William Aldridge (known as Will) was born on the 23rd May 1991. He attended Pencombe Primary School before going to the Queen Elizabeth College in Bromyard and then finishing his secondary schooling at The Minster College in Leominster.

 An enthusiastic cub scout, he later went on to become an Army Cadet with the Rifles Cadet Force in Bromyard, making the rank of Corporal and was determined to join the Army. He signed up on 9th September 2007 and attended the Army Foundation College, Harrogate, completing his Infantry training at Catterick. In December 2008, he joined his battalion (2ndBattalion the Rifles) based at Ballykinler, Northern Ireland.

 Three days after his 18th birthday, he went to serve his country in Afghanistan. Tragically, forty five days later he lost his life, killed by an IED blast while helping casualties from a previous explosion, in which he himself was injured!

 He leaves his mum, Lucy, and two little brothers George who is soon to be 6 and Archie who is 4.

 “He always wanted to join the Army, it was his dream and his ambition. He sacrificed his life living that dream and trying to svae the lives of his comrades,” said his mother, Lucy Aldridge.