Soldier's death prompts new war memorial in Carlton

L/Cpl Martin Gill died while on patrol in Afghanistan

A new war memorial created following a campaign by the uncle of a Royal Marine killed in Afghanistan has been unveiled in a Nottinghamshire town.

L/Cpl Martin Gill, 22, from Nottingham, was fatally wounded by small arms fire while on a foot patrol in Helmand, in June 2011.

His uncle Paul Gunter raised £19,000 towards a memorial at Carlton Cemetery.

It is the first war monument in Carlton to commemorate to the fallen from various conflicts.

There are also two plaques in the local church to honour soldiers from World War One.

L/Cpl Martin Gill's uncle raised £19,000 towards the war memorial

Mr Gunter said it brought "tears to his eyes" when the granite memorial was installed on Wednesday ahead of the official unveiling ceremony.

"At the moment [L/Cpl Martin Gill] is the last name on the plaques... It's an emotional day for me," he said.

"It's took two years... it was difficult at the onset because I didn't know how to go about it.

"I've had people knocking at my door that I hardly knew and saying 'this [donation] is for the memorial'."

L/Cpl Gill name has been placed alongside 180 others killed during various conflicts

L/Cpl Gill's name has been placed alongside 180 others from the town who were killed in various conflicts.

The stone will be maintained by Gedling Borough Council.

John Clarke, the council leader, said: "This memorial will be a fitting tribute to them all and especially to Paul's nephew, Lance Corporal Martin J Gill and it will ensure we will never forget what they did for us."

The National Lottery Fund contributed £10,000 for the memorial at Carlton Cemetery

L/Cpl Gill, who served in 42 Commando, was shot in the neck and head while on a foot patrol in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand.

Following his death it was revealed he had lost his mother before he was deployed overseas and had become the "bedrock" for his younger brother and sister.

His family said he died "doing what he had always wanted to do" and would be "deeply loved and missed forever".

The Mayor of Gedling was in attendance at the unveiling where a one minute silence was observed and the Last Post played.