A paratrooper who was killed in Ukraine as he watched the testing of a new defensive capability was “a born soldier… who made the hard days easy and the good days memorable”, his company commander has said.

Lance Corporal George Hooley, 28, who was due to be promoted to corporal rank next month, died in a “tragic accident” on Tuesday morning while observing Ukrainian forces testing a new defensive capability.

The Parachute Regiment soldier, who had previously been deployed to Afghanistan , Africa and eastern Europe , has been described as “the glue” and “the laughter within his team”, and someone who had “a deep kindness and genuine time for everyone”.

In a tribute, his company commander said: “If you met George Hooley, you remembered it.

“His energy and enthusiasm were simply

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