Marine Jason Hylton was attached to 539 Assault Squadron RM, and was killed along with others in an attack on a Multi-National Forces boat patrol on the Shatt Al-Arab waterway.

They were; Warrant Officer Class 2 Lee Hopkins, Royal Corps of Signals, Staff Sergeant Sharron Elliott of the Intelligence Corps, Corporal Ben Nowak of 45 Commando Royal Marines and Marine Jason Hylton of 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines.

All died as a result of injuries sustained following the detonation of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) mounted on a bridge on the Shatt Al Arab River on the eastern edge of Basra City. The incident took place at approximately 1350 hrs local time. All were onboard a Rigid Raiding Craft (RRC) which was part of a routine boat patrol travelling north towards the Shatt Al Arab Hotel, a British Army base on the river. Three other UK service personnel sustained serious injuries in the attack.

Marine Hylton joined the Royal Marines on 15 September 2003 at the age of 30 and on completion of recruit training joined 42 Commando Royal Marines (42 Cdo RM) as a rifleman. During his time at 42 Commando Royal Marines he volunteered to become a Landing Craftsman and subsequently attended and passed his Landing Craftsman 3 Course at Royal Marines Poole in December 2004.

From there he joined 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines embarked onboard HMS BULWARK where he served for 18 months, initially as a Landing Craft Utility Crewman and subsequently as a Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP) Crewman. He deployed with 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines at the beginning of this year to the Middle East, which was his first operational deployment.

[Source: MOD]