Defence names soldier killed in Afghanistan
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The Department of Defence has released the name of the Australian soldier killed in Afghanistan on Sunday evening.
The soldier is named as Private Gregory Michael Sher from the Sydney-based 1st Commando Regiment.
Private Sher, 30, was killed in a Taliban rocket attack on a provincial patrol base in Oruzgan Province.
At the time of his death he was with a Special Operations Task Group element that had been deployed to the base.
Born in South Africa, Private Sher is survived by his parents, two brothers and a partner.
He moved to Australia with his family in 1986 and had served in the Defence Force since 1998.
After joining as an Army Reserve infantryman Private Sher was deployed to East Timor in 2002 before moving to the 1st Commando Regiment in 2004 and qualifying as a commando.
His family has requested privacy from the media.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday morning, Defence Force Chief Angus Houston said Private Sher was killed instantly in the attack.
"Taliban insurgents engaged an Afghan forward operating base with rockets. An Australian element was deployed at the base during this attack," Air Chief Marshal Houston said.
"As a result of this indirect fire it is with regret that I inform you that an Australian soldier has been killed. No other Australian soldiers, or other coalition nationals, were wounded in this attack."
The death brought the total number of Australian soldiers killed in fighting in Afghanistan since 2001 to eight.
A ninth Australian was killed while fighting for the British army last month.
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