Operation Slipper included the first Australian combat deaths since the Vietnam War, and to date all casualties have occurred during operations in Afghanistan. 41 Australian soldiers have been killed (34 as a result of enemy action) and 261 wounded (including two sailors and one airman), the majority since October 2007. Another Australian was killed while serving with the British Army.
Deaths
Andrew Russell, 33, a sergeant in the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR). On 16 February 2002, Russell was travelling through southern Afghanistan with four other Australian soldiers when their Long Range Patrol Vehicle struck a land mine, severely injuring him. He was taken to a US military hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. David Pearce, 41, a trooper from the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, serving with RTF-3, was killed while serving in Orūzgān Province on 8 October 2007. Matthew Locke MG, 33, a sergeant in the Special Air Service Regiment. On 25 October 2007, Locke, who was serving a second tour of duty in Afghanistan, was engaged in a firefight with members of the Taliban militia, when he was injured in the chest by small arms fire. Other soldiers in his unit provided first-aid care prior to and during evacuation to a medical facility, where he died a short time later. Gurkha Lance Corporal Agnish Thapa, serving in the 1st Royal Gurkha Rifles, British Army was awarded the Military Cross for running through enemy machine gun and RPG fire and extracted Locke by physically dragging him back to cover. Locke was killed while serving in Orūzgān Province. During his first tour of duty, Locke had been awarded the Medal for Gallantry. Luke Worsley, 26, a private in the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando), serving with Special Operations Task Group. He was shot and killed by small arms fire on 23 November 2007 during an attempt to take a heavily defended Taliban position. Jason Marks, 27, a lance corporal in the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando). He was killed after an intense firefight with Taliban insurgents on 27 April 2008, when a RPG landed near the patrol vehicle he was taking cover behind whilst reloading his weapon. The attack occurred south of the Australian base at Tarin Kowt in Orūzgān Province. Four other Australian soldiers were wounded in the attack. All five were flown to a nearby US military hospital, where the wounded were expected to fully recover. Sean McCarthy, 25, a signalman in the Special Air Service Regiment. He, two other SASR soldiers and a soldier from another country were wounded when the vehicle they were travelling in was attacked by a roadside bomb on 8 July 2008 during a patol in Orūzgān Province. McCarthy died from his wounds after being evacuated to the SOTG's base at Tarin Kowt. He was on his 2nd tour of duty in Afghanistan. The two other Australians wounded in the attack returned to duty on 11 July. Michael Fussell, 25, a lieutenant in the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando). As he and his team were conducting a dismounted patrol on 27 November 2008 they were struck by an improvised explosive device (IED), killing Fussell. Two other soldiers received minor wounds, but returned to duty a few days later. Gregory Michael Sher, 30, a private in the 1st Commando Regiment, Australian Special Operations Command was killed by a rocket attack in Uruzgan province, on 4 January 2009. Mathew Hopkins, 21, a corporal in the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. He was attacked and fatally injured on 16 March 2009 while on patrol as part of a mentoring and reconstruction taskforce patrol operating with members of the Afghan National Army, near a village north of Tarin Kowt. Brett Till, 31, a sergeant and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technician from the Incident Response Regiment. He was killed on 19 March 2009 while trying to defuse an IED. Benjamin Ranaudo, 22, a private in the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, serving with MRTF 2. He was killed on 18 July 2009 by an anti-personnel explosive device during an operation against a compound of interest in the Baluchi Valley. Jacob Moerland, 21, a sapper in the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, serving with MTF 1. He was killed on 7 June 2010 by an improvised explosive device while participating in an Australian patrol conducting operations in the Miribad Valley region of Oruzgan province. Darren Smith, 25, a sapper in the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, serving with MTF 1. He was injured on 7 June 2010 by an improvised explosive device in the same incident as Moerland while participating in an Australian patrol conducting operations in the Miribad Valley region of Oruzgan province.