Leeds soldier killed by Afghan rebel is flown home

Sapper Richard Walker - a member of 28 Engineer Regiment attached to 21 Engineer Regiment - was killed in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province on January 7.

His girlfriend, Abbie Revill, 23, was supported by friends and family as she clutched their young daughter, Lilly-Faith, at the side of the road in Carterton, Oxfordshire.

The body of the 23-year-old father-of-one was earlier flown into RAF Brize Norton where the Union flag-draped coffin was carried from the plane with full military honours.

Following a private service for his family on the RAF base, they arrived at the nearby memorial garden.

Despite the expected snowfall, more than 100 well-wishers joined his family and fell silent for the first repatriation of 2013.

As a bell began to toll, Royal British Legion standard-bearers slowly lowered their flags and family members wiped tears from their eyes when they caught sight of the cortege.

The hearses paused briefly next to a Union flag hung at half mast to allow people to step forward and place red roses on top of the car.

As the hearse pulled away there was a round of applause by members of the public who came to pay their respects.

Leeds-born Sapper Walker had only known Lilly-Faith for 18 months before he was deployed for his first tour of Afghanistan in September.

His family paid tribute to their son and brother in a statement, which read: “Richard held two things close to his heart - his daughter and his colleagues in the Army.

“A proud, patriotic man, he died doing a job he loved, supporting his friends.”

Sapper Walker was killed and six others were injured when the Afghan soldier opened fire on international and ANA troops.

They were all taken to the Bastion Role 3 medical facility, where Sapper Walker was pronounced dead.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the “insider attack”, which occurred at Patrol Base Hazrat.

Following Sapper Walker’s death, his friend Sapper Matthew Cunningham, 8 Troop, 42 Field Squadron, 28 Engineer Regiment, said: “I knew Richie for three years and was privileged to be able to call him my best mate.

“He was thoughtful, funny and a big character in any group he found himself amongst, but he always put others first.

“I have so many good memories from over the last three years but the one that stands out the most for me was the day that he christened his daughter Lilly-Faith.

“He was so proud of her that day, I remember him standing that extra inch taller and his smile beaming more than usual.

“You will be sorely missed, brother, gone but never forgotten until we meet again at the bar in the sky... RIP.”

The number of members of UK forces to have died since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001 now stands at 440.