lifetime career because he loved his job, the camaraderie and the excitement that Royal Marine life included.

"He knew that things had become extremely risky on the frontline at the time of his death but remained cheerful and was undeterred.

"It should be noted that Chris was not just a 'Bootneck' but was a very likeable person who had many friends in and out of his service life

"He was devoted to his wife Becky and was close to his family

"He is sadly missed but always remembered fondly."