A Falklands War "boy wonder" who led a platoon in battle aged just 19 has been killed in a light aircraft crash.
Parachute Regiment veteran Chris Waddington died when his plane came down at Shobdon Airfield in Leominster, Herefordshire on Friday, August 26.
The hero pilot, 59, was called to lead a platoon of 20 men into the first battle of the Falklands War when he was 19 years old, not long after finishing his training at Sandhurst.
His energy and commitment to his role as an officer earned him the nickname "Boy Wonder".
Mr Waddington recently appeared in a BBC documentary to mark 40 years since the Falklands War.
After the conflict, he remained a paratrooper for more than 20 years, serving in Bosnia and Iraq.
In recent years, he followed his passion of recreational flying and owned a Pitts biplane.
That aircraft was frequently seen in the skies of his home county and in 2020 he performed stunts as part of the final Clap for Our Carers event.
He had also taken part in air shows from 2015, and had owned the plane for 22 years.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has launched an investigation into the crash.
West Mercia Police confirmed last week no one else was on board, there were no other injuries and no other aircraft was involved.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said they sent one ambulance, a paramedic officer and the Midlands Air Ambulance and found the pilot still in the plane.
A spokesman added: "On arrival we discovered a fixed-wing light aircraft that had come down at the airfield.
"There was one male patient still within the aircraft.
"Sadly, it quickly became apparent nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene."
