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The girlfriend of a soldier who died preventing a massacre received his Christmas card the day before his death. Lance Corporal David Kirkness, 24, had written: "Sorry aint going to be home with you all" and "love you babes". Mel Maclean, 31, choked back tears as she described how she last spoke to David on Sunday - two days before he died in Helmand, Afghanistan. And she revealed his mother Margaret had told her he was set to propose on his return. She said: "We'd planned a future and I honestly thought we'd live it. But I knew if it came to somebody or himself, he'd save somebody else."He'd do that even if we were out - that's David. He's a hero - there's no other word for him. We're all really proud of him." David and Rifleman James Brown, 18, stood their ground on Tuesday as two suicide bombers on a motorbike raced at their checkpoint on their way to a crowded market. When confronted by David and James, of 3rd Battalion, The Rifles, they panicked and detonated early - away from crowds.Mel said the card from joker David - who has a daughter Brooke, three, from a previous relationship - had been written upside down for a laugh.She said: "He was just full of it all. Full of life. Full of fun. Everything was just a laugh."David was David. In the time we were together I've no regrets." Members of David's family yesterday joined Melanie at her home in Morley, West Yorks, to remember him.His mum Margaret told how he left the Army for a period after a tour of Iraq but rejoined in February this year as he missed it.When she told him she did not want him in Afghanistan, he replied: "It's just my job."Dad Chris said: "I want to remember what he's done. He gave his life to save a hell of a lot of people.David's brother Chris, 14, added: "He's always looked out for us. Before he even joined the Army, he was my hero."