Warrant Officer Class 1 Darren Chant, 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards, was one of five British soldiers killed in an attack in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on November 3, 2009.

Also killed were Sergeant Matthew Telford , 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards, Guardsman James Major , 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards, Acting Corporal Steven Boote , Royal Military Police and Corporal Nicholas Webster-Smith , Royal Military Police.

WO1 Chant was survived by his wife Nausheen 'Sheenie' - who was weeks away from giving birth to the couple's first child together. He also had three children from his first marriage.

Nausheen, said: "I am devastated by the loss of my husband. Our unborn son will never meet his father, but he will know him through his legacy. For whether in uniform or out, his incomparable courage and selflessness humbled all those who knew and loved him.

"His famed sense of humour lightened any situation. I will miss my best friend and nothing will fill the void he has left, my darling Darren. A natural born leader who led from the front. I am immensely proud to say he was my husband."

His father John, on behalf of Darren's ex-wife Connie and their three children Connor, Adam and Victoria, said: "The whole world should know that Darren Chant was the best father any child could have wished for. He adored and lived for his children. He strived to be the best at everything he did.

"He was very passionate about the military and believed the British Army were doing a good job in Afghanistan. He was a first class soldier, always putting the needs of his men before himself. He was always the first to volunteer.

"We feel cheated as we know that we will never experience his quick wit and dry sense of humour again. His loss has devastated everyone who knew him and he will be missed and loved forever."

WO1 Chant was born in Walthamstow on 5 September 1969. He completed his basic training at the Guards Depot, Pirbright, in 1986 and was deployed to South Armagh, Northern Ireland in 1993.

After an attachment to the Pathfinders Platoon from 1997-1999, he returned to the 1st Battalion before being posted to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) as a Colour Sergeant instructor until 2003.

After two years at Sandhurst, he rejoined the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. As Company Sergeant Major of the Inkerman Company he deployed to Bosnia from September 2004-June 2005 as part of the NATO and latterly European Union's peace keeping operation.

On return from Bosnia he was posted back to RMAS as a Company Sergeant Major from August 2005 until December 2006 where he met his future wife. After a year at RMAS he returned to the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, firstly as a Liaison Officer for the Battalion while deployed to Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK 6 in 2007.

On return to the UK he took post as Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant (Technical). In the summer of 2008 he was appointed Sergeant Major and moved the 1st Battalion to London and on to Pre Deployment Training. In September 2009 he deployed to Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK 11 as The Sergeant Major 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards.

WO1 Chant was the senior Warrant Officer in the Battalion.

The Ministry of defence said in a statement: "He was a role model for those beneath him and was an invaluable colleague for anyone that worked alongside him.

"The day before WO1 Chant was killed it was announced that he had been awarded a Commission in the Grenadiers as an Officer. It is a tragedy that he was due to be informed of his success on the day he was killed."

Darren had risen to the highest possible level in the Regiment. After the tour it was his aspiration to go to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as Academy Sergeant Major. It was then his intention to commission and join the Grenadier Guards Officers' Mess.

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, said: "I pay tribute to their courage, skill and determination. They will never be forgotten.

"My thoughts, condolences and sympathies go to their families, loved ones and colleagues. I know that the whole country too will mourn their loss.

The attack happened when an Afghan police officer opened fire.

The five deaths took the number of UK troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 229. It is the highest number of UK soldiers killed in a single incident of combat since troops arrived in 2001.