Uckfield, East Sussex, England, UKArmy, PVT, 2nd Btn, the Parachute Rgt6/8/2008, Afghanistan, Upper Sangin Valley
Private Daniel Gamble, 22, was born on 25 June 1985 and grew up in Uckfield, East Sussex. After a short period working in a variety of jobs upon leaving school, he applied to join The Parachute Regiment and completed his basic training at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick, North Yorkshire.
It was during this time that he passed the demanding Pre-Parachute Selection Course, known as ‘P Company’, and became eligible to serve with The Parachute Regiment. He joined 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment in October 2006 having earned his parachute ‘wings’ at RAF Brize Norton.
Upon arriving at 2 PARA, he joined 4 Platoon B Company and instantly made an impression. Bright and determined, he showed true grit during the battalion’s High Readiness exercises and marked himself as a man with the potential to go further.
It was during the initial phases of planning for the deployment to Afghanistan that Private Gamble was tested to assess his aptitude to learn a foreign language. Out of the 150 Private soldiers that were tested, he was one of 10 soldiers who showed the best aptitude to learn the language of the Afghan locals, Pashto.
Bright, determined and always positive, he completed the 40-week full-time language course, motivated by his eagerness to get out to Afghanistan and make a difference. His positive approach, friendship and humour helped the others on the course to stay focussed and upbeat.
He was confident too, willingly standing up in front of 300 soldiers and delivering a presentation on Pashto culture as part of pre-deployment training. His ability to speak the language of the locals of Helmand Province made a remarkable difference in the two months he spent in Afghanistan.His skill and charisma ensured that he was always at the forefront of any patrol, his enthusiasm for his chosen profession was both relentless and infectious.
Private Daniel Gamble was serving as a rifleman and Pashto linguist with 4 Platoon, B Company, 2 PARA when he was killed in action by a suicide device in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan on Sunday 8 June 2008.
His Company Commander, Major Russell Lewis, said:
“Private Gamble was an incredibly talented individual and had completed a very demanding Pashto language course before the deployment. As a linguist he was instrumental to the Company’s ability to communicate with the locals. It was in this role that he had gone forward to communicate with a local national and was tragically killed by a suicide bomber.
“A professional, intelligent individual he had added huge value to the Company mission in Afghanistan. His loss will be sorely felt by his friends and colleagues. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”