Sheffield remembers heroic soldier Liam Riley on 10th anniversary of his death

The thoughts of a city are with heroic Sheffield soldier Liam Riley on the 10th anniversary of his death in Afghanistan.
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Corporal Liam Riley was serving in Helmand province when he stepped on a roadside bomb and was killed on February 1, 2010, aged just 21.

He had been bravely trying to save his comrade Lance Corporal Graham Shaw, who stepped on an improvised explosive device moments before and also died.

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Family and friends, led by Liam’s aunt, Marie Gregg, have since raised more than £110,000 in his memory for military charities through fundraising events including the Liam Riley Memorial Cup.

Corporal Liam Riley with Prince Harry on a training exercise in CanadaCorporal Liam Riley with Prince Harry on a training exercise in Canada
Corporal Liam Riley with Prince Harry on a training exercise in Canada

The Sheffield Wednesday fan grew up in Beighton before moving to Killamarsh, where a steel statue was unveiled in his honour in 2012, and he played football for both Beighton Magpies and the Throstles.

Liam had served with Prince Harry when they trained together in Canada, and his former comrade paid tribute to him following his death, sending a heartfelt letter to his mother Cheryl Routledge.

More than 1,500 people attended his funeral in Sheffield, and there have been many moving tributes on the 10th anniversary of Liam’s death.

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“Lest we Forget this incredibly brave young man who gave his all for us,” tweeted @KeyserSosse.

Corporal Liam RileyCorporal Liam Riley
Corporal Liam Riley

Also paying their respects on Twitter was @WEDNESDAYLOYALl1872, who wrote: “Wednesday lads please have a little thought for Liam Riley, a brave hero and Wednesdayite who was tragically killed keeping us safe 10 years ago today.”

There were messages too from, among others, @RibbleBoy15, who wrote ‘rest in peace Liam Riley, a hero! You will never be forgotten!’, from @Dunsbyowl, who said ‘#FlyHighLegend’, and @COYS13224706, who posted ‘rest easy soldier. Heroes like you will never be forgotten’.

Liam finished his Army training in July 2005 and joined the 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment in September that year. He was promoted to corporal in 2009 after completing the Section Commanders’ Battle Course.

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He was a member of the battalion serving with the Coldstream Guards Battle Group in the Babaji district of central Helmand province, where he was the patrol second-in-command of a base security foot patrol, on the day he died.

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