Ministry of DefenseA British paratrooper killed serving in Ukraine has told his family to “be proud” and not “remember him with sadness”, in a letter to be opened in the event of his death.
The body of Corporal George Hooley was repatriated to RAF Brize Norton on Wednesday following his death last week.
The 28-year-old died while watching Ukrainian forces test “a new defensive capability, far from the front lines”, in what the Ministry of Defense (MoD) described as a “tragic accident”.
An excerpt from the letter, shared at the request of L/Cpl Hooley’s family, said he “went out to do what I trained to do, what I chose to do, and I had you all in my heart all the way.”
“If you’re reading this, it means I didn’t make it home,” he wrote.
“Please don’t let that be what breaks you. You know I was doing what I believed in and loved, with people I respected and for reasons that matter to me, my country and democracy and freedom in this world.
“I was proud of what I was doing. Don’t remember me with sadness and loss. Be proud.”
Ministry of DefenseEarlier on Wednesday, a private ceremony was held in Brize Norton before L/Cpl Hooley’s body was carried among mourners lining the route to the Carterton Repatriation Memorial Garden.
He was due to be promoted corporal in January and had been assigned the responsibilities of the position during his deployment to Ukraine, the Defense Ministry said.
Corporal Hooley, who had previously deployed to Afghanistan, Africa and Eastern Europe, was described in tributes as possessing a “rare gift” of “profound kindness”.
His company commander said: “If you knew George Hooley, you will remember him. His energy and enthusiasm were simply extraordinary.
“He provided a spark that lifted others, a drive that inspired, and a zest for life that reminded us all how to live with purpose and joy. And we loved him for that. George had a rare gift: deep kindness and genuine time for everyone.”
