TWO “talented and loyal” Gurkhas will be repatriated this week after being killed in Afghanistan. Lieutenant Edward Drummond-Baxter, 29, a platoon commander, and Lance Corporal Siddhanta Kunwar, 28, a sniper section commander, were killed by a man wearing an Afghan police uniform at Checkpoint Prrang, Helmand Province, last Tuesday.

Hundreds are expected to line the route on Thursday between RAF Brize Norton and Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital to pay their respects.

Lt Drummond-Baxter was born in Peterborough and lived in County Durham with his parents. He gained a degree in psychology from University College London and attended the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst.

He was commissioned into the 1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles, in 2010 and was deployed to Afghanistan in September 2012 for his first operational tour there.

He leaves behind his mother Helen, father David and sister Emily.

Lieutenant Colonel Matt Jackson, Commanding Officer of 40 Commando Royal Marines, said: “He loved the men he served alongside and in turn they loved him.

“Leaders like Edward are born to achieve greatness and it is with deep sadness that we find that his life has been cut so tragically short. It is difficult in these few words to truly reflect how exceptionally talented Edward was, but I will say this: I am proud to say that I knew him.”

The family of Lt Drummond-Baxter said: “Edward was fiercely loyal and totally sincere to his parents, sister and many friends who are mourning him today both in the UK and around the world. He loved the Gurkhas and died among friends.”

Lance Corporal Siddhanta Kunwar was deployed to Afghanistan on October 3 and was on his third operational tour of Afghanistan.

He was born in Pokhara, Nepal, where he lived with his mother and father.

He leaves his father Shyam Kumar Kunwar, stepmother Chhali Devi Kunwar, his four sisters Shova, Shyandya, Smita and Sardha Kunwar, and his brother Bhupendra Kunwar.

The family of Lance Corporal Kunwar said: “We are deeply shocked, disheartened and in disbelief that Siddhanta is no longer with us. “But we shall treasure all the good things he did. He enjoyed immensely his profession and was fully committed towards it.

“He has made us proud.”

Major Dave Pack, Officer Commanding A (Delhi) Company of The Royal Gurkha Rifles, said: “Lance Corporal Siddhanta was not only a talented soldier, but an incredibly likeable man. “Everything about him was good – his cheerfulness, his enthusiasm, his attitude.

“His family, friends and colleagues should be incredibly proud of him.”

The plane carrying bodies will land at RAF Brize Norton at about 1.30pm and the cortege will pass the memorial garden on the edge of Carterton at about 4pm.

It will arrive at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford for a post mortem examination at about 5pm.