A hero soldier who was shot dead whilst serving in Afghanistan was soon joined by his loyal search dog, who died of a seizure just hours later, an inquest heard.
Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, 26, was shot by insurgents in the Nahr-el-Sarraj district of Helmand Province while navigating a team of soldiers through an area thought to be littered with bombs.
An inquest heard the brave serviceman died instantly after being struck in the face by a bullet, believed to be from a machine gun, with beloved springer spaniel Theo by his side.
The inseparable pair, who had routed out an Army record 14 caches of bombs and weapons together - saving countless lives - were described as 'made for each other.'
But just hours after his seeing his beloved master shot dead, 22-month-old Theo began to fit and died.
Speaking after her son's inquest, L/Cpl Tasker's mum Jane said she had taken comfort from the fact that the pair had worked together and died together. She said: 'When I heard Theo had died as well as Liam I took comfort from that thought.
'They had worked together and died together. Liam went to help save lives but paid the ultimate price.
'He was a larger than life character and touched everybody he met in some special way.'
L/Cpl Tasker, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, was deployed to Afghanistan in September 2010 as an arms and explosives search dog handler in the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment of the Royal Army Vetinary Corps.
The soldier had been attached with the 1st Battalion Irish guards to help patrol the Shingazi area of Nahr-el-Sarraj in Helmand Province - known as the 'shark's fin'.
He was brought in to help scout out bombs - after several troops had been killed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the area.
Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, 26, was shot by insurgents in the Nahr-el-Sarraj district of Helmand Province while navigating a team of soldiers through an area thought to be littered with bombs.
An inquest heard the brave serviceman died instantly after being struck in the face by a bullet, believed to be from a machine gun, with beloved springer spaniel Theo by his side.
The inseparable pair, who had routed out an Army record 14 caches of bombs and weapons together - saving countless lives - were described as 'made for each other.'
But just hours after his seeing his beloved master shot dead, 22-month-old Theo began to fit and died.
Speaking after her son's inquest, L/Cpl Tasker's mum Jane said she had taken comfort from the fact that the pair had worked together and died together. She said: 'When I heard Theo had died as well as Liam I took comfort from that thought.
'They had worked together and died together. Liam went to help save lives but paid the ultimate price.
'He was a larger than life character and touched everybody he met in some special way.'
L/Cpl Tasker, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, was deployed to Afghanistan in September 2010 as an arms and explosives search dog handler in the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment of the Royal Army Vetinary Corps.
The soldier had been attached with the 1st Battalion Irish guards to help patrol the Shingazi area of Nahr-el-Sarraj in Helmand Province - known as the 'shark's fin'.
He was brought in to help scout out bombs - after several troops had been killed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the area.
Best friends: Lance Corporal Tasker and his trusted army search dog Theo show their incredible bond during a training session in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan
Major Ian Turner, from 2 Company the Irish Guards, giving evidence at the inquest, said: 'We were enormously grateful when he came.
'The strikes were affecting the moral of the company and we were losing our faith to identify the IEDs in the ground.
'As soon as he came he lifted the spirits of everyone. His brigadier phoned me and said they were sending the best they had to offer.
'They were extremely brave and enthusiastic for the task and gave us the opportunity to be more aggressive.'
The inquest was told that L/Cpl Tasker was moving with a team of soldiers in Shingazi at 8.30am on March 1 when he was fatally shot.
The Irish Guards had launched the patrol through the dangerous area to try and set up a 'Shura' or meeting with local Afghans and US troops.
L/Cpl Tasker and Theo were recruited to help guide them through the area - notoriously scattered with IEDs - and safely to their meeting point.
Theo had already sniffed out a suspicious plastic bag, with a black wire leading out of it not long into the mission.
'The strikes were affecting the moral of the company and we were losing our faith to identify the IEDs in the ground.
'As soon as he came he lifted the spirits of everyone. His brigadier phoned me and said they were sending the best they had to offer.
'They were extremely brave and enthusiastic for the task and gave us the opportunity to be more aggressive.'
The inquest was told that L/Cpl Tasker was moving with a team of soldiers in Shingazi at 8.30am on March 1 when he was fatally shot.
The Irish Guards had launched the patrol through the dangerous area to try and set up a 'Shura' or meeting with local Afghans and US troops.
L/Cpl Tasker and Theo were recruited to help guide them through the area - notoriously scattered with IEDs - and safely to their meeting point.
Theo had already sniffed out a suspicious plastic bag, with a black wire leading out of it not long into the mission.
Tasker's coffin carried after his funeral service at Tayport Parish Church, in Tayport, Scotland in March earlier this year
The group were edging around the bomb threat when the insurgents struck. L\Cpl Tasker's comrades reported a rapid 10 second burst of machine gun fire from just 350-metres away.
Captain Charles Allman-Brown, from the Irish Guards, was leading L/Cpl Tasker's team during the patrol.
He said: 'They opened fire and I heard Guardsman Barbour (corr) screaming and shouting 'man down' and 'medic'.
'I put a bit more fire into the enemy then moved towards Liam. I tried to help and saw the wound above his mouth.
Captain Charles Allman-Brown, from the Irish Guards, was leading L/Cpl Tasker's team during the patrol.
He said: 'They opened fire and I heard Guardsman Barbour (corr) screaming and shouting 'man down' and 'medic'.
'I put a bit more fire into the enemy then moved towards Liam. I tried to help and saw the wound above his mouth.
'There was no signs of life. The lead was in the way so I cut Theo loose. Theo was attached to Liam when the incident occurred.
I had been detached and was affectively loose. He was running about and was all over the place. Liam was our priority.'
Corporal Tasker was taken to a waiting vehicle where he was rushed to meet a US medical helicopter and taken to Camp Bastian.
He was declared dead at 10.30am that morning. Theo was brought back to the Irish Guard's Kharnikah (corr) base, but began to fit.
I had been detached and was affectively loose. He was running about and was all over the place. Liam was our priority.'
Corporal Tasker was taken to a waiting vehicle where he was rushed to meet a US medical helicopter and taken to Camp Bastian.
He was declared dead at 10.30am that morning. Theo was brought back to the Irish Guard's Kharnikah (corr) base, but began to fit.
Lance Corporal Tasker's fiancee Leah Walters, left, cries on the shoulder of his sister Laura Tasker during the repatriation ceremony
Captain Allman-Brown said: 'Theo was fine during the afternoon, then they called for a helicopter that night. Theo was fitting.'
Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner David Ridley asked: 'And he passed away back at Camp Bastian?'
Captain Allman-Brown replied: 'That was my understanding.'
In statements read to the court, L/Cpl Tasker's comrade's heaped praise on the fearless dog handler and his faithful companion.
Major Caroline Emmett, Officer Commanding 104 Military Working Dog Squadron, said: 'He and his dog Theo were made for each other.
'He and his dog had more operational finds than any individual team has had in Afghanistan to date and he saved many lives as a result of this.'
Coroner David Ridley recorded a verdict of unlawful killing. He said: 'Everyone had a huge amount of respect for Liam and his partner Theo.
'You (Irish Guards) were going through a tragic time in relation to IEDs and the arrival of Theo and Liam brought comfort and confidence to you doing a tremendously difficult job of being on patrol.'
Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner David Ridley asked: 'And he passed away back at Camp Bastian?'
Captain Allman-Brown replied: 'That was my understanding.'
In statements read to the court, L/Cpl Tasker's comrade's heaped praise on the fearless dog handler and his faithful companion.
Major Caroline Emmett, Officer Commanding 104 Military Working Dog Squadron, said: 'He and his dog Theo were made for each other.
'He and his dog had more operational finds than any individual team has had in Afghanistan to date and he saved many lives as a result of this.'
Coroner David Ridley recorded a verdict of unlawful killing. He said: 'Everyone had a huge amount of respect for Liam and his partner Theo.
'You (Irish Guards) were going through a tragic time in relation to IEDs and the arrival of Theo and Liam brought comfort and confidence to you doing a tremendously difficult job of being on patrol.'
Corporal Liam Tasker's parents Ian Tasker and Jane Duffy outside the inquest, paid tribute to their son and his companion Theo
Speaking after the coroner's verdict, L/Cpl Tasker's parents, Jane Duffy and Ian Tasker, said they were extremely proud of their boy and his relationship with Theo.
They said the inquest had given them closure. L/Cpl Tasker was also survived by his brother Ian, and his two sisters Laura and Nicola.
Dad Ian said: 'Liam used to come out with stories about Theo, (who) would sleep at the bottom of his bed, but he would wait until he thought Liam was asleep and then get in beside him.'
Mum Jane added: 'The last letter he wrote to us said 'you have to walk many miles while chasing your dreams.'
Theo's ashes were presented to members of Lance Corporal Tasker's family after his sombre repatriation through the streets of Wootton Bassett in March.
Speaking after his death, L/Cpl Tasker's girlfriend Leah Walters, who did not attend the inquest, said: 'I am the proudest girlfriend there could ever be and there will be an Liam Tasker-sized hole in my life forever.
'Sleep well my darling, my soul mate, my best friend.'
Sgt Major Adrian Davies, from the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, said L/Cpl Tasker and Liam's 14 hauls of weapons in just five months was still a record.
Speaking after the inquest, he said: 'They had known each other for about seven-and-a-half months and their relationship was extremely strong.
'We are not vets so we cannot say if Theo died of a broken heart, but he died of a seizure hours after L/Cpl Tasker died.'
They said the inquest had given them closure. L/Cpl Tasker was also survived by his brother Ian, and his two sisters Laura and Nicola.
Dad Ian said: 'Liam used to come out with stories about Theo, (who) would sleep at the bottom of his bed, but he would wait until he thought Liam was asleep and then get in beside him.'
Mum Jane added: 'The last letter he wrote to us said 'you have to walk many miles while chasing your dreams.'
Theo's ashes were presented to members of Lance Corporal Tasker's family after his sombre repatriation through the streets of Wootton Bassett in March.
Speaking after his death, L/Cpl Tasker's girlfriend Leah Walters, who did not attend the inquest, said: 'I am the proudest girlfriend there could ever be and there will be an Liam Tasker-sized hole in my life forever.
'Sleep well my darling, my soul mate, my best friend.'
Sgt Major Adrian Davies, from the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, said L/Cpl Tasker and Liam's 14 hauls of weapons in just five months was still a record.
Speaking after the inquest, he said: 'They had known each other for about seven-and-a-half months and their relationship was extremely strong.
'We are not vets so we cannot say if Theo died of a broken heart, but he died of a seizure hours after L/Cpl Tasker died.'
Source : Daily Mail UK
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