HE WAS A TRUE HERO; Midland soldier killed in accident once helped capture leading terrorist.

Byline: BY LUCY TOWNSEND

A HERO Midland soldier killed in a road accident in Afghanistan once helped capture a leading Islamic terrorist, it emerged last night.

Colour Sergeant Phillip Newman, from Wolston, near Rugby, Warwickshire, died with Private Brian Tunnicliffe when their vehicle overturned.

It had been travelling as part of a convoy resupplying troops, but landed on its roof in an irrigation channel in the treacherous Helmand Province.

The two Midland soldiers were killed but a colleague managed to escape unhurt.

Colour Sgt Newman, 36, was part of a West Midlands regiment of Territorial Army soldiers praised for their role in the 2003 capture of rebel Afghan commander Ghulam Rabbani Abu Bakr.

He was head of the Hizb-e-Islami Gulbeddin terror group - linked to Al-Qaida and believed to have been behind a series of car bombings in Kabul.

Commander of British Forces, Col Richard Kemp, praised their efforts at the time and added: "The regiment was initially mobilised to provide security for the base here in Kabul.

"But they have proved such high-quality soldiers that we increased their task and they worked completely alongside the regular force, carrying out patrolling and counter-terrorist activities throughout Kabul.

"They are most certainly a credit to their regiment, to the Army, and I have personally received a great deal of praise for them from senior officers in the international security force."

Colour Sgt Newman leaves wife Stephanie and three children, Josh, 12, Mackenzie, 11, and eight year-old Tia.

Mrs Newman described her husband, who had also served in Iraq, as a "loving husband and a brilliant father" last night.

"Phillip took pride in all of his achievements," she said. "His great sense of humour made the most of any situation.

"We are very proud of him. He died doing what he loved and we will all miss him very much."

Colour Sgt Newman joined the TA in Coventry in 1994 as a member of the 5th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. It became the 4th Battalion of the new Mercian Regiment at the start of this month.

Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Yardley said: "Phillip touched many people's lives. He personified all that was good in a soldier.

"He led from the front and protected those who could not protect themselves."

Pte Tunnicliffe, 33 and from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, enlisted in Derby and began his training at the Army Training Regiment, Lichfield, followed by the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick.

He had served in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Belize and Kenya.

The tragedy takes the number of British military fatalities in Afghanistan to 81 since the start of operations in November 2001.