Children who paid the most heartbreaking tributes of all
‘Very emotional for everyone’
THEY have all lost a parent who will never see them grow up.
Some are probably only just beginning to understand the ultimate sacrifice made by a heroic father; others are grappling with the grief of bereavement at an age when they should not have to.
each of these 18 children has tragically lost a parent while serving in the military. yesterday they made a poignant sight as they lined up behind veterans and joined in the march past the Cenotaph.
Aged from seven to 16, they marched together as part of the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers. through it, they have formed friendships that have helped them through their grief.
It was the first time youngsters helped by the charity, which supports bereaved children in Forces families, have taken part in the Remembrance Sunday parade.
Some wore the medals of the parent they have lost. All wore distinctive yellow and black scarves – the colours of the charity’s founder nikki Scott’s late husband’s regiment.
Corporal Lee Scott, of the Royal tank
Regiment, was killed when his vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device in July 2009, leaving her with two children – Kai, now 15, and Brooke, ten. yesterday Mrs Scott, 38, who set up the charity ten years ago, said after the march: ‘All the children have been amazing. It was, of course, very emotional for everyone but above all there was just a massive feeling of pride.’
the charity is supported by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who chose it as one of the beneficiaries from their wedding. It currently supports 397 children. the children in the march were:
1 MILLIE NEILSON, TEN: Her father Corporal Darren neilson, 31, of the Royal tank Regiment, was killed in a tank explosion on a training exercise in Pembrokeshire in 2017. A coroner later ruled the explosion was caused by a design flaw. Corporal neilson’s widow Jemma called him her ‘soulmate’.
2 MEGAN HUNT, 11: Her father nathan Hunt, a Warrant Officer in the Royal engineers, took his own life, aged 39, in January last year. Megan was accompanied by her mother Lainey Hunt, 43, also a Warrant Officer in the Armed Forces. 3, 4 & 5 MOLLY REYNOLDS, 15, ISABELLE REYNOLDS, SEVEN,
EMILY REYNOLDS, NINE: their father Antony Reynolds, 41, an avionics technician, took his own life. He struggled with his mental health after tours in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan. the sisters were accompanied by their mother Sarah Ross, 35. 6 & 9 CHARLOTTE DURBAN, 14,
AND SAM DURBAN, 11: their father Sergeant Gary Durban of the Royal engineers died after an illness. the siblings were accompanied by their mother Amanda Durban.
7 BENJAMIN O’DONNELL, 11: His father Warrant Officer class 2 Gary O’Donnell, George Medal and Bar, who worked in bomb
disposal, was killed by an IeD aged 40, while on tour in Afghanistan in 2008. Benjamin was accompanied by his mother toni O’Donnell. 8 JOSHUA KIRKHAM, 14: His father Lance Corporal Christopher Bradshaw, 30, was killed in a car accident in 2011 as he was driving home from work at RAF Digby. A lorry driver whose careless driving caused his death was banned from driving for three years. Joshua was accompanied by his mother Sabrina Kirkham. 10 & 18 BELLA LOCKWOOD, NINE, AND EVIE LOCKWOOD, EIGHT: their father Staff Sergeant Michael Lockwood died of a brain tumour aged 36 in 2014. He proposed to wife Laura during postponed Christmas leave from Afghanistan in January 2010. 11 & 12 RYAN DARBYSHIRE, 15, AND CALLUM DARBYSHIRE, 13: their father Steven Darbyshire, a sergeant with the Royal Marines, was shot in Afghanistan, aged 35, in June 2010. the brothers were joined by their mother Kate Darbyshire. 13 JOSEPH EVERY, EIGHT: His mother Joanna, a corporal in the RAF, died after an illness. Joseph was accompanied by his father Mark every yesterday, 14 HARRY DEAN GRIFFITHS, EIGHT: His father Fusilier Dean Griffiths, 21, of the Royal Welsh, was killed during a training exercise on a firing range in Kent in 2011. His widow nicola Griffiths was pregnant with their son Harry when Fusilier Griffiths was shot. 15 & 16 TWINS ADAM & CONNOR
O’NEILL, 16: their father Kris O’neill, a corporal in the Royal Army Medical Corps, was killed aged 27 by an IeD in Iraq, in April 2007. He had only been in Iraq for five days when he was killed along with three other soldiers and an interpreter, when their vehicle went over an IeD. His widow tina O’neill accompanied the twins.
17 Logan Prior, eight: His father Private Daniel Prior, 27, of the Parachute Regiment was wounded by an IeD in Afghanistan on March 16, 2011 and, despite medical care, died in the UK two days later.