Hornsea will come to a standstill for funeral of Private Gregg Stone
AN EAST Yorkshire town will come to a standstill next week for the funeral of a soldier killed during a rescue mission in Afghanistan.
Private Gregg Stone, 20, was shot dead as he took part in an operation to rescue a senior Afghan policeman kidnapped by insurgents.
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TRAGIC LOSS: Private Gregg Stone, 20, of Atwick, was killed in Afghanistan. Below, Private Stone's body was repatriated to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
The soldier, from Atwick, near Hornsea, served with 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment and had been in the warzone for just three weeks.
His funeral, with full military honours, will be held at 1pm on Thursday at St Nicholas Church in Hornsea.
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Standard-bearers from across the East Riding have said they will be attending.
John Forrester, secretary of the Driffield branch of the Royal British Legion, said: "We were all very upset to hear of the loss of Private Gregg Stone.
"Members of our branch will attend the funeral."
The Mail understands the Lord-Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire, Susan Cunliffe-Lister, will be representing the Queen at the service.
Private Stone was married to his childhood sweetheart, Samantha, who is pregnant with their first child.
She has previously described Private Stone, who she met while they both attended Hornsea School and Language College, as a "brilliant husband".
A school spokesman confirmed staff members would be attending. She said: "We will be represented at the funeral by a senior member of staff who will accompanied by pupils."
Other dignitaries will include Councillor Chad Chadwick, chairman of East Riding Council, and his wife Margaret.
After the service, Private Stone's parents Robert and Angela, along with brothers Kallum, 18, Jamie, 31, and Graeme, 30, and sisters Rosie-Ann, 19, and Jennie, 27, will travel to Octon, near Driffield, for a private cremation.
An East Riding Council spokesman said: "The council has processed a road closure for Newbegin, Hornsea, for Thursday, June 21, from 11am to 3pm.
"This doesn't mean the road will be closed completely between these times. It will merely allow Humberside Police to control traffic flows."
Private Stone was the 417th member of the British Armed Forces to lose his life in Afghanistan since the start of operations there in October 2001.
He was the fifth serviceman from East Yorkshire to be killed in the warzone.
Private Stone was shot on Sunday, June 3, as he and colleagues saved Abdul Walid from extremists.
According to military commanders, Mr Walid had been seized at a checkpoint in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province.
The mission was successful. Private Stone was killed as the soldiers tried to apprehend the Taliban.
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