Family mark first anniversary of soldier's death
THE friends and family of heroic soldier Daniel Wild, who was killed when he went to help comrades injured in an explosion, gathered at his grave to mark the first anniversary of his death.
Rifleman Wild, 19, died in a blast in Helmand province, Afghanistan, as he and colleague, Captain Mark Hale, who was also killed, tried to save Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton.
Yesterday, a year to his death, Rfn Wild's mum Laura Laws, 45, and his step-dad Alan Simmons, 56, along with his six-year-old sister Megan, and half a dozen relatives and friends held an emotional gathering at his graveside at Horden's Thorpe Road Cemetery.
Little Megan, who Laura described as "inconsolable", blew a kiss to her brother as Alan said: "It's been a year, and it's never been easy for us.
"You are so sadly missed, son. We love you and always will. You are always in our thoughts and your little sister is always wanting her big brother."
Laura said: "It's awful. It's a year today but it all comes back to you.
"The year has flown over, but it doesn't get any easier.
"Daniel was doing really well in his career and he could have achieved lots more by now."
Laura, who is still receiving counselling to help her come to terms with her grief, said Daniel died at 1.30am on August 13, but she was glad she was asleep when the moment passed.
It was announced last month that British troops were not expected to pull out of Afghanistan until at least 2014.
But Laura said: "Every one of them should be pulled out immediately."
Alan added: "It's rubbish. It will be more innocent lives lost. Get them home. The Government won't listen to us though."
The family laid a number of floral tributes, including a "Stairway to Heaven" made from white carnations and Rfn Wild's regiment, 2nd Battalion The Rifles sent a circular wreath.
Laura attends the cemetery every other day and the family paid their respects there on July 18 on what would have been Rfn Wild's 20th birthday.
And last Saturday some of Rfn Wild's colleagues attended an event at Horden Conservative Club to present a plaque to Laura.
Laura also attended a ceremony at the regiment's headquarters in Doncaster, where her son was commended by the local Mayor.
Rfn Wild, from Easington Colliery, and his colleagues were part of a "cordon" set up to provide back-up while members of the Afghan National Army went into a mosque in Sangin believed to be storing improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Rfn Wild and Capt Hale then ran into the compound to help the casualties of an explosion when they were caught up in a second blast en-route to a planned helicopter landing site.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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