Hundreds in farewell at hero's funeral

Brave Walsall soldier Corporal Jonathan Horne was given a hero's send-off this afternoon as hundreds lined the streets for his funeral.

Devastated yet proud, the 27-year-old's family and friends were joined by ex-servicemen, neighbours and even total strangers moved by his bravery.

Cpl Horne, known as Jay or JJ, who grew up in Delves, was killed on July 10 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, as he battled to save comrades injured in an earlier blast.

People came out of their homes to pay their respects and crowds broke into spontaneous applause as the hearse carrying his coffin, draped in the Union Flag and with his military hat on top, made its way from his aunt Barbara Lowe's home in Blackthorne Road, Delves, to St Gabriel's Church in Walstead Road.

It is the same church where father-of-two Cpl Horne, a member of 2nd Battalion The Rifles, was christened as a boy, and where he married his sweetheart Rachel just two years ago. Floral tributes in the hearse read 'hero' and 'brother'.

Neighbours flew Union Flags from their windows as a mark of respect. They also laid floral tributes on his aunt's lawn. Ex-paratrooper David Elwell, aged 84, of Hawthorne Road in Delves, was among those at the church. "You have got to respect the lad," he said. "I know of the family but I didn't know him personally. There's a lot of difference in our ages, but I still wanted to pay my respects."

Hundreds packed into the church and hundreds more stood outside, listening to the service via a tannoy system. A Guard of Honour welcomed Cpl Horne's body. Westlife's Flying Without Wings opened the service, during which Cpl Horne's widow read a poem and his childhood friend Lee Chambers also spoke. Captain John Mabb, Officer Commanding the Rear Party of the Battalion, paid tribute to Cpl Horne. "He was a cracking bloke all round," he said. "At this stage he was showing great potential for the future and I'm sure he would have gone a long way in his career.

"He died while commanding a group of men. He was responsible for evacuating casualties after an earlier explosive device had gone off on their patrol. He died saving his mates. He was well liked by all the blokes he was in charge of and was a popular guy all round. He was a family man, a father, much-loved husband, son, and relation of all the people around here today who are going to miss him more than probably we are, if that is possible."

The soldier's family today issued a heartfelt thank-you to people for their support. After the service his body was being taken to Streetly Cemetery for a private burial.