Salford, England, UK
Army, Lance Corporal, 20 Field Squadron, 36 Engineer Regiment
9/17/2007, Gereshk district, Afghanistan
Corporal Ivano Violino, known as “Sean”, aged 29, was born in Salford. He joined the Army on 18 January 2002. Having completed combat engineer training at 3 Royal School Military Engineering Regiment and driver training at the Defence School of Transport, Leaconfield, Corporal Violino joined 36 Engineer Regiment as a member of the Combat Support Troop, 50 Headquarters & Support Squadron on 11 February 2003. He was an Army canoeist and regularly represented the regiment at rugby.
In March 2003 Corporal Violino deployed with the Regiment to Kuwait and took part in Operation TELIC. He was deservedly promoted to Lance Corporal in October 2004 and in April 2006 he was cross-posted within 36 Engineer Regiment to Support Troop, 20 Field Squadron.
As part of 20 Field Squadron he deployed to Canada in February 2007 to take part in a demanding construction exercise to upgrade and construct facilities at the British Army Training Unit, Suffield. Thereafter Corporal Violino participated fully in the pre-deployment training for Afghanistan deploying with his Squadron on the 52 Infantry Brigade exercise on Salisbury Plain and taking part in a live firing exercise on Thetford Training Area. Prior to his deployment, Corporal Violino’s high professional standards were recognised when he was selected for promotion to Corporal.
Corporal Violino’s vehicle was caught in an explosion on Monday 17 September 2007. Despite the best efforts of the Air Medical Emergency Response Team who arrived on the scene shortly after the explosion, Corporal Violino was sadly pronounced dead on arrival at the field hospital at Camp Bastion.
Corporal Violino arrived in Afghanistan on 2 September 2007 and is sadly the first fatality from 36 Engineer Regiment. He leaves behind his wife, Katey Anne (known as Katey), and seven-year-old twins from a previous relationship, Ellie and Lewis.
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Wardlaw, Commanding Officer 36 Engineer Regiment, said:
“Corporal Violino was an experienced and dedicated junior non commissioned officer, the very epitome of a modern professional soldier, who lived life to the full and gave his all to the Army, his comrades and to his family. Extremely fit, enthusiastic and exceptionally hard working, he drew respect and praise in equal measure: his recent and early selection for promotion to Corporal is testament to the excellent career which lay ahead. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten by all those who had the honour to serve alongside him.”
A close friend of Corporal Violino, Lance Corporal Adam Cornelius, 50 Headquarters and Support Squadron, said:
“Corporal Violino, or Sean to his friends, was an all round good guy. I had the privilege to know him, his wife Katey and his two young twins Ellie and Lewis. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this time of great sadness. I will remember Sean best for his ‘Cheeky Chappy’ attitude to life both in and out of work. His death is a massive loss as he was an individual who had so much to give to others.”
Sean’s wife, Katey, said:
“Sean will be sadly missed for his infectious enthusiasm for life and his desire to be everyone’s friend. He was popular with everyone he met and was loved by friends and family alike. Sean was very proud to be a member of the Armed Forces, in particular the Royal Engineers, and having been selected for promotion to Corporal had a bright future ahead of him. The world is a poorer place without Sean.”