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| Funeral for killed woman soldier | Funeral for killed woman soldier |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The funeral of the first British woman to die in active service in Afghanistan has been held at the church where she was married two years ago. | The funeral of the first British woman to die in active service in Afghanistan has been held at the church where she was married two years ago. |
| Corporal Sarah Bryant, 26, of the Intelligence Corps, was one of four soldiers killed on 17 June when a roadside bomb blew up their vehicle. | Corporal Sarah Bryant, 26, of the Intelligence Corps, was one of four soldiers killed on 17 June when a roadside bomb blew up their vehicle. |
| Hours earlier she had been told she had been earmarked for promotion. | Hours earlier she had been told she had been earmarked for promotion. |
| About 300 mourners were at Holy Trinity Church in Wetheral, near Carlisle, for the service with full military honours. | |
| The service, at the church where she married her husband Cpl Carl Bryant, was jointly conducted by the church vicar, the Reverend David Craven, and the intelligence corps chaplain, Padre Clive Larrett. | The service, at the church where she married her husband Cpl Carl Bryant, was jointly conducted by the church vicar, the Reverend David Craven, and the intelligence corps chaplain, Padre Clive Larrett. |
| Her coffin was carried by members of the Intelligence Corps, accompanied by military representative Lieutenant-General John Kiszely. | Her coffin was carried by members of the Intelligence Corps, accompanied by military representative Lieutenant-General John Kiszely. |
| Fellow soldiers from the Intelligence Corps, in which Corporal Bryant served, lined the gravel path leading to the 17th Century church overlooking the River Eden. | Fellow soldiers from the Intelligence Corps, in which Corporal Bryant served, lined the gravel path leading to the 17th Century church overlooking the River Eden. |
| Her husband Cpl Carl Bryant, her parents Des and Maureen Feely, and Cpl Bryant's parents followed behind. | |
| Sarah Bryant was the first British woman soldier to die in Afghanistan | Sarah Bryant was the first British woman soldier to die in Afghanistan |
| Mourners filled the church while others stood in the grounds outside to watch the service relayed on screens. | Mourners filled the church while others stood in the grounds outside to watch the service relayed on screens. |
| Rev Larrett said Cpl Bryant's husband had asked him to read a personal tribute on his behalf. | |
| It read: "All the things that made me love her will stay with me. The way we both were with each other, a far cry from the corporals Bryant or Carl and Sarah most of you know. | |
| "We were all privileged to have known Sarah. She will never be replaced, she was a one-off, a truly unique person. She was my best friend and soul-mate and I will never stop loving her. | |
| "Sleep well, my darling, you always did love sleeping. I will never stop being thankful for the time I spent being her husband. I love her now and always will with all my heart. | |
| "Sarah, along with all our fallen, must never be forgotten." | |
| Lt Colonel Jim Suggit, Cpl Bryant's commanding officer, told mourners: "Sarah gave us all love, the special and individual love of a daughter, wife, a friend and a comrade in arms." | |
| All the mourners later joined a procession to the graveside for a private burial. | |
| A bugler played the Last Post and a party of seven soldiers from the Intelligence Corps fired three volleys over her coffin, before it was finally laid to rest. |