Finally the name of Sergeant Nigel Coupe, 33, was read and his candle lit. The father-of-two from Lytham St Annes, was "fiercely proud" to serve as a Lancashire man in a Yorkshire regiment - no doubt sharing jokes with his fallen comrades over their respective counties of origin.

Revd Canon Barber spoke lines from Anthem For A Doomed Youth by First World War poet Wilfred Owen, which he said was a reminder of how young the victims of war can be.

He said the Minster's chapel showed "hard won" victories, whether it be "Waterloo, the Crimea or Afghanistan" and that war comes with a cost, "paid for with lives lost and taken".

The service was a multi-faith event, including readings from members of the local Hindi and Muslim communities.

Raja Taufiq Khan, a faith ambassador for the Calderdale area, read Islamic prayers.

He told the congregation: "As a member of the Muslim community, I offer my sincere condolences, my heartfelt grief and sorrow for the death of six soldiers who gave their lives for peace in the world.

"I also ask the almighty, Allah, peace for them, I also ask the almighty, Allah, grant peace and patience to their relatives."

After the hour-long service of prayers and evensong hymns a queue of people formed, adding their names to the book of condolence.

On the steps of the altar in the Wellington's side chapel, more floral tributes were laid, above them the regimental colours, flags bearing the names of past battles including Waterloo and the Somme which had claimed
the lives of so many local Yorkshiremen.

Attached to a white rose, the historic symbol of the county of Yorkshire, read the message: "RIP Lads. Gone but never forgotten.

"Watch over the rest of the lads."

The deaths of the six soldiers took the number of UK troops who have died since the Afghan campaign began in 2001 to 404.