Dead after a night out in Cornwall, teen soldier who survived Afghanistan
Two men charged with murder outside takeaway
A YOUNG soldier who survived Afghanistan has been allegedly murdered outside a kebab shop in his home town.
His parents last night said they had worried he might be killed fighting the Taliban, but never expected him to lose his life at home.
Rifleman Dave Curnow, 20, died after suffering severe head injuries early on Sunday.
Two men appeared in court yesterday charged with his murder in Redruth, Cornwall.
His father Michael Curnow, 53, said his son was the youngest servicemen in Helmand province during his tour in 2013, for which he had been held back a month until he turned 18.
He revealed his son had been planning to ask girlfriend Kay Derry, 20, to marry him. He said: ‘When he was in Afghanistan I was constantly worried about him.
‘While he was out there he got in some firefights, but his outlook and general balance was very strong and he came back unscathed. There are a few scrapes in Redruth on the weekend, but something like this is completely unheard of and it is such a shock to everyone. You never think anything like this will happen here.’
Mr Curnow said his son had wanted to join the Army from the age of 12 and signed up with 4 Rifles battalion as a rifleman. He added: ‘I thought he would grow out of it, but he never did.
‘He just felt he was doing the right thing and joined the Army at 16, straight out of school.
‘There was no service confirmed for him in the near future, but he was expecting to do another tour
‘He was a ray of sunshine’
next year, possibly on behalf of the UN.
‘He viewed it as if that’s what he was there for, to do his duty.
‘He was a ray of sunshine, such a lovely lad. He was a much-loved son, and I’m very privileged to have been his dad for the last 20 years and six months.’
Yesterday the soldier’s devastated partner wrote on Facebook: ‘We were simply meant to be.’
Mr Curnow added: ‘Dave and his girlfriend made a lovely couple, and they had a future planned. She is shattered now. I was hoping for her to be our daughter-in-law, he was planning to ask at the end of next year.’
June Curnow, 49, the soldier’s stepmother, said: ‘I’d worry about him in Afghanistan, but you don’t expect this in Cornwall, especially not two miles down the road from where he lived. He will so be badly missed.’
Mr Curnow said his son had been with friends and his girlfriend before suffering the fatal injuries in the early hours of Sunday. He said: ‘Dave had been out with his friends, and they went into a kebab shop while Dave waited outside.’ The young soldier was found unconscious by a member of the public and taken to hospital, but died on Monday.
His family said he suffered a bleed on the brain. Police have asked to hear from anyone who saw a disturbance outside The Zone nightclub in the town.
Liam Laing, 21, of Chacewater, Cornwall, and Conner Hammond, 21, of Redruth, Cornwall, appeared at Truro Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with murder. They were remanded in custody and will appear via video link at Bristol Crown Court today for a bail hearing.