A NEWPORT girl whose father died while serving in the Army, was presented with a duplicate set of his medals.
The mother of Tegan Gotts-Black, five, whose only meeting with her father was during his two weeks leave when she was four-and-a-half- months old, said her daughter now has something by which to remember him.
Richard Gotts, 36, was a Lance Corporal in the Royal Logistics Corps when he suffered a heart attack and died on the German base of Bielefeld where he was stationed in September 2007. Tegan was just 17 months old.
Paula Black, 38, said following his death, Tegan was given a group photo including her father and a teddy bear, but she wanted to put together a memory box for her daughter.
Miss Black, of The Turnstiles, Crindau, contacted the Army and through the bereavement officer of the Royal Logistics Corps, it was arranged for Tegan to be presented a medal at barracks in South Cerney, Cirencester, the base of the 29 Regiment, on Thursday.
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Carrington presented Tegan with the boxed duplicate set of her father’s medals and soldiers who served with Lan Corp Gotts were in attendance to speak to Miss Black and Tegan, an Ysgol Gymraeg Ifor Hael pupil.
Miss Black said: "Tegan loved it and loved speaking to soldiers about her dad - these medals are something for her to keep for the rest of her life. It was a lovely day and really emotional. It mean's everything and it's a huge reminder of his achievements and keeps his memory alive."
Tegan got duplicates of Lan Corp Gotts' General Service Medal from Northern Ireland, one from his tour of Bosnia, one for his service in Iraq, a long service and good conduct medal and a Queen's Golden Jubilee medal.
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