The Ministry of Defence has named a British soldier, who died in Afghanistan on Friday.
Sergeant Jonathan Eric Kups was 38 years old and from Nuneaton in Warwickshire.
He joined the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers twenty years ago, training as an electronics technician.
He died on Friday at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province - his death is not thought to be due to hostile action.
Sergeant Kups' leaves behind a wife and three children.
In a statement, they've said:
"Jonathan was a wonderful husband and loving father to three children.
"He was a loyal man with a wide circle of friends, a devoted son, son-in-law, grandson and brother."
His children said: "You're the best Dad; always in our hearts - our hero."
While his wife added: "I love you now, forever and always and evermore."
The MoD says his "untimely death is a great loss to his family and the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers."
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Smyth, Commanding Officer, 104 Force Support Battalion REME, called him "a man of real substance":
"Sergeant Jonathan Kups, or 'Koops' as he was known, arrived at the Battalion in 2011.
"A real character, his dry and quick witted sense of humour made him a pleasure to work with and he was extremely popular across all the ranks".
Lieutenant Colonel Neil Thorpe, Commanding Officer, Theatre Equipment Support Battalion, said:
"Technically brilliant, he invested considerable sweat and tears in developing his technicians ahead of the deployment and his efforts reaped significant success.
"Confident, with bags of humour, he was a SNCO who lived life to the full. His enthusiasm was infectious and he cared passionately for the technicians within his team. He was the father figure and his soldiers loved him for it."
An investigation into Sergeant Kups' death is continuing.
from British Forces News
22 September 2012 | Afghanistan
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the official MOD release:
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