THE death of the 300th British serviceman in Afghanistan has been felt keenly in Dorset and the New Forest.

The Royal Marine from 40 Commando was injured in an explosion on June 12 and then died on Sunday.

Sue Thwaites, mum of Marine Neil Dunstan from Burton, killed in 2008, said: “It’s just awful to see more people killed.

“Perhaps if we had gone in fully equipped in the first place, and got on with it quickly, it would have worked out by now.

“I don’t know if we can ever win but if they pulled out these deaths will have been in vain. I just wish they would try talking to each other.

“I feel terrible for all the other parents but I feel worse for the marine parents because I know exactly what they are gong to through, and of course the marines are a very small unit.”

Bill MacAlester is a former 40 Commando marine and head of the Christchurch branch of the veterans group for the Falklands war, SAMA (82).

“Everytime you lose a marine it’s like losing someone in the brotherhood,” he said.

He added: “We also know it’s a dangerous game. To join a unit like the marines and not expect to have a fight is naïve.”

Prime Minister David Cameron said the landmark death was “desperately sad news”. He said the servicemen are there to make Britain safer and would pull out as soon as the Afghans could handle their own security.

The war started in 2002 and it took five years for the first 50 British servicemen to die. Since spring 2009, the death rate has been around 50 men every five months.

So how long can we accept these losses?

“As long as necessary to achieve the mission,” said New Forest West MP Desmond Swayne, a TA officer.

“The British public and British army have sustained much higher levels of casualties in the past.

“The only issue that makes this difficult now is the perception of many people that it’s not worth the men killed.”