A British soldier based in Kenya has tragically died following an attack while off duty.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) website officially confirmed the death of Major Kevin McCool today (December 2), who died on November 29. No further information was offered by the government over his death, but the BBC reports he was attacked. Details say he was commissioned from Sandhurst on August 9 in 2014 and was “off-duty” when the event happened.
Maj McCool’s family has been informed, but the MoD has said no further details will be released on his death. The BBC also reported that the soldier was on a motorcycle trip off-base when the attack took place.
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The Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has spoken publicly and paid tribute to the late Maj McCool, stating the incident was a real “tragic loss” to the world as well as his squad.
He said: "It's clear from the tributes of those who knew him that Maj McCool was an exceptional person and an exceptional soldier, loved and respected in equal measure, who served his country with distinction.”
There was a public eulogy released online by the MoD about Maj McCool’s life. It said that he “thrived in the military environment,” and was “at his best when deployed, and at his very best when the conditions were at their very worst.” Over his life and career he served in “Europe, the Middle East, the Falklands and Africa.”
It was said that wherever he went, he “left his mark.” His Commanding Officer left a touching comment about his immense bravery. “Kevin McCool was living his best life, doing a job he loved, with people he loved.
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“A man of the utmost integrity, he was fearless and oozed moral courage. I will never forget my final memory of him, which was on operations; he had just come off the ground having slept a handful of hours in as many days. We discussed the possibility of having to deploy another team into the operational furnace from which he had just come. He stopped me mid-sentence, fixed me with his piercing blue eyes, and simply said, ‘send me’.”
It was said that Maj McCool was a “family man,” and is survived by his “mother and father, Joseph and Joan, his brothers, Fergal and Brendan, his sisters, May, Alice and Margaret.”
While no further information on the cause of his death will be released, it was said that “A bright light has gone out amongst our ranks. He will be missed, but never forgotten,” by this fellow officers.
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