Lance Corporal Tasker and K9 Theo had been in Afghanistan for almost six months, uncovering roadside bombs and weapons in a dusty, dangerous daily routine. He and his dog had more operational finds than any individual team has had in Afghanistan to date and he saved many lives as a result of this. Twenty two-month-old Theo had discovered a record-breaking 14 secret caches in five months. The ministry said then that Theo had been so successful, finding 14 hidden bombs and weapons caches, that his tour of duty had been extended by a month. During the funeral route the mourners threw red, yellow and white roses onto the roof of the hearse which contained the coffin draped in a Union Jack. Many, from across the country, took along their dogs and lined the streets to pay their special respects to the army handler. The ashes of his Springer spaniel had been returned to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire on the same flight from Afghanistan. Theo’s ashes were not included in the cortege. A dozen dog handlers from police and prison forces around the country were among the crowds who also lined the streets. Theo’s ashes are to be presented to L/Cpl Tasker’s family at a later date during a private ceremony. Theo was the sixth British military dog killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001.
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