A BENCH was placed by Tavistock war memorial on Tuesday, in memory of an 18-year-old paratrooper killed on active service in Iraq last year. It would have been the young soldier?s 19th birthday.
Private Andrew Kelly, a former Tavistock College student, died in Basra on May 6. He was serving as part of Operation Telic with the Third Parachute Regiment at the time of his death.
The money to buy the bench was raised after Private Kelly?s friends issued an appeal for funds in the Times last month.
Joe Smith, who was with Pte Kelly on his 18th birthday last year, thanked everyone who had made a donation towards the ?brilliant? total of more than £600. He said Andrew had been a ?lovely, tremendous man? and paid tribute his family for their strength through an ?unimaginably hard? time.
Andrew?s friend Alex Russell read a poem she had written shortly after Andrew?s death and said he would live on their hearts and memories.
Andrew?s mother Helen Yallop said the bench, and the effort Andrew?s friends had made, were ?absolutely fantastic?.
?Andrew would have been smiling,? she said. ?He would have been so proud ? I can?t find the words ? you have helped me through the worst time in my life.
?Andrew was great and I miss him every day, I can?t ever imagine life feeling good again, but you have helped me so much. My goodness he had great friends, you really are the most amazing people.?
Town mayor Norma Woodcock said: ?I am very pleased that Andrew?s friends have been able to provide this memorial in the centre of town to such a very brave lad who lost his life while serving in the armed forces. It will be a permanent memorial to remind us of those professionals who put their lives on the line for their country.?
The inscription on the bench reads: ?In loving memory of Andrew Joseph Kelly. To the world you were a soldier, to us you were the world.?
Private Kelly had always wanted to be a paratrooper. He was sent to the Gulf just five days after his 18th birthday.