Captain
321 Explosive Ordnance Disposal
(EOD) Squadron
11 EOD Regiment
Royal Logistic Corps
British Army
She was deployed as an Improvised Explosive Device Disposal operator with the UK contingent of NATO forces in Afghanistan.
Capt Head died in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham of wounds sustained on April 18 in Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province. Her team was called out to defuse a complex series of IEDs found in an alleyway. After neutralising the first device, she was severely injured by a second bomb and was evacuated to Camp Bastion and then to the UK. She is believed to be the first ever female bomb disposal officer to be killed on operations.
Aged 29, from Almondbury, she graduated with an honours degree in Human Biology from Huddersfield University before attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from 2004 – 2005. Capt Head commissioned into the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) and initially trained as an Air Transport Liaison Officer, deploying to Iraq in 2006 and Afghanistan in 2007. She was selected to attend the Ammunition Technical Officers (ATO) course, and on passing was posted to 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Regiment RLC. She served with distinction as an ATO in Northern Ireland with 321 EOD Squadron, and while there she attended the High-Threat Operators Course. After successfully completing the course as an IEDD (Neutralise) Operator she joined the Counter-IED Task Force for deployment to Afghanistan in March 2011. A popular and respected member of her regiment, she was a gifted Troop Commander and had earned the respect of all ranks. A fellow officer called her "the most courageous woman I have ever met". Colleagues remembered her strong character, no-nonsense and solid leadership style, along with her sharp wit, friendly nature and infectious personality. Friends said the sports-mad army officer was bubbly and down-to-earth, with a motto of "work hard, play hard".
Capt Head leaves behind her parents Leila and John, sisters Helen and Jayne, other reltives and friends. Her family said, "We wish to say that we are extremely proud of Lisa. Lisa always said that she had the best job in the world and she loved every second of it. Lisa had two families - us and the Army. Lisa had a fantastic life and lived it to the full. No-one was more loved."
Funeral with full military honours was held
May 6, 2011 at Huddersfield Parish Church of St Peter's, followed by a private burial.
