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| Funeral for ex-soldier who fought in Ukraine | |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Michael Love said his son “empathised with the Ukrainian people" | Michael Love said his son “empathised with the Ukrainian people" |
| The body of a former British soldier killed while fighting in Ukraine has been brought to his parent’s home in County Fermanagh. | |
| Liam Love, who was 24, will be laid to rest following a funeral service at St Patrick’s Church in Derrygonnelly on Saturday. | Liam Love, who was 24, will be laid to rest following a funeral service at St Patrick’s Church in Derrygonnelly on Saturday. |
| He served with the Royal Anglian Regiment for four years and had helped to train Ukrainian conscripts following the Russian invasion in February 2022. | He served with the Royal Anglian Regiment for four years and had helped to train Ukrainian conscripts following the Russian invasion in February 2022. |
| His family said this had a profound effect on him and he left the British Army earlier this year so that he could go to Ukraine to fight. | His family said this had a profound effect on him and he left the British Army earlier this year so that he could go to Ukraine to fight. |
| They received the news that he had been killed by a mortar in Lyman three weeks ago. | They received the news that he had been killed by a mortar in Lyman three weeks ago. |
| Liam Love's father said when his son entered a room "you knew he was there” | Liam Love's father said when his son entered a room "you knew he was there” |
| 'Our final pint' | 'Our final pint' |
| Liam Love grew up in Coventry and there are plans for a memorial service to be held at Coventry Cathedral at a later date. | Liam Love grew up in Coventry and there are plans for a memorial service to be held at Coventry Cathedral at a later date. |
| His friends have also raised money for a tree to be planted in his memory in the city’s War Memorial Park. | His friends have also raised money for a tree to be planted in his memory in the city’s War Memorial Park. |
| Michael Love said his son was brave and determined. | Michael Love said his son was brave and determined. |
| “When he was in a room you knew he was there.” | “When he was in a room you knew he was there.” |
| Liam made friends with Ukrainian fighters who had come to the UK for training. | Liam made friends with Ukrainian fighters who had come to the UK for training. |
| Michael said: “The training was all too short because the men were needed back in Ukraine as quickly as possible. | Michael said: “The training was all too short because the men were needed back in Ukraine as quickly as possible. |
| “Liam befriended and kept in touch with them when they went back to Ukraine, but a lot were killed.” | “Liam befriended and kept in touch with them when they went back to Ukraine, but a lot were killed.” |
| “He gave me a sense that he wanted to be more involved but never did I think that involvement would one day lead him to actually crossing the border into Ukraine. | “He gave me a sense that he wanted to be more involved but never did I think that involvement would one day lead him to actually crossing the border into Ukraine. |
| “He empathised with the Ukrainian people and their plight and I think he felt that he didn’t give enough to the Ukrainian recruits when he was part of the training package. | “He empathised with the Ukrainian people and their plight and I think he felt that he didn’t give enough to the Ukrainian recruits when he was part of the training package. |
| “So he wanted to go out and help them to free themselves from what the Russians were doing at the time.” | “So he wanted to go out and help them to free themselves from what the Russians were doing at the time.” |
| Liam told his parents he was leaving the British Army last Christmas, but it was only later that they found out he planned to go to Ukraine in May. | Liam told his parents he was leaving the British Army last Christmas, but it was only later that they found out he planned to go to Ukraine in May. |
| 'I will see you at Christmas' | 'I will see you at Christmas' |
| “My reaction was I was proud at the fact that that was the stance he was going to take but I was also very aware of the dangers that this particular conflict would inflict on combatants,” Michael said. | “My reaction was I was proud at the fact that that was the stance he was going to take but I was also very aware of the dangers that this particular conflict would inflict on combatants,” Michael said. |
| “It was very clear to Liam, life expectancy wasn’t great so I feared for him, we feared for him, but he was determined that was what he was going to do and off he went. | “It was very clear to Liam, life expectancy wasn’t great so I feared for him, we feared for him, but he was determined that was what he was going to do and off he went. |
| “We had our final pint, we gave each other a big hug, and then we said our goodbyes.” | “We had our final pint, we gave each other a big hug, and then we said our goodbyes.” |
| Mr Love received the call he "hoped" he would never have to take telling him that his son had died | Mr Love received the call he "hoped" he would never have to take telling him that his son had died |
| Liam kept in regular contact with his parents, updating them each time he returned from action on the frontline. | Liam kept in regular contact with his parents, updating them each time he returned from action on the frontline. |
| In September, he was injured after being hit by shrapnel from an artillery shell, and Michael said they did “skirt over the subject” of Liam returning home. | In September, he was injured after being hit by shrapnel from an artillery shell, and Michael said they did “skirt over the subject” of Liam returning home. |
| “But he was adamant that his own personal mission wasn’t completed and when he was fit to return to the fight he would; consequently he did.” | “But he was adamant that his own personal mission wasn’t completed and when he was fit to return to the fight he would; consequently he did.” |
| 'He did believe in what he did' | 'He did believe in what he did' |
| The family have received messages of condolence from people in Ukraine who knew Liam | The family have received messages of condolence from people in Ukraine who knew Liam |
| On 9 October, Michael’s phone rang. | On 9 October, Michael’s phone rang. |
| It was a soldier who had been fighting alongside Liam calling to say their son had been killed. | It was a soldier who had been fighting alongside Liam calling to say their son had been killed. |
| “It was the call I’d hoped I would never have to take, prayed I would never have to take and to be honest with you I actually tried to keep it to the back of my mind that it wasn’t going to happen. | “It was the call I’d hoped I would never have to take, prayed I would never have to take and to be honest with you I actually tried to keep it to the back of my mind that it wasn’t going to happen. |
| “During his recovery, one of the things he did say to me was that ‘I’m going back but I will see you at Christmas’ so there was a confidence in him that he would see it through to at least Christmas and we would see him again then, but it didn’t happen.” | “During his recovery, one of the things he did say to me was that ‘I’m going back but I will see you at Christmas’ so there was a confidence in him that he would see it through to at least Christmas and we would see him again then, but it didn’t happen.” |
| Over the last three weeks, the family have received messages of condolence from people in Ukraine who knew Liam. | Over the last three weeks, the family have received messages of condolence from people in Ukraine who knew Liam. |
| Michael said those messages have given his wife Lorraine a lot of comfort. | Michael said those messages have given his wife Lorraine a lot of comfort. |
| Hearing tributes to his son’s bravery, his personality and the respect for his professionalism as a soldier in a foreign army has given Michael a lot of pride. | Hearing tributes to his son’s bravery, his personality and the respect for his professionalism as a soldier in a foreign army has given Michael a lot of pride. |
| “I want him to be remembered that he did believe in what he did and despite the discomforts of battle, warfare, his determination to see it through, I want that to be his lasting legacy. | “I want him to be remembered that he did believe in what he did and despite the discomforts of battle, warfare, his determination to see it through, I want that to be his lasting legacy. |
| “He wanted to be remembered by a simple quote: 'What we do in life echoes in eternity’ and that will echo with me. | “He wanted to be remembered by a simple quote: 'What we do in life echoes in eternity’ and that will echo with me. |
| “He was just a brave soul.” | “He was just a brave soul.” |