Corporal
101 Engineer Regiment
(Explosive Ordnance Disposal)
Corps of Royal Engineers
British Army

He was deployed with the UK contingent of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Cpl Kirkpatrick was killed in a small arms firefight with insurgent forces in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province. He and his team were moving out from a compound to return to Checkpoint Kingshill when they came under attack.

Aged 32, he was born in Edinburgh but lived in Llanelli in south Wales. He enlisted in the Corps of Royal Engineers in September 1997 and completed training as a combat engineer and as a Plant Operator Mechanic. Posted for six years in Germany, he served a tour of duty in Iraq and then a stint at the Land Warfare Centre in Warminster. After a posting as a corporal instructor at the Royal School of Military Engineering in Chatham, he was assigned to 33 Engineer Regiment where he gained his Intermediate Explosive Ordnance Disposal qualification. He deployed to Afghanistan in April 2010 as the Number 2 in a Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Team, supporting the Bomb Disposal Operator. He was admired for his diligence, coolness under pressure and total confidence in his abilities. Known as "KP", he was described as a big man with a big heart, beaming smile and tremendous sense of humour. "His catchphrase E.L.E. (Everybody Loves Everybody) would always boost spirits within the troop.

Cpl Kirkpatrick leaves behind his wife Heidi and their young daughter Holly, his parents Ian and Angela, brother Ross and sister Claire, other family members and friends. His family said, "Jamie was a larger than life individual who was loved, loyal and loud. A wonderful son. He was a proud soldier, friend, brother, husband and Daddy. The family are devastated by their loss and are struggling to come to terms with the fact they will never see him again."

Funeral with full military honours was held on July 20, 2010 at All Saints Parish Church, Goring Road, Llanelli.

*Thanks to B for the grave photo