AN “unflinchingly brave soldier who was as steady as a rock” was killed by a single gunshot to his head during a battle with enemy forces in Afghanistan, an inquest has heard.

Lance Sergeant David Walker of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards died instantly when a bullet skimmed his helmet and struck his left temple in Helmand Province on February 18 The father-of-five was leading a team of four men while conducting a ‘ground domination’ patrol as part of the major 'Operation Moshtarak' when they came under fire from insurgents.

L/Sgt Walker, who was raised in Glasgow and lived in Shadsworth with wife Teresa, was crossing a field with his team to assist another unit when they were targeted by enemies with sniper rifles.

Shots were fired over their heads as they took cover in a tree lined ditch and L/Sgt Walker shouted at his men to keep as low as possible.

Guardsman Divan Louis Detroit told the inquest: “There were bullets landing behind us and they were hitting the bund line (a small embankment in a field).

“There were splash marks of dust flying into the air as a bullet hit every three to four seconds and they were generally hitting in the area of L/Sgt Walker.

“As I turned I saw L/Sgt Walker put his left arm on the ground and his head was raised above the crest of the bundline when he was hit.

“His head was jerked back and then he slid forward and we heard shouts of man down.”

Medics rushed to L/Sgt Walker’s aid and he was moved to a compound on a stretcher as the team continued to come under fire and another officer was hit in the chest but was not fatally wounded.

Nicholas Hunt, consultant pathologist, said the officer died as a result of gunshot wound to the head.

He stated that the 7.62 metre calibre bullet entered near the left ear and passed through the neck, into the chest and reached the abdomen resulting in a major injury to the neck and chest.

He said: “I would have expected instantaneous incapacitation rendering him unaware of what had happened.

“He sustained unsurvivable injuries and even with prompt medical attention there is nothing anyone could have done to save his life.”

Coroner Michael Singleton ruled that L/Sgt Walker was unlawfully killed in active service.

He said: “The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, neck and chest.

“I offer my sincerest condolences to the family and want to pay tribute to all the extraordinarily brave men and women whose heroism is beyond belief and who voluntarily deal with matters of life and death with such professionalism and bravery.”