COLLEAGUES of a bomb disposal expert killed in Afghanistan today pulled a 13-tonne truck from Abingdon to Didcot in his memory.

Ten members of the 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, took part in the nine-mile “Longest Pull”, on St George’s Day.

Money raised will go to Warrant Officer Class Two Gary ‘Gaz’ O’Donnell’s four children — Cayleigh, 16, Dylan, 14, Aiden, nine, and seven-month-old Ben.

The 40-year-old bomb technician died while attempting to make safe a roadside explosive.

The teams — which included other members of the EOD community, such as the Royal Engineers and Didcot fire and rescue service — took turns pulling the bomb disposal truck from Dalton Barracks, in Abingdon, to Didcot, where they did a lap of the town centre in recognition of the regiment’s Freedom of Didcot.

Lieutenant Colonel Gareth Bex, commanding officer of the regiment, said: “The significance of the Longest Pull is it’s a charity event in memory of WO2 Gaz O’Donnell, who was a bit of a legend in the regiment.

“He was an amazing guy and we were here to support him and his family, of course, and his four children he left behind.”

The truck pull took two hours to complete and money was collected from people lining the route.

WO2 O’Donnell was killed in Helmand Province in September 2008.

For his courage in the line of duty in Iraq, the soldier was awarded the George Medal and more recently he was posthumously given a bar to the medal for his bravery in Afghanistan.

It was the first time this has happened in 26 years.

Captain Mike Webb, who served in Afghanistan with WO2 O’Donnell, said: “It wouldn’t be worth doing to raise money if it wasn’t hard — and it was quite hard work.

“Whatever we raise is a bonus, but several thousand pounds is what we are hoping for and if we can break into £10,000 or more, that would be fantastic.”

WO2 Gary Slater added: “This is really about the EOD community coming together and all pulling together to support one of our comrades and friend who was unfortunately killed doing the job we do.

“I think it’s more a celebration of the type of guy Gaz was, you can see just by the turnout.”

Troops also honoured WO2 O’Donnell today when they named their new accommodation block after him.

At a low-key ceremony attended by his wife and children, soldiers unveiled the newly-refurbished ‘O’Donnell Block’, which will sleep 40 soldiers.

Rosie Henderson, a spokesman for the barracks, said: “It's important for the troops because he was a very popular individual, a real character and a brilliant soldier. It hit the unit very hard when he was killed and we felt it appropriate that he be honoured.”