Village mourns soldier killed by Taliban day after 27th birthday

A VILLAGE united in mourning yesterday to mark the loss of a soldier killed in Afghanistan.

Nearly 1,000 people lined the streets of Golcar in Huddersfield to pay their respects at the funeral of L/Cpl Graham Shaw.

The Huddersfield soldier, of 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment/Duke of Wellington’s, was killed in an explosion in Helmand province the day after celebrating his 27th birthday.

Corporal Liam Riley, 21, of Sheffield, who was described by Prince Harry as a “legend”, was also killed that day in a separate explosion.

As the funeral cortege began its slow journey towards St John the Evangelist Church, the crowd fell silent. The family of L/Cpl Shaw wiped away tears as they watched the soldier’s coffin, draped in a Union flag and topped with his regimental hat, belt and a wreath of white flowers, carried into church.

Snow-covered hills provided a dramatic backdrop as hundreds more listened to the service on loudspeakers outside.

L/Cpl Shaw's uncle, Mick Dyson, gave a eulogy to ‘Our Graham’ saying: “Graham died doing the job he loved, he was our hero, our friend, simply he will always be our Graham.”

The assembled crowd twice burst into spontaneous applause as the coffin was carried from the church. He was then buried in a private ceremony.