N.S. soldier lived for his family, says friend

"He was a dedicated and loving husband, a proud father of two tremendously beautiful girls, a wonderful son, a valued brother, an inspirational friend and an honourable Canadian soldier," Master Cpl. Shane Schofield told mourners at the funeral.

"Paul has left many footprints on the hearts of all who knew him. His charm and general sense of being enlightened the spirits of all in his presence."

Many of those at the funeral service could barely hold back the tears, including longtime friend Cpl. Jae Dunfield.

"I promise we will hang out again someday, Paulie. I love you," Dunfield told the crowd of mourners gathered at the Knox United Church, in the Halifax suburb of Lower Sackville.

Master Cpl. Schofield told mourners Davis only wanted one thing out of life.

"To grow old with the love of his life, Melanie, and to watch his daughters grow up and make him proud like he knew they would," Schofield said in his eulogy.

Another good friend, Mark Arseneault, was tearful but offered a humorous account of their relationship, offering up stories about a dance routine they choreographed and driving around in his mom's car.

"Even though we lost touch through the years, you will be truly missed, my friend," he said, before being embraced by family.

After the service Davis, 28, was laid to rest at Oakridge Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Investigation

Military officials are investigating last Thursday's accident, which also killed Master Cpl. Timothy Wilson and left five other soldiers injured.

The Department of National Defence says the taxi may have failed to stop at an intersection, causing the LAV-III the men were riding in to swerve into a roadside ditch before rolling over.

Davis turned down a promotion that would have kept him in Canada because he wanted to serve with his friends in Afghanistan.

"He had the sense of duty of comradeship with the people he'd been training with, and felt he wanted to go with them," his father, Jim Davis, told CTV last week.

Ten Canadian soldiers and Canadian diplomat Glyn Berry have died in Afghanistan since 2002.

Meanwhile, Capt. Trevor Greene, of Vancouver, remains in a serious but stable condition after being struck with an axe Saturday during a meeting with Afghan tribal elders.

Greene is receiving treatment at a U.S. military hospital in Lanstuhl, Germany.

Canadian troops came under attack in southern Afghanistan again on Friday, when a roadside bomb exploded near where they are conducting a large military operation.

No one -- including Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier -- was injured in the blast.

Hillier is visiting troops in Afghanistan and was just 800 metres from the blast site, speaking to a village elder at the time of the explosion. He was immediately whisked away.