Scott Hetherington (15^th December 1995 to 22^nd January 2017)

Scott was a Lance Corporal in the 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment. Sadly the 22-year-old was the first British soldier to die in Iraq since 2009 following a stupid accident. He was in Iraq helping to train local forces to fight Islamic State but died at Camp Taji north of Baghdad when he was accidently shot by his best mate.

On 2^nd January 2017 Scott and his friend Colin Theaker (a 30-year-old Lance Corporal) were together in the living accommodation they shared. At about 4pm they were cleaning their Glock pistols, messing around and doing gangster poses. Colin pointed his pistol at Scott’s stomach. Scott cried out, “No, no don't do that!” but it was too late and he was shot by a single bullet in the lower chest. He was rushed in vain into Role Two Field Hospital.

In March 2019 a court trial was held at Catterick Garrison. Colin was charged with killing due to the “negligent discharge of a weapon". On the fateful day it came out that both soldiers were bored and while messing around with their loaded pistols Colin had unknowingly removed the lock on his. They were stood on their beds playing "quick draw" when Scott got shot. At the trial Scott's family pleaded with the judge not to jail the killer but to nail avail. Colin was given a jail sentence of three years and dismissed from the army.

There was a funeral at All Saints and Martyrs Church in Langley followed by a burial with full military honours here where I'm stood in Scott's home town of Middleton. I've visited his grave about four times. Sharing the cemetery are Lee Rigby (murdered by Islamic terrorists) and Joel Halliwell (Victoria Cross recipient) and I sometimes have a coffee with all three. I always come away thinking what a waste.