Cpl Darren Bonner was the lead signaller serving with A (Norfolk) Company Group, 1 R Anglian Battle Group, deployed on Operation Herrick 6 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. On Monday 28 May 2007 he was taking part in an operation aimed at maintaining the pressure on the Taliban – focusing on the Sangin Valley area. At the time of his death Corporal Bonner was moving on a patrol in a ‘Viking’ armoured vehicle when an explosive incident took place. This device was specifically emplaced by the Taliban in order to cause indiscriminate death and injury to ISAF troops operating in the area.

Cpl ‘Big Daz’ Bonner was a larger than life figure who made a positive impact on everyone that he met. At 31 years of age, he was engaged to Becca and looking forward to the prospect of marriage and buying a home in Great Yarmouth after his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Physically impressive, he was a keen weightlifter and night club bouncer in his spare time; but his robust exterior concealed a sensitive compassionate side and a heart of gold. Darren was a devout Christian and had taken the lead in organising a memorial for a recent fatality in A Company. He would regularly give up his time for others, teaching ‘football in the community’, or mentoring Army cadets near his home town in Gorleston. He was also an avid Spurs fan and made sure that everyone who met him was appraised of that fact!

Darren exuded energy and charisma; he always had a joke to tell or a story to recount, thus ensuring that he was extremely popular with his wealth of friends. The night before his death he was seen reading the Bible by his friends, drawing strength before facing the known dangers of the operation. He genuinely cared about the people of Afghanistan, and about his comrades that he fought with. It is, therefore, a source of some consolation to those who knew him that he died on operations courageously contributing to a noble cause; one that he cared about and believed in.