Private Nathanael Galagher with his parents Wayne and Sally and sister Elanor. Image courtesy of the Galagher family.
NORTH WEST DEATH: An official portrait of Private Nathanael Galagher, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Photo: Defence Department
The bodies of five diggers killed in Afghanistan will return home to Australia today, including Pilliga soldier Private Nathanael John Aubrey Galagher.
The fallen diggers will be honoured at ramp ceremonies in Brisbane and Sydney, attended by family members and defence force chiefs.
Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald and Private Nathanael Galagher, will return home to a separate ramp ceremony at Sydney's RAAF base in Richmond, to be led by Defence Force Chief, General David Hurley.
Their helicopter crashed in Helmand Province last Thursday.
The Australian Defence Force has issued a statement on behalf of the family of Private Nathanael Galagher - his parents Sally and Wayne, sister Elanor and his pregnant partner Jessie Feeney.
"Our dear Nathanael, who was also known as Nate, loved the Army, but it was only one part of what made the man.
"Nate was a country boy at heart. The earth surrounding Narrabri was where he was truly at home. He'd grown up in that region, and even though the Army took him from Townsville to metropolitan Sydney, Narrabri was where he truly belonged.
"Becoming a father was so important to Nate. You've never seen a man so happy to hear the news that he had a baby on the way. We all knew about it well before the traditional three-month wait. Nate's next great thrill arrived at an ultrasound, where the baby was revealed to be a boy who could carry on his name.
We will miss Nate's caring, loving ways and he will always be a hero to all of our family, including his unborn son.
Private Galagher's partner, Jessie Feeney said that her pledge to Nate is that his son will understand the wonderful man that his dad was.
"There's no trait of Nate's that I wouldn't want his son to inherit."
