Funeral for soldier killed in action

A military funeral was held in Stafford today for a hero soldier from the town who died in Afghanistan.

Corporal Darryl Gardiner, aged 25, of Mahogany Drive, Stafford, died on January 20 when the vehicle he was ferrying a badly injured comrade to a helicopter in was hit by a roadside mine.

The funeral for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer took place this afternoon in St Mary's Collegiate Church in the town centre.

The service was conducted by the Rev Colin Butler, senior chaplain of 143 (West Midlands) Brigade and unit chaplain the Rev David Creaser.

Among those who attended the funeral was Lt Col Andy Teskey, Corporal Gardiner's former commanding officer. A private cremation ceremony took place after the church service at Stafford Crematorium.

There was silence in the churchyard as the bearer party, including mem-bers of the Army parachute team of which Corporal Gardiner was a mem-ber and REME NCOs, carried the Un-ion flag-draped coffin into the church.

It bore Corporal Gardiner's dress cap and his medals. A photograph of him in his jump suit was also taken in the hearse to the church. There was a tear in the eye of several of the tall soldiers who were his comrades in arms in Afghanistan.

Corporal Gardiner's mother Sharon Ross, father Mark Gardiner, brother Paul, sister Laura, girlfriend Lucy Smith and other family members followed the honour guard into the church.

Also among the mourners were senior REME officers and other members of the parachute team in their distinctive red jump suits.

A volley of shots was fired by the Army honour guard outside the church after the service and the Last Post was sounded.