The funeral of sapper Jordan Rossi was a poignant mix of the public and private.

The sombre spectacle of the flag-draped coffin, his cap atop, being carried by comrades, will live long in the memories of all who saw it, and the sound of the rifles fired in his honour will echo down the years.

This was the public side of a hero’s funeral – the community and, indeed, country rightly and proudly paying its respects to one of their finest young men who lost his life in the line of duty.

It was their chance to show the family and the world at large that the sacrifices of our armed forces will never be forgotten.

And it was an opportunity for all those who did not know sapper Rossi, but who felt touched by his life and moved by his death, to pay their respects.

But for all that, it was also a family funeral.

When the tragic news of his death in Afghanistan was made public, his mother described the man behind the uniform who meant so much to his relatives and friends.

Later, we learned from a senior officer about the joker in the pack who was immensely popular among those with whom he served.

Yesterday, they all said their final farewells to the person they knew and loved.

And it was this, the fact that so many cherished Jordan Rossi so much, that is perhaps the greatest tribute to him.