| Location | Greenock, Scotland |
| Age | 28 years |
| Date of Birth | 1982 |
| Date of Death | 21/07/2010 |
| Visitors | 9,500 since 19/08/2010 |
| Creator |
Lance Corporal Stephen Daniel Monkhouse from the 1st Battalion Scots Guards and Corporal Matthew James Stenton from The Royal Dragoon Guards were killed when members of The Royal Dragoon Guards and the 1st Battalion Scots Guards were providing security for the building of Route Trident in Basharan, north of Lashkar Gah.
Corporal Stenton, of Viking Group, D (The Green Horse) Squadron, was commanding a Viking armoured vehicle that was part of a cordon to facilitate the exploitation of a number of IEDs and Lance Corporal Monkhouse, of Combined Force Lashkar Gah, was the gunner of a Coyote vehicle when insurgents shot and wounded a member of ISAF.
Corporal Stenton manoeuvred his vehicle in order to lay down fire and extract the casualty, and Lance Corporal Monkhouse provided fire support in order to allow the evacuation to take place. Tragically, as the casualty was being extracted, Corporal Stenton and Lance Corporal Monkhouse were both killed by small arms fire.
Lance Corporal Stephen Monkhouse began his Army training in December 2003 and subsequently joined the 1st Battalion Scots Guards in Germany in 2004. He immediately deployed as a Warrior driver in Right Flank on Operation TELIC 5. It was during his time with Right Flank that he developed a reputation as an immensely fit and robust infantry soldier.
After a brief spell with B (Support Weapons) Company as a Mortarman, he decided to join the Pipes and Drums, despite having, by his own admission, no musical knowledge. He passed his Class 3 Drummers Course in 2007 and his Class 2 Drummers Course in 2008, both at the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming, and with flying colours.
Having passed a Junior Non-Commissioned Officers' cadre he was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in March 2009. He remained in the Pipes and Drums and regularly represented the regiment and battalion at musical events.
These events included Pipe Band tours of Moscow in 2007, the USA in 2009, and the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2006 and 2009. He was also a key member of the battalion's football team. His unflinching and passionate support for Celtic Football Club could never be dampened.
He was selected to be a member of the Commanding Officer's Tactical Group for Operation HERRICK 12 and deployed to Afghanistan at the beginning of July.
Lieutenant Colonel Lincoln Jopp, Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion Scots Guards, said:
"I have known Lance Corporal Monkhouse, or 'Monkey' as he was known by everyone, ever since he walked through the door of my company office in Germany back just before we left for operations in Iraq in 2004. He made an immediate impression. Tall, gangling and with a nose nearly as big as his ever-present smile.
"He did well as a Guardsman, but it was only when he moved up into the Pipes and Drums and became Drummer Monkhouse that he really shone. In fact, he excelled.
"He passed every course we sent him on and was made a Lance Corporal in 2009. He loved his drumming and, only a week before he was killed, he proudly played here in Lashkar Gah for our Colonel, His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent.
"Out here in Afghanistan Monkey was part of my Tactical Group which meant driving around all over the area meeting Afghans and seeing the troops.
"He was the heavy machine gunner of our lead vehicle and had not only mastered that role, but was also our expert on detecting improvised explosive devices. Consummate soldier by day and, on his practice pad back in the tent, paradiddler by night. But always a proud father, son and brother, and a true friend to all.
"The whole of the battalion and the wider regimental family join me in sending our sincerest condolences to his young son Brandon, his parents Billy and Linda, his wider family, and all his many friends. Greenock lost one of its finest last night.
"Monkey died coming to the aid of a Guardsman who had been shot. He did what every soldier hopes he will have the courage to do if the need arises; he laid down his life for his friend. We salute him and we honour our fallen."
xxxx
merry xmas eve babe !!
going to be such a sad xmas without you for ur handsum litto boy and family,
ano you wil be watchin over them all
neva forgotten
missed always
hugs nd kisses babe 4ever
xx
miss you
hey big man!!
miss you loads and the crazy chats
neva forget you a true hero !
sendin big hugs and kisses up to the sky
for you!
love you always
xxxx
I never knew you personally but felt compelled to leave my respect. Thank you for your service. God bless,rest in peace.
A True Gem
I had the pleasure of meeting you a couple of years ago with my late husband William, i still remmember your wonderful smile and great sense of humor.Thank you for the couple of hours you spent chatting with great patience and understanding to my disabled son, it will never be forgotten. How proud your parents and family must be of you, they raised a true gem of a man. I wish your family all the love and best wishes in the world. Bless you. xxx
Our Local Hero
Hi Stephen...just wanted to say we are missing you and hope that there will soon be an end to all this heartache soon.
Too many young lives are being lost for no real reason...and too many families are torn to pieces with grief.
I hope someday all your friends can come home and this mindless war will be over.
Until then my friend...Rest in Peace.
I am sending care boxes to some of your comrades in the hope that they will receive some comfort knowing that we are all thinking of them too...
God Bless you Stephen....Veronica Paul, Barry Stone and family...xx
A CANDLE OF REMEMBERANCE............
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TONIGHT I LIGHT THIS CANDLE WHILE IN REMEMBERANCE OF YOU
I HOPE THAT IT WILL BURN ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT IN HOPE YOU CAN SEE IT TOO
KNOWING THAT I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU WITH EVERY BREATH I TAKE
ONE DAY WE SHALL MEET AGAIN THERE WILL BE NO MORE HEARTBREAK
☆
WE SHALL BE UNITED WHEN MY EARTHLY TIME IS THROUGH
UNTIL THEN MY ANGEL I WILL LIVE ON EACH MEMORY OF YOU
SLEEP WELL MY PRECIOUS ANGEL FOR ALL OF ETERNITY
ONE DAY I WILL SEE YOUR BEAUTIFUL SEARCHING THIS EARTH FOR ME............
☆
copyright© Rosalind Roberts 10/9/2010
Heroes
Thinking of you at this very sad time my son is serving in theatre at the moment .God bless you all and give you the strength to carry on we all appreciate the heavy price you have paid .He is a hero forevermore xxx
For Stephen
My Soldier Boy
My angel was a soldier boy
travelling far and wide,
He served his country faithfully
with his comrades by his side.
My soldier boy was just a child
when he signed up for the cause,
but little did we know that soon
he would be fighting in the wars.
He wore his uniform so proud,
and medals for all to see,
but little did I know quite soon,
he wouldn't come back to me.
So as he waved bye bye that day
We both stood there and cried,
and then that awful letter came
for his country he had died.
I sometimes smile, I sometimes cry
now that we are apart
I will never forget you soldier boy
You're always in my heart.
Copyright© Jean Cavanagh 2009
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There have been 156 candles lit for Stephen.
