By Dan Parker
The Doug Grants of this world say "who dares, wins" and there were plenty who were not afraid to cry at his funeral today.
Before he joined the SAS, Corporal Doug Grant was part of 2nd engineering regiment. His old unit gave him an emotion charged farewell.
Cpl. Grant was a much loved father of two, a man who packed a great deal of life and experience into 41 years.
He leaves behind a big family, including five very close brothers.
“He truly was a deep thinker, sometimes instinctive but never impulsive. He was the whole package, Doug. And it’s important to remember this for those of us who let him go,” said his brother Stuart Grant.
But there was never any stopping Cpl. Grant. From a young age he had been desperate to join the SAS.
His successful military career saw him earn and wear six different berets, including the light blue of the UN and the light brown of the SAS.
And it was with the SAS that he was killed, shot by insurgents on his second tour of Afghanistan while rescuing a group of British civilians.
“He stood that others might live, and knowing Doug, when he fell he would have been all business organising someone or something. Selfless, fearless, a free spirit going that extra mile - that was our mate Doug,” said New Zealand SAS commanding officer Chris Parsons.
Inside the funeral programme was the most poignant of tributes, the most personal of messages. His seven-year-old daughter Jemma wrote: ‘I love you and I will never forget you’.
And his comrades never will either, his name will be etched on the SAS Wall of Remembrance.
“Our SAS troopers are a tight knit group, the loss of Dougie Grant has been deeply felt by his comrades. They are grieving and they will miss him but we know they will carry on his work in their honour,” says Prime Minister John Key.
After the service shots were fired and balloons released, Cpl Grant's body was then taken to New Plymouth for a private family ceremony, his body will be cremated.
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