Beret Boy: I'll be Para like my Bruv

THE brave little boy pictured wearing his tragic brother's Para beret at a remembrance parade this week told of his sadness last night-but said he wants to join the elite regiment too.

Fin Wakefield, six, won the hearts of onlookers as he stood proudly in the maroon cap during the tribute to fallen 2 Para heroes in Colchester, Essex.

Brother Jeff, known as JJ, was killed in a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan two days after his 20th birthday in June. Fin, from Southam, Warks, said yesterday: "I miss him, he is my hero. I met the Regiment and they were really nice to me.

"When I grow up I want to be a Paratrooper like him because they are the best soldiers."

Their dad Jeff described his pride for JJ, who died doing the job he loved.

Amazing

He said: "JJ was a paratrooper, it was what he did. You could have sent him out there naked and he'd still have wanted to fight. If he had known what was going to happen he would still have gone out there, that was the type of person he was.

"He had a great sense of humour, and loved being out there with the boys.

"They are an amazing bunch of lads, since we lost JJ there has almost not been a day that's gone by when we don't get a visit or a call.

"They also love Fin. In a way he may have lost his big brother but he has gained a regiment of big brothers.

"JJ's CO came up to me at the funeral and said he was an absolute pleasure and a nightmare to command-but he'd always make everyone smile."

Jeff said that when JJ's little sister, 18-month-old Honey, was born he did something that summed up what a devoted son he was.

Jeff went on: "Even though he didn't have any money JJ jumped trains all the way from Colchester to Coventry, where my wife Joyce was in the maternity ward, and then he ran 10 miles from the station to the hospital.

"The next thing we knew he had burst through the ward doors. He had travelled all that way without telling us to see his new sister."

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