ANOTHER Chester-based soldier has been killed in Afghanistan.

Corporal Michael John Thacker, 27, of 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh, based at Dale Barracks in Upton, was shot dead in Helmand Province on Friday.

His wife Catherine and their two-year old daughter Millie live in the Midlands. He is also survived by his father David, mother Alison and brothers Matthew, Mark and Ashley.

Corporal Thacker’s death came less than a week after his Royal Welsh comrade Captain Stephen James Healey, 29, also based at The Dale, was killed by an improvised explosive device.

Cpl Thacker received immediate medical attention and was evacuated by helicopter but died from his injuries.

He went to school in Cwmbran, South Wales, before joining the 1st Battalion, The Royal Welch Fusiliers in 2004.

He was deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Telic 4 and to South Armagh in Northern Ireland in 2005. In 2006 his battalion merged to form the 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh. Cpl Thacker was on his third tour of Afghanistan when he was killed.

Michael’s wife Catherine said: “Michael was the love of my life. He was an amazing husband and father who will always be remembered as a funny, loving and kind man.”

His younger brother, L/Cpl Matthew Thacker, who also served with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh, said: “We were more than brothers, we were best friends and words cannot express how much he will be missed.”

Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Webb MC, Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh, said: “Corporal Michael Thacker had all the attributes of a superb Royal Welsh Junior Non Commissioned Officer and he was exactly the man that you would want at your side when life got difficult.”