Capt Tom Bailey, who serves with the Coldstream Guards and was attached to 2 Yorks while in Helmand Province, was speaking after soldiers were presented with medals for operational service during the battalion's recent six month tour of duty.

The presentations were made to 600 men and women on the parade square at their UK base at Weeton Barracks, near Preston.

In paying tribute to Cpl Lawrence Capt Bailey said: "Words don't really reflect what he was like. He was one of those people you meet and you don't forget. He was a real character without straying away from the fact he did his job."

Capt Bailey, who was Cpl Lawrence's platoon commander while he was serving in Kajaki, added he was one of those soldiers that others aspired to be like whether he was relaxing or working.

He said serving in Helmand had been a "steep learning curve" and it had been good to put their training into practice. He said: "I have nothing but admiration for soldiers from 2 Yorks. I worked with them in difficult conditions and they got through with good old Yorkshire humour."

The battalion was deployed to Afghanistan's Helmand Province on Operation Herrick 7 last September to mentor and train the 3rd (Helmand) Brigade of the Afghan National Army (ANA).

Soldiers from 2 Yorks lived and fought alongside their Afghan counterparts for six and a half months, at considerable risk and more often than not in unforgiving and austere conditions.

Major General Andrew Farquhar, a former Commanding Officer of the battalion, presented the medals to the soldiers.

Addressing the troops he said: "They (the battalion) have had a very difficult task out there in Afghanistan and it's been dangerous, but they have shown huge courage, fantastic guts, real grit and character.

"Every one of you standing out on this square and the wider family should be very very proud of what they have achieved. In whatever role, they have done a fantastic job. You have made a little bit of history. You have carried forward the best traditions of your forebear regiments. You deserve all the plaudits and the medals we, the Army, can offer you."

In December 2007, the Afghan National Army and their mentors played a key role in the liberation of Musa Qal'eh from Taliban control and subsequent operations to stabilise the town.