Lance Corporal Stephen McKee was killed in action while serving in Nad-e-Ali District, Helmand Province during Operation HERRICK 13. He had been operating close to patrol Base PIMON when the vehicle he was travelling in was struck by an explosive device.

The Commanding Officer of the 1 R IRISH Battlegroup, at that time Lieutenant Colonel C J R Weir MBE, wrote of Lance Corporal McKee’s death:

Stephen McKee was the finest of men; he was irrepressible, he was utterly reliable and he was a fearsome warrior. As part of Operations Company he fought the long battle to drive the enemy out of the Nad-e’Ali Canal Zone and into the desert.

And it was into the desert that Stephen and his comrades followed in pursuit of the enemy. When he died he was attacking the insurgent in his bases there, harassing him, capturing his weapons and destroying his explosives.

Not only was he the finest of Irish soldiers, he was a man with a great depth of resilience.