HE gave his life to save countless others.

Friends and family gathered to say their final farewells to Sapper William Blanchard, the Hampshire Territorial Army solider killed in a gunfight in Afghanistan.

More than 400 mourners packed Portsmouth Cathedral to remember “a true gentleman, a giant of a man and an outstanding human being.”

A bagpiper led the funeral cortege as it arrived at the Cathedral yesterday before the 39-year-old’s coffin – draped in a Union Flag – was carried in by servicemen.

Following the procession were William’s widow Suzanne and children Tom and Lucy Rees-Blanchard as well as representatives from the Sea Scouts movement where he had been a popular leader.

During the emotional service, his father, the Reverend Canon Laurie Blanchard, read a sermon, describing his son as “lovely, clever, gentle, kind and brave”.

His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Budden, flew from Afghanistan to pay his respects to an “enthusiastic, dedicated, selfless and committed” man.

“This is an extremely sad day,” he said.

“His dedication to the Territorial Army, to his training and his desire to deploy on operations was an example to all those in his squadron and regiment. He was a role model to all that knew him.

“The work that he was doing saved countless Afghan lives.”

Sapper Blanchard, who lived in Gosport, was shot in a gunfight on October 30 as he tried to disarm a bomb in the Nahr-e Saraj North District in Helmand Province, Afghani-stan.

He was part of 101 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) and was serving with the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force after being deployed in September.

In civilian life he worked as a radiation protection officer after graduating from the University of Southampton with a science degree.

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, earlier this month to pay their respects when his body was repatriated.

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 operations began in Afghanistan in 2001, to 342.