 When his section became pinned down by accurate rifle fire from two sides Pte McLaren pushed forward to obtain a better fire position to relieve his section, but was killed by an explosion from an improvised explosive device.Lieutenant Paul Mervis, a platoon commander from The 2nd Battalion the Rifles was on a foot patrol near Sangin, northern Helmand Province, when he was killed as a result of an explosion from an improvised explosive device, on the morning of 12 June 2009.Major Sean Birchall, aged 33, from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, was killed by an explosion on 19 June 2009 near Lashkar Gah, in Helmand province.