Dogs and handlers join Wootton Bassett funeral crowds

Dogs and handlers join Wootton Bassett funeral crowds
2:00pm Saturday 19th March 2011


Lance Corporal Liam Tasker with Theo


PC Doug Gunn and his faithful police dog Daisy at the repatriation of Lance Corporal Liam Tasker and his springer spaniel Theo

A dozen dog handlers joined crowds in Wootton Bassett High Street for the repatriation of a soldier whose sniffer dog died from a broken heart after seeing his handler killed.

The procession on Thursday evoked national interest as a result of the touching story of how Lance Corporal Liam Tasker of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and his bomb-detecting springer spaniel Theo died on March 1 in Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Tasker, from Kirkcaldy in Fife, was shot dead while on patrol in Helmand province.

Theo died of a seizure shortly after his master.

The dog’s ashes were brought back on the same RAF aircraft as those of the 26-year-old soldier.

Among those paying their respects was Sergeant Steve Jones and PC Doug Gunn, dog handlers based at the dog unit at Wiltshire Police headquarters in Devizes.

“It was very, very sad,” PC Gunn said, who was there with his two-and-a-half-year-old labrador Daisy.

“As the handler, you are the person the dogs know and respect and they will build up a bond with you.

“What that dog was doing wasn’t risky as far as he was concerned, it was fun and he was trying to please his owner – it’s the perfect bond.

“The reports I have heard was that L/Cpl Tasker was an exceptional dog handler. It was very touching.”

The healthy 22-month-old dog died just hours after his handler.

Record-breaking Theo had been praised by the MoD for making 14 finds of hidden bombs and weapons caches in just five months.

The MoD has confirmed that Theo’s ashes will be presented to L/Cpl Tasker’s family in private at a later date.

The town mayor Coun Mary Champion also attended the procession to pay her respects.