A British bomb disposal expert who died in Afghanistan while trying to defuse a roadside explosive device was "unbelievably courageous", a commanding officer has said.
Captain Dan Shepherd, 28, from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, died in a blast in Helmand province on Monday.
The soldier, from Lincoln, remained "unflappable" in the face of danger, Major Eldon Millar said.
Paying tribute to Captain Shepherd he said: "Captain Dan Shepherd was a man of extraordinary talent; robust, determined and unbelievably courageous.
"His relaxed, amiable and honest character made him one of the most popular and respected men in our very tight-knit group.
"His boundless energy, love of the outdoors, devotion to his family and pride in the city of Lincoln were the hallmarks of a remarkably self assured man.
"He was devoted to his team, all of whom adored him for both his professional ability and generosity of spirit. On task he was the epitome of cool, calm and collected - he was utterly unflappable, a trait which inspired enormous confidence in all who served alongside him."
The bomb disposal expert became the 18th British soldier to die in Afghanistan this month. A second soldier was injured in the same blast.
The death takes the number of service personnel to be killed in Afghanistan since the start of operations in 2001 to 187.
Captain Shepherd had a wife Kerry, and leaves behind parents David and Judith and his brother Paul.
