Hero who died in the crossfire as he tried to save his men

Sergeant Craig Brelsford, described as "the perfect infantry commander", died as he attempted to storm a Taliban strongpoint during a night-time firefight - said to be the most intense and terrifying experienced by UK forces in months.

Realising that some of his troops were wounded and cut off, the 25-year-old soldier led repeated rescue attempts in face of withering fire from enemy trenches and machine-gun posts.

He was returning one last time to reach an injured comrade when he was cut down.

Details of his valour emerged as British military officials in Helmand province described the scale of the fighting around the town of Garmsir as being "of nightmare proportions", and "like a First World War battle scene".

Garmsir is the "frontier town" in the south of Helmand, straddling the Taliban's main supply route from Pakistan in the south.

It has changed hands repeatedly.

The plains for miles around have become a wasteland of craters after countless skirmishes, battles and airstrikes, and are now crisscrossed by trenches and machine-gun posts.

On Saturday men from A Company of the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) were ordered to advance, to "take the fight to the enemy" and clear the fortified Taliban positions.

Moving forward in darkness they came under intense fire, and the battle raged for eight hours.

The ordeal was described by an Army spokesman as "the most intense and frightening encountered in the past five months".

Sergeant Brelsford, who was single and came from Nottingham, realised that some soldiers from his platoon had been seriously injured and were cut off when the unit retreated, covered by heavy fire from British armoured vehicles.

He led his men back into the killing zone repeatedly to rescue three of his comrades, who were flown by helicopter to the main British field hospital and survived.

He tried one last time to find Private Johan Botha, also 25, from Pretoria in South Africa, who had been fatally wounded.

This time his luck ran out, and he too was killed.

His company commander Major Jamie Nowell said: "He repeatedly fought through tenacious enemy fire to extract casualties.

"Charismatic, intelligent, tough and robust - Sergeant Brelsford was the perfect infantry commander.

"I am convinced that if he had been given the opportunity to choreograph his own death it would not have been dissimilar to the heroic circumstances in which he died."

In a statement his family said: "The Army was Craig's life. He joined up at 17 and wanted to make it his career. He loved the regiment."

Army insiders said they believed Sergeant Brelsford's valour deserved to be recognised with a posthumous medal.

Comrades of Private Botha, who was married with a young daughter, also described how he bravely continued to fire despite being mortally wounded.

Close friend Private Kevin Latham said: "He died the way a true soldier should.

"Although he was very seriously injured he continued to fight until the very end, ensuring the safety of all his mates."