The body of an ex-British soldier who was killed in Ukraine while fighting has been brought back to his parents’ home in County Fermanagh.
Liam Love will be laid to eternal rest on Saturday following a funeral at St Patrick’s Church, Derrygonnelly.
He had served with the Royal Anglian Regiment in the British Army for four years, and helped train Ukrainian conscripts after the Russian invasion of February 2022.
His family said that this had a profound impact on him. He left the British Army in order to go to Ukraine and fight.
They were informed that he was killed by a mortar three weeks earlier in Lyman.
“Our final pint”
Liam Love was born in Coventry, and a memorial service will be held there at a future date.
His friends also raised money to plant a tree in his memory at the War Memorial Park in the city.
Michael Love said that his son was brave, determined and determined.
“When he entered a room, you knew he had been there.”
Liam became friends with Ukrainian fighters, who had come to England for training.
Michael said: “The men were needed in Ukraine as soon as possible. The training was too short.”
“Liam kept in touch and befriended them when they returned to Ukraine. But a lot of people were killed.”
“He gave me the impression that he wanted more involvement but I never thought that involvement would lead him one day to actually cross the border into Ukraine.
“He felt for the Ukrainian people’s plight, and I think that he felt he did not give enough to the Ukrainian recruits during his training.
“So he went out and helped them to free themselves from the Russians at the time.”
Liam told his family he was leaving British Army at Christmas last year, but they only learned later that he planned to travel to Ukraine in May.
“I will see you Christmas”
Michael said, “My reaction was that I was proud that he would take that stance but I was also aware of the dangers this particular conflict could bring to combatants.”
“It was clear to Liam that his life expectancy was not great, so I feared for Him, we feared For Him, but he was determined to do it and off he went.
“We said goodbye after we finished our last pint. We hugged each other and shared a big kiss.”
Liam kept in touch with his parents regularly, updating them every time he returned to the front line.
Michael claimed that they “skirted over” the topic of Liam’s return home when he was injured in September after being hit with shrapnel by an artillery shell.
“But he insisted that his personal mission was not completed and that he would return to the fight when he felt fit. He did.”
Michael’s phone rang on 9 October.
A soldier who had fought alongside Liam called to say that their son was killed.
“It was a call I hoped and prayed I wouldn’t have to make. To be honest, I tried to push it to the back my mind.
“During his recovery, he said to me that he was going back, but I would see you at Christmas. So there was confidence in him that at least he would make it to Christmas and we would be seeing him again, but it did not happen.”
In the last three months, the family has received condolence messages from people who knew Liam in Ukraine.
Michael said that these messages have brought a lot comfort to his wife Lorraine.
Michael is very proud of his son, after hearing about his bravery, personality and professionalism as a soldier.
“I want to remember him for his belief in what he was doing and his determination to finish the job, despite all the discomforts that came with battle, war, and his commitment to it. I want this to be his lasting memory.
“He wanted to remember himself by a simple phrase: ‘What we say in life will echo in eternity’. That quote will echo in my mind.
“He was a brave man.”
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