HUNDREDS of friends and family are expected to turn out to pay their respects to a Territorial Army soldier who dedicated his time in the forces to saving others.

The funeral service for Sapper William Blanchard, 39, of Gosport, will be held at Portsmouth Cathedral with full military honours on Monday.

He was shot in a gunfight as he tried to disarm a bomb in the Nahr-e Saraj North District in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Since his death tributes have flooded in for the much loved father-of-two and Scout leader who, in civilian life, worked as a radiation protection officer after graduating from the University of Southampton with a science degree.

William, of 101 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) was killed on October 30.

He was serving with the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force after being deployed to Afghanistan in September.

Colleagues have described him as “a true gentleman, a giant of a man and an outstanding human being” who was “one of the best.”

Formerly of Warsash, many in Hampshire will remember him most for his work as a leader with the Sea Scouts.

Friends from his branch were among the crowds who travelled to Wootton Bassett, in Wiltshire, to pay their respects when his body was repatriated.

His widow Suzanne was joined by children Tom and Lucy Rees-Blanchard.

Following his death, Suzanne said: “He was a wonderful husband, son, brother, father, brother- in-law, son-in-law and friend.

“Sorely missed; always in our hearts, never forgotten by his devastated family, friends and colleagues and his beloved wife.”

William’s death took the total number of UK military personnel fatalities since operation began in Afghanistan in 2001 to 342.