Families remember fallen soldiers

The families of Rifleman Jamie Gunn and Private Richard Hunt, from Monmouthshire, will attend the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall tonight.

Rifleman Gunn, 21, from Monmouth, was killed in Gereshk District, Helmand Province, on February 25 whilst serving with First Battalion The Rifles in Afghanistan.

The Rifleman's mother and sister, Janet and Jess Gunn, said they may also go to the main remembrance parade at the cenotaph in London tomorrow.

Jess Gunn said one of her brother’s best friends, firefighter Sam Harding, will lay a wreath of poppies at the war memorial in Monmouth tomorrow in honour of his friend.

The family and friends of Abergavenny soldier Private Richard Hunt, will mark Remembrance Sunday at Llanellen churchyard tomorrow where the soldier is buried.

Pte Hunt was the 200th soldier to die from fighting in Afghanistan.

He died aged 21 on August 13 after being wounded in an explosion while on a vehicle patrol near Musa Qala in Helmand Province.

A service will be held inside the church at 10am in which a sermon will be read regarding Private Hunt and Afghanistan.

The vicar will also read some words about Private Hunt written by his mother Hazel Hunt.

A cross made of 30mm brass shells, made by Private Hunt’s fellow soldiers fighting in Afghanistan, will be placed on the church altar during the service together with a large photo of Pte Hunt.

A CD containing images of this memorial was sent to the Hunt family along with the large photo and cross.

These were sent to the Hunt family after they were used during a memorial service at Camp Bastion shortly after Pte Hunt’s death.

A two minute silence will then be held around the soldier’s grave where a wreath of poppies will be laid.

Another short service will also be held around the graveside of a World War Two RAF veteran.

Mrs Hunt said: “They are two young men separated by 60 years.”