Salute from partner and daughter at murdered soldier’s tragic homecoming

Sapper Richard Walker – a member of 28 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 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.