text: The mother of an Australian man who was killed in Syria during a clash against Islamic State, has finally farewelled her son after his body was brought back onto home soil. Ashley Johnston, 28, was shot in February in Rojava, near the Turkish border, while fighting with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and was given a heroes send off in Macquarie Park, Sydney, on Thursday morning. Although his mother Amanda Johnston had no idea her son was at war in the Middle East until she learnt of his death, the proud mother paid a touching tribute to his final action in life at his funeral. Scroll down for video . Amanda Jonston (centre) the mother of former soldier Ashley Johnston, walks in front of her son's coffin as it is carried out of the chapel during his funeral service at Macquarie Park Cemetery on Thursday . 'Ashley put his life on the line to stand up for what is good, for what is just, to protect and defend not just innocent people caught up in this war but you and I and people everywhere,' Mrs Johnston said as she fought back tears. The Queenslander, who lived in the ACT, is believed to be the first Westerner to die in battle against IS. Ashley Johnston, originally from Maryborough in Queensland, but who had most recently been living in Canberra, told his mother Amanda he was simply heading to the Middle East to do humanitarian work. The Australian reportedly died on February 24 in a small village near Shingal in Iraq, close to the border with Syrian Kurdistan . However he was fighting against the IS rule and was shot in a clash with their forces in February. Johnston said in his final interview before his death, that he was afraid of returning home because he thought he'd be treated like a terrorist. At the time, his mother Amanda Johnston told the Sydney Morning Herald that she was in disbelief that her son was fighting against ISIS in Syria. 'I just kept calling because I didn't believe it was true. I know in my head that it is actually Ash but the rest of me doesn't like to believe it's true,' she said when she learnt of his death. Members of Australia's Kurdish community carry the coffin of former soldier Ashley Johnston . Mr Johnston's mother did not know that her son was in Syria fighting with Kurdish soldiers against ISIS until she heard of his death . 'I just said, "I need to talk to you. You have to ring me. I don't believe that what I've been told is true. I need you to ring me and tell me what's going on … I need to hear your voice."' Mr Johnston served for seven years with Australia's Army Reserves before going travelling and becoming moved by the struggle of ethnic Kurds against IS militants, who have taken control of large parts of Syria of Iraq. His body finally arrived home in Canberra last week, leaving Mrs Johnston to face the grim task of identifying him. She reportedly slapped her son's body when she saw him and then kissed him on the face. According to a family member, his mother would not have supported his choice to fight with the Kurdish people in Syria. Mr Johnston's coffin was draped in the Australian and Kurdistan Democratic Union (PYD) party flags, and was carried by men and women dressed in khaki fatigues and scarves in PYD colours of red, yellow and green . Mr Johnston who worked for seven years as part of the Australian Army Reserves is believed to be the first Westerner to die in battle against IS . 'She wouldn't have supported him fighting there in any shape or form,' a family spokesman told Fairfax Media. 'She doesn't want anyone to go over there, no matter which side they are on.' Sitting with hundreds of mourners, many with pictures of her son and a YPG star pinned to their chests, she listened on Thursday to the story of his legacy. 'We came from different lands, different cultures, different religions and different languages' Saadet Ozdemir, a Kurdish community member from Sydney, said. 'A young man from Canberra by the name of Ashley Johnston brought our communities together not just in Australia but globally.' Ashley Johnston, originally from Maryborough in Queensland but had most recently been living in Canberra, told his mother Amanda he was simply heading to the Middle East to do humanitarian work . Mourners at his funeral wore T-shirts imprinted with Mr Johnston's image and carried badges to honour the fallen soldier . The service heard Mr Johnston was among eight fighters in a broken-down truck confronted and outnumbered by IS. His comrades said he sacrificed himself to draw enemy fire, a move that saved them. She was joined by over 300 weeping mourners from the Kurdish community, many of whom had never met the 28-year-old Australian army reservist and yet had his picture pinned to their chests alongside the YPG star. Mr Johnston's coffin was draped in the Australian and Kurdistan Democratic Union (PYD) party flags, and was carried by men and women dressed in khaki fatigues and scarves in PYD colours of red, yellow and green. Mr Johnston's coffin was draped in the Australian and Kurdistan Democratic Union (PYD) party flags, and was carried by men and women dressed in khaki fatigues and scarves in PYD colours of red, yellow and green . Amanda Johnston paid tribute to her son's life at his funeral, claiming he was standing up for what is goof . Kurdish Association of Sydney president Gulfar Olan said Mr Johnston would be remembered as the 'great Australian human rights activist'. 'You gave your life so that our children and our community might live in peace and hope,' she said. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Shiyar Cahal, 22, paid his respects to the Kurdish fighter and said he wished he knew what motivated Mr Johnson to leave Australia to fight in Syria. 'He's our hero,' Mr Cahal said. 'All the Kurdish community has come from all over Australia. He sacrificed himself against ISIS for the Kurdish people and for us that's a big thing. Over 300 weeping mourners from the Kurdish community, many of whom had never met the 28-year-old Australian army reservist and yet had his picture pinned to their chests alongside the YPG star . Men and women in khakis carried Mr Johnston's coffin out of the chapel and into a waiting black hearse as mourners chanted 'They are alive forever' in Kurdish . 'I wish I could ask him what made him go as an Aussie, to see what motivated him against ISIS to give his life.' Men and women in khakis carried Mr Johnston's coffin out of the chapel and into a waiting black hearse as mourners chanted 'They are alive forever' in Kurdish. Although fighting against IS, Mr Johnston could have faced prosecution for serving with a foreign irregular force, which carries a prison sentence of 20 years. It was a notion a representative from the Kurdish Association of Victoria labelled an absurdity. Although fighting against IS, Mr Johnston could have faced prosecution for serving with a foreign irregular force, which carries a prison sentence of 20 years . It is still a mystery to them how Mr Johnston made connections in the Kurdish community in Syria.Although there is concern that he was recruited through a Facebook group . 'It cannot be emphasised enough that although Ashley did not die for Australia, Ashley did die fighting for values that we Australians call our own,' she told the service. It is believed Mr Johnston's family will hold a private burial in Canberra. It is still a mystery to them how Mr Johnston made connections in the Kurdish community in Syria. Although there is concern that he was recruited through a Facebook group.
target: Mourners gathered on Thursday to farewell Ashley Johnston .
  He was shot while fighting with Kurdish People's Protection Units .
  Mr Johnston was shot in a clash with ISIS in February .
  His mother had no idea her son was at war in the Middle East .