Hundreds honour 'modest' soldier

Widow Nausheen Chant (third left) paid tribute to WO Chant's "devotion"

Seven hundred mourners have attended the funeral of a British soldier killed in Afghanistan, at the London chapel where he married four months earlier.

Warrant Officer Darren Chant, 40, was among five servicemen shot dead by a "rogue" Afghan policeman in November.

Widow Nausheen Chant, who is due to give birth to their son in February, called him a man of "immense modesty".

The Duke of Edinburgh also attended the service at the Guards Chapel at Wellington Barracks, central London.

WO Chant, who was born in Walthamstow, east London, was the most senior non-commissioned officer in his battalion.

He was also responsible for driving Prince Phillip around whenever he visited Wellington Barracks.

'Incredibly kind-hearted'

WO Chant leaves behind his widow, known as Sheenie - who he met at Sandhurst officer training college - and three children from a previous marriage.

In a tribute read by her sister, Nelam Riaz, Mrs Chant said: "Behind the tough exterior was an incredibly kind-hearted man who could win over anybody with his persuasive charm."

Mrs Chant said her husband always made her laugh out loud with his "incomparable wit and humour" but also showed great compassion to others.

"His devotion to his children and myself will never be equalled," she said.

"I am left with only memories now, wonderful memories which fill me with pride, and I feel truly enchanted to have spent my life knowing him."

The size of the turnout you see today in front of you is testament to the character of the man that we lay to rest

WO Sean Bate

After meeting WO Chant's family privately before the service, Prince Phillip emerged to bow his head in front of the hearse containing the soldier's coffin before entering the chapel.

Bearers then carried in the coffin, which was draped in a Union flag and bore a poppy wreath and the soldier's cap and belt.

WO Sean Bate, who was best man at WO Chant's wedding in September, said: "Today we lay to rest not only a great soldier and sergeant major of our regiment, the Grenadier Guards, but a loving husband, a great father, son and an awesome friend, a brother that I never had."

WO Bate added: "The size of the turnout you see today in front of you is testament to the character of the man that we lay to rest. He will live on in our regiment and our hearts forever."

Brigadier David Maddan, regimental lieutenant colonel of the Grenadier Guards, recalled how the "consummate soldier" single-handedly carried an injured comrade on his back to safety during a previous tour of Afghanistan in 2007.

He added that WO Chant believed strongly in the importance of mentoring the Afghan security forces.

Brig Maddan added: "He would have been determined that one tragic and devastating act should not deter the Grenadiers from continuing to do what is right."

Guardsman Jimmy Major, Sgt Matthew Telford, Cpl Steven Boote and Cpl Nicholas Webster-Smith also died in the 3 November attack.