Mum's praise for pal's tribute to soldier son (From South Wales Argus)

Mum's praise for pal's tribute to soldier son

1:59pm Tuesday 9th February 2010

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THE mother of the 200th soldier killed in Afghanistan paid tribute yesterday to a soldier who fought alongside her son as he spoke about fighting the Taliban to avenge his friend's death.

Private Richard Hunt, 21, from Hardwick near Abergavenny, died in Afghanistan on August 13 2009 after he was wounded in an explosion in Helmand Province.

But Pte Hunt's fellow sniper Fusilier Martin Williams, whose name has been changed to ensure his security, spoke yesterday in the Daily Telegraph of how he killed five Taliban in Lashkar Gah last week - an act which he said made him feel as if he had “done my bit” for his friend Pte Hunt.

Speaking to the Argus, Pt Hunt’s mother Hazel Hunt said Fusilier Williams’ brave actions were a fitting tribute to her son.

“He trained with Richard and the fact they’re doing it now he can’t doing it for himself would make Richard very proud," she said. "I’m sure he’s there with his friend in spirit.”

Fusilier Williams, of 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh, told an embedded Telegraph reporter how his patrol came under fire last Monday as they moved north of Lashkar Gah.

The 22-year-old said he spent nine hours hiding behind sandbags on the roof of a compound waiting for Taliban fighters to show themselves, before taking aim and killing five of the attackers.

Fusilier Williams was glad to avenge his friend, but sometimes struggled to come to terms with what he had seen.

But as the Hunt family prepare to mark six months since the death of Pte Hunt, his mother added: “Richard would be saying we have to remember it’s them or us. As horrible as that sounds in one context, it’s either that or our lads.”

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