Heartbreak of tragic soldier's mum

PRIVATE Aaron McClure's grieving mother has described her heart as a “black, cold abyss” following the death of her teenage son in a friendly fire accident in Afghanistan.

Talking about her loss, Lorraine McClure, of Marlow Road, Ipswich, said: “My son Aaron was a dedicated brave soldier, and the most caring, handsome son.

“His passing has been the most horrendous and unimaginable shock to myself, his three brothers, family and all who knew him.

“They say time and memories will ease the pain, but my heart feels like an empty, black, cold abyss.

“The one consolation we all can take from this, and it is a very small one, is that he was doing what he lived his life for, side by side with his 'Brothers in Arms' as he said so many times.”

Pte McClure's family are today expected to travel to RAF Lyneham in Wilshire where his body is due to be flown back.

Ms McClure said her thoughts were with the families of Privates John Thrumble and Robert Foster, who were also killed when soldiers from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment were hit by a bomb dropped by a US aircraft from RAF Lakenheath which had been called in to help them in Helmand Province on August 23.

She said: “My son died a hero alongside two other heroes. We pray for the other families too.”

Linda McClure, 46, Pte McClure's step-grandmother, spoke of her fond memories of the ex Westbourne High School pupil.

She said: “He absolutely loved Scotland and was thinking about buying a house in Scotland. He has so many uncles and aunties in Scotland and they all loved him too.”

Linda McClure, along with her husband Allan, daughter Allison, 27, and son Wayne, 19, have travelled from Scotland to be with Pte McClure's mother and the rest of his family in the wake of the tragedy.

Every night since Pte McClure's death, scores of his friends and members of the community have gathered at the shrine outside the family home to pay their respects.