MOURNERS are being urged to line the streets when the youngest victim of the Afghanistan war is buried in his home town this week.
Rifleman William Aldridge who had just turned 18 was killed in an explosion near Forward Operating Base Wishtan, in Helmand province, Afghanistan on Friday, July 10.
His funeral will take place in Bromyard on Friday.
A cortege led by the Royal British Legion will pass through the town at 10.40am, starting at the cadet’s depot in Kirkham Gardens, where Rfn Aldridge was a member before joining the army.
It will then pass along the High Street through the square and along Church Street to St Peter’s Church.
“We hope that with this information, people will line our streets and give this young man the honour he deserves,” said the vicar of St Peter’s, Graham Sykes.
“We have been fortunate in not suffering many casualties locally during this conflict but now we have.”
Parking will be provided at Bromyard Rugby Club for anyone coming from Leominster, Hereford or Tenbury and at the football club for those travelling from Worcester or Great Witley.
Directions will be signposted with local police officers and stewards also helping out on the day.
All motorists are asked to avoid the town centre during the morning.
Rfn Aldridge was one of five soldiers from The 2nd Battalion The Rifles to be killed in two separate explosions which hit one patrol near Sangin, in Helmand, Afghanistan.
He joined C Company 2 Rifles in Ballykinler, Northern Ireland in December 2008 at the age of 17, after attending The Army Foundation College at Harrogate and completing his infantry training in Catterick.
