DeanJOHNRoyal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Corporal Dean John died in an explosion in Helmand, Afghanistan, on 15 March, 2009.
His vehicle was hit by an explosive device and another of the occupants, Corporal Graeme Stiff, of the Light Aid Detachment of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, also died.
The men had been conducting a vehicle move to the west of Garmsir.
Port Talbot man Corporal Dean John, aged 25, was born and bred in Neath, South Wales.
He was survived by his wife, Wendy, and sons Ethan, Harvey, and Dylan.
He had served in Northern Ireland, Iraq and was on his second tour of Afghanistan as a Vehicle Mechanic in the Fitter Section of A Squadron, QDG.
He had a very bright future, having won an award for being the joint best Non-Commissioned Officer in the Light Aid Detachment of the Queen's Dragoon Guards and receiving a recommendation for Artificer training.
The Army said he was also a devoted husband and father. In the quieter moments of the tour he would speak lovingly of Wendy and with immense pride of his three boys.
His widow Wendy, said: "Dean was a much loved husband and father and treasured by all his family. He will be fondly remembered.
“Dean died doing the job he loved, fighting for his queen and country. He was our hero and will live on in our hearts.
“Dean lived life to the full and was always happy and smiling. He will be greatly missed."
Staff Sergeant Marcus Waugh, Troop Leader of Fitter Section, A Sqn, QDG, said: "In his private life, Dean was a devoted family man.
“He treasured his wife and was fiercely proud of his three boys. He would regularly recite the accomplishments and escapades of his sons, often openly displaying his unwavering love for his family.”
Lieutenant Colonel Alan Richmond, Commanding Officer QDG, said: "He was universally popular and so widely respected because of his incredible capacity for hard work and tenacious determination to fix everything mechanical.
“He was also so clearly happy in his work and had such a bright future ahead of him. Dean's death is a great loss to all of us in the Queen's Dragoon Guards."
Major Charlie Waggett, Squadron Leader, A Sqn, QDG, said: "At a time like this it is hard to put into words the sense of the loss felt by so many people for such a lovely bloke, for such a top man.
“Cpl Dean John was the best of so many things – always so bright and cheery, I cannot remember a moment when he did not seem to be at the top of his game.
"Corporal John was so much more than just an excellent soldier. We, his friends, in the Fitter Section, in the Squadron, in the Regiment and in the REME, have lost someone who truly was a little bit special: someone who would always smile even when the chips were down. Someone who had a mischievous glint in his eye and an enormous sense of fun in his character; and someone who was there for other people.
He joined the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in August 2000 and after passing out of basic training was posted to 12th Regiment Royal Artillery in Germany.
His subsequent postings were also to Germany based units: 1st Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards.
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