When is liam taskers funeral

The dog suffered a fatal seizure hours later at a British army base, likely brought about by stress. Military officials won't go so far as to say Theo died of a broken heart, but that may not be far from the truth. It's not uncommon for pets to respond to an owner's death by refusing food and becoming sick — and the bond between working dogs and their handlers is especially close, Pendlebury said.

When you see them working together, it's really one unit. As the funeral cortege of black vehicles drove slowly away, it was saluted by a long line of military dog handlers, their dogs at their sides. He spoke of the soldier's love for his parents and how he was someone who put the needs of others before his own.

Mr Tasker told how he and his brother had grown closer in recent years and would enjoy time talking together and playing music. He told mourners: 'Liam said at the end of one of his letters, "Every day is a gift, not a given right". I'd like to use this day to celebrate his life rather than mourn his death. Leading the service, Rev Brian Oxburgh said those who knew the soldier described him as "professional, courageous, measured, committed, zealous, thorough, enthusiastic and selfless".

He said: 'Liam's life, though brief, was full. He achieved for others more than many do in a lifetime two, three or four times as long. Another uncle, William McCord, read a poem written for Liam by one of his colleagues. The congregation also listened to the soldier's favourite song, The Funeral by Band Of Horses before a private burial at Tayport Cemetery.

Lieutenant Colonel David Thorrpe, commanding officer of the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment said he was a natural dog man who displayed 'uncanny empathy' with the animals during his training.

The service was packed with mourners and hundreds more lined the streets. It is clear that the pride he took in his job came from the love he had for the dogs he worked with. He saved the lives of his friends and colleagues on numerous occasions.

He knew that he could be and he knew that he was, but he would never tell you himself. His passion for dogs led to a transfer to the Royal Army Veterinary Corps six years later. Lt Col Thorpe also spoke of the soldier's time in Afghanistan and the special bond he formed with Theo. He said: 'LCpl Tasker was in control of an asset that, when trained and honed and used properly, could quite literally save lives. People on the streets of Tayport bow their heads as his coffin passes through the streets.

His belt and hat lie on top of the coffin as the soldier is taken from the church to be buried at a private ceremony. Theo was a true friend. Sales contacts. Publishing contacts.

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Table of Contents. Sign in to annotate. Delete Cancel Save. The footage, now deeply poignant, shows Theo — energetic, ears cocked, tail wagging — alongside Tasker searching a compound for explosives. In it, Theo is seen feverishly circling the dusty area, his nose pressed to the ground. At one point he stops, tail wagging furiously, and begins digging the rocky earth before turning eagerly toward Tasker, who calls out "good boy!

The ministry said then that Theo had been so successful — finding 14 hidden bombs and weapons caches, a record for a team in Afghanistan — that the dog's tour of duty had been extended by a month. Tasker was the th British soldier to die in Afghanistan since the U. Theo was the sixth British military dog killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since There are calls for Theo to receive the Dickin medal, which since has recognized wartime bravery by animals, from carrier pigeons to a World War II commando collie.

The loyalty of some dogs is legendary, from Greyfriars Bobby, a 19th-century Skye terrier who guarded his master's Edinburgh grave for 14 years, to Hachiko, a Japanese dog who awaited his owner's return at a train station every day for years after the man's death. Both are commemorated with statues. Tasker's father, Ian, said Theo would have been devastated by Liam's death.

Tasker's mother, Jane Duffy agreed.