Tri-Service

Hundreds Turn Out For Funeral Of Soldier Killed In Iraq

Hundreds of mourners on Thursday paid their respects at a moving funeral ceremony for a British soldier killed in Iraq.

Members of the public lined the streets as the hearse bearing Lance Corporal Scott Hetherington, 22, made its way up the hill to the church in Langley in his hometown of Middleton, Greater Manchester.

His partner, Savannah Brown, mother to their daughter, born last October, and parents Anne and Jason, walked behind the hearse, bearing floral tributes to Son and Daddy, followed by a throng of family members and close friends.

Hundreds more mourners waited outside All Saints and Martyrs Church for the start of the service, as a guard of honour of his comrades from the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster Regiment stood to attention.

Six more soldiers from his unit acted as pall bearers, as his coffin, draped in the union flag was borne into the church to the music of Tenerife by Ed Sheeran.

Dozens of mourners outside the packed church stood in biting winds to listen to the service relayed outside on a public address system.

L/Cpl Hetherington, who had a twin sister, Sian, died on January 2, while on a tour of duty in Iraq helping to train local forces to battle the terror group Islamic State.

His death at Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, has been described as a "tragic incident" and not the result of enemy action.

A Ministry of Defence investigation is under way.

Colleagues of L/Cpl Hetherington, nicknamed "Snowball", were overcome by tears as the service began and were hugged by members of the public.

Father Philip Miller told mourners the fallen soldier was a local lad, who had been in the church youth brigade as a boy before joining up to serve in the Army.

He read a short eulogy from the soldier's mother, who said today she was "feeling like I could burst with pride" for her son.

She promised his young daughter would "know her daddy, love her daddy and be proud of her daddy," her words ending, "sleep tight my love, see you in the sunset and the sunrise".

L/Cpl Hetherington, who also served in the Falklands and Kenya, was a "superb soldier" and "first class leader" his commanding officers said after his death - and during the service he was described in more personal terms as a fun-loving and friendly young man.

Padre Simon Bloxam-Rose read words from L/Cpl Hetherington's father Jason, telling how they enjoyed "Dad and lad" time together at football and cricket, before ending: "I'm proud to call you my son."

The padre ended his eulogy with the words:

"There are many kinds of sorrow in this world and love and hate, but there's no sterner sorrow than a soldier for his mate. Amen."

After hymns and prayers, the service concluded with the national anthem.

L/Cpl Hetherington was one of 150 soldiers from his battalion deployed to Iraq for six months late last year to form part of the 500-strong British Army force, which was being sent to the country to train Iraqi and Kurdish security forces.

His battalion was providing protection to other British troops training the local security forces in infantry skills, weapons maintenance, medical, engineering and counter IED measures.

Following the funeral service, the soldier's hearse left the church accompanied by police motorbike outriders for a private interment for family and friends only.