Thoughts & prayers we share with you soldier, your families, your friends left behind. We know you have not gone forever, just gone before us. We will meet again.
GOD BLESS YOU - THANK YOU - REST IN PEACE .

For Our Deceased Service Men and Women
You are all-powerful, God, and live forever in light and joy. Look with pity and love, we beg You, on those men and women who bravely fought and gallantly died for their country. By laying down their lives, they showed supreme love for others. Accept, we ask You, their sacrifice and their belief in the justice of the cause they died for. Let their offering not be in vain. Please forgive any sins and faults they may have committed. Speedily, we implore You, bring them into Your Presence where fear, sadness, mourning, and death cannot exist. Have pity in Your loving kindness on those they leave behind. In Your own unsearchable ways, make good for their absence, and lavishly bestow Your love and consolations on those deprived of their presence. This we ask in the Name of Christ, our Victor King. Amen.
"Let us pray for our faithful departed," published Franciscan Mission Assoc.

R.I.P. Christopher King

Your Sacrifice was not in vain

And you will never be forgotton

Britiain never forgets its HEROES

Guardsman Chris King was every inch a Coldstream Guardsman. Although very proud of his own Regiment he had fitted easily in to No 2 Company, 1stt Battalion Welsh Guards, earning respect at every turn as a professional young soldier with a resilient sense of humour.

He was energetic yet reliable and lived life to the full. We are poorer for his loss and our thoughts are with his family who will miss him the most. We will not forget him.

- from Lieutenant Colonel Doug Chalmers MBE PWRR

Guardsman King showed tremendous spirit by volunteering to serve with the Welsh Guards in Afghanistan. Some might view an Englishman joining a sister battalion, fiercely proud of its Welsh heritage, as a daunting prospect. But Guardsman King was fearless.

How quickly he settled into the Company says less about how we welcomed him, but more about how he went out of his way to meet us, his new colleagues.

He arrived in the battalion last year and quickly established himself during our pre deployment training as someone who was more than capable of holding his own.

He was a robust, energetic, uncomplaining and reliable young man who had a sense of fun. His dry sense of humour often surfaced in conversation. Our thoughts are with his family at this very sad time. He will not be forgotten as we continue to remember him.

- from Major Henry Bettinson, his Company Commander

Often seen laughing and joking, Guardsman King was never downbeat and he would use a dry and dark sense of humour to alleviate the danger that is so often faced by Guardsmen on operations.

His calm and mature nature gained him instant friendship amongst his Welsh 'Band of Brothers'. He had planned on becoming a coveted sniper, which appealed to his stalking skills, honed as a gamekeeper before he joined the Army.

The Coldstream Guards can feel rightly proud of the skills, fitness and attitude that Guardsman King displayed whilst serving with a different Foot Guards Battle Group.

His family will no doubt be absolutely devastated by his death, but hopefully in time may take solace from the way in which he served his country. He will not be forgotten by those who fought alongside him.

- from Lieutenant Charles Fraser-Sampson, his Platoon Commander

In his short length of time in the Army, Guardsman Chris King proved himself to be a popular and very capable soldier with a bright career ahead of him. I was very saddened to hear of his death and my thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues whom he leaves behind.

- from Secretary of State for Defence, Bob Ainsworth

Chris was a great friend and would always be the one to make the lads laugh - no matter what the situation. He will be sorely missed and never forgotten.

- from Guardsman Grant Feast

A good bloke and a great friend you knew how to have a laugh with the lads no matter what was going on around. The Welsh Guards were very lucky to have had you - rest easy RIP Chris King.

- from Guardsman Ricky Hudson

Chris was one of the funniest, charismatic members of the Company - and he was brilliant banter and morale for the lads. His original wit and ability to make jest of bad situations will be sorely missed by everybody. He will never be forgotten.

- from Guardsman Nick Witham

Guardsman Chris King was a good mate and a pure good soldier - he had such charisma. My condolences go out to his family and friends - we have lost a good friend and an asset to the Battalion - he will be sorely missed.

- from Guardsman Damien Mclean

Chris King was a great friend and a great soldier. When morale was low he always managed to get the lads laughing and smiling again. Everyone in 3 Company loved him, and will miss him - he will never be forgotten. RIP Chris.

- from Guardsman Andrew Nichols

Chris King was a good friend and a good soldier; I knew him from the first day of training and since then he never ceased to amaze me.

He always brought morale to the lads when they were down and was always up for a little bit of banter. He was a true character and will live on in our lives and will never be forgotten by those who were around him. RIP Chris

- from Guardsman Richard Pinkney

Chris will always be a great friend of mine. Anyone who knew him would instantly want to spend more time with him because he had a great sense of humour and a spark about him to make anyone feel better about themselves.

I first met him at Catterick and he passed out a few weeks before me - but then I met up with him when I got to Battalion. That was good because I was nervous about going there - but knowing Chris was there made it a lot easier for me. I will miss him.

- from Guardsman Daniel Tomelty

My most distinct memory of Chris was his dry and often cynical sense of humour. Chris had a way of seeing the lighter side of all the Army threw at him and carried out his duties with a steadfastness that not only singled him out as a superb Guardsman and solider, but also as a dependable and loyal friend. My thoughts are with his family at this time. He will be sorely missed. RIP Chris.

- from Guardsman Sean Sykes

I knew Chris from the second day of training - the second day was due to him being late! That sums him up really - chilled out. He never rushed and never stressed. He took life on the chin and cracked on.

We went through training together, on the town together and on to Battalion together. He was in my Platoon in 3 Coy and my close circle of friends.

Chris King was constant morale no matter how bad it got - it was an honour to know him and be his friend. Chris was a great bloke who I will always miss and never forget.

- from Guardsman Chris Fletcher

Chris King will never be forgotten. One of my five best friends - we went through training together, we got off the train in Windsor and joined the Battalion together, we stood outside Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace together and we complained on exercise together.

Love goes out to his family who have lost a brilliant brother and son. I'll always have you in my heart Chris. RIP.

- from Guardsman Don Wall

Guardsman Chris King joined the Platoon in August 2008 in Windsor and as soon as he joined he made an impact with his humour and having the crack with the boys and recounting his funny stories of his weekends.

He was a keen soldier in the field and was selected to do the sharpshooter course - he even raised a few eyebrows in the Sniper Platoon. He was a good shot and his field craft was 'on the ball' - possibly because he had been a gamekeeper before joining up.

On TESEX [Tactical Effects Simulation Exercise] he was deployed as a member of the Fire Support Group - he was in his element.

The rest of your old Platoon feels your loss very deeply but are resolved to carry on doing the same good work you had started. God bless you and our thoughts are with your family at this sad time.

- from Sergeant Richard Gundill

I didn't know Chris for long, however in the last three days we had returned to Camp Bastion and I had spent a lot of time with him there. He was staying in the same room as me so we often talked at night about home, friends and work.

Guardsman King was full of life with a lot of great banter and laughs in him and he was always showing why the lads liked him and enjoyed his company. When on patrol, he was always working and he always showed absolute professionalism in everything he did.

- from Gunner Aaron Carmichael

Chris King was an awesome guy. I didn't really know him as much as his Coldstream Guards mates, but for the time I did know him when he came to our regiment he was a good lad when he got to know us.

He was the one who would take the Mickey out of people. There was so much stuff he wanted to do and become. He liked his bikes and fishing. He was an all-round good bloke.

He will be sadly missed and loved by his mates and family and the boys who knew him in the Welsh Guards. King, I miss you pal and the jokes about loud Welshmen.

- from Guardsman Steve Goss

Chris King was a very close friend of mine inside and outside work. He was the best friend that anyone could wish for. He was a great laugh and had a great sense of humour.

We came across to the Welsh Guards not knowing what to expect but I knew as long as the two of us stuck together, with his sense of humour he would make us, the attached Coldstream Guards, feel welcomed and we'd settle in pretty easily.

Outside work, he had a passion for his gamekeeping and loved his hardcore rave music. I will sorely miss him and love him forever.

- from Guardsman Ben Hellyn COLDM GDS