A SINGLE shot fired by an insurgent ‘sharpshooter’ killed a Bournemouth-born soldier and his comrade in Afghanistan, an inquest heard yesterday.

Private Conrad Lewis, of 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment and Private Lewis Hendry, of 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, were shot as they patrolled an area in the north of the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand Province on February 9.

An inquest heard 22-year-old Pte Lewis, who was born in Boscombe and grew up in Warwickshire, and Pte Hendry were taking part in a joint foot patrol with the Afghan National Army when they came under fire.

Sergeant Major Christopher Smith, of 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, led the patrol in an area which he said was ‘probably one of the most dangerous places to go out’.

He said: “The main threat, known to everyone, was a sharp-shooter. In this instance there was more than one.

“Conrad was the point man. He was a very important part of the patrol – he was the eyes and ears up front. Lewis was one of two behind him.”

The inquest, in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, heard the patrol left in a single-file formation with Pte Hendry and Pte Lewis at the front.

The men were kneeling down behind a wall when the shot hit Pte Hendry in the head, exiting his body and then hitting Pte Lewis in the neck.

The men received medical attention but they were later pronounced dead at Camp Bastion.

A post-mortem examination found they had both died from a gunshot wound and would not have been expected to survive their injuries.

The family of Pte Lewis listened as coroner David Ridley recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

Mr Ridley read to the court a statement from Sergeant Major Richard Hames, 3 Para, that said: “Pte Lewis is a paratrooper first and a civilian second. He joined 4 Para so he could be with the very best, on the front line, in a forward patrol base, with his fellow paratroopers of Fire Support Group 1.

“Despite the rigours and harsh routine of daily contacts and long patrols through the day and night he never faltered in his commitment to his fellow Airborne brothers.”

The men were both deployed to Afghanistan on October 10 last year. Pte Lewis was a member of the Fire Support Group.