Families engulfed by wave of grief

THE father of tragic rifleman Daniel Hume told how a "wave of grief" travelled through bereaved families at RAF Lyneham as the bodies of five servicemen were brought home from Afghanistan last week.

In an emotional interview, dad Adrian relived the anguished moments of waiting on the Tarmac as the coffins of 22-year-old Daniel and four comrades killed in a separate ambush were carried out of the plane.

"It was a bit like a boxing match, with a number of rounds," said Adrian, 48, who was there with Daniel's mum Wendy Stafford, 48, and his brother Sam, 21.

"We went onto the Tarmac and saw the flypast. That was the hardest point for me, because it was them coming home.

"In fact one of the other relatives said, 'Welcome home boys', as the plane came over.

"It was strange because we were sat in the order of the bodies coming off so this wave of grief slowly moved up the staging area. With Daniel coming off last it was almost easier, as we knew what to expect."

Adrian learned of his son's death within hours of the blast in Nad e-Ali that killed Daniel as he was on foot patrol with the 4th Battalion The Rifles.

Last night he told of the last contact he ever had with his son. "It was probably about four days before we got the news that he had been killed," said Adrian, of Maidenhead, Berks.

"I got a text from him telling me the things he needed - some super noodles and some sunglasses. I went and got a few pairs of sunglasses and the noodles and sent them off."

But the gifts never reached Daniel. He died just a few weeks into his first operational tour as a soldier after passing out as the best recruit of his intake at the Infantry Training Garrison in Catterick, North Yorkshire in April.

His family had looked on with pride as he received a 200-year-old Baker Rifle as the top recruit. Adrian said: "I remember him phoning up, saying: 'I've won the rifle, dad'. He was really pleased. He had been so confident throughout his training. A number of guys said they wouldn't have got through it if it wasn't for him.

"He was really proud. And I was very proud of him."

Courier firm owner Adrian relived the chilling moment he found out his son was dead. He was in his office at home. "Two officers came round, in suits. They said, 'We've got some bad news'. I said, 'How bad?' and they said, 'The worst'."

The Army officers had first tried to get hold of Daniel's beautician mum Wendy but couldn't find her.

Shock

Then Adrian had to break the news to Daniel's younger brother, Sam. He said: "Sam just went into shock, really. Straight away you're at ground zero, you're floored.

"One of the worst times was waking up the day after and for the first 10 seconds there's nothing wrong, then bang."

After Daniel's repatriation, his coffin was driven along with the other heroes through Wootton Bassett. Daniel's childhood sweetheart, Sasha Buckley, was pictured breaking down as his hearse passed her - the harrowing image of her face contorted in grief appearing in many newspapers.

Adrian said: "She was his childhood sweetheart and one of his first ever girlfriends. She's a lovely girl. Doesn't matter whether she was a girlfriend past or present, her grief was real.

"I think Dan's death left quite a few hearts broken."

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