Portadown soldier honoured at memorial

Published Friday, 17 August 2012
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A new name will be added to a war memorial in Portadown on Saturday, two years after the death of a local man serving with the Gurkhas in Afghanistan.

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Lieutenant Neal Turkington's name will be the first to be added to the monument since 1945 and his father Ivor told UTV more about the day his son revealed he was shipping out to Helmand Province.

"Immediately you automatically brace yourself. Your son is in harm's way. The death count was coming up to 300," said Mr Turkington.

"I had this terrible feeling, and I said I hope that's not my Neil who's the 300th. He was the 306th to die out there."

The 26-year-old was killed when a renegade Afghan soldier launched a rocket-propelled grenade attack on the 1st The Royal Gurkha Rifles base, in July 2010.

Mr Turkington said his family will "always be grateful" for the people of Portadown's support on the day of his funeral.

"As we were going down the road people were beginning to line up, neighbours," he explained, recalling the day Neal was laid to rest.

"As we got closer to town I could see that it was just filled with people. That was people sharing in our loss. I just felt them lifting us up, I will never forget it. We will always be grateful."

Saturday would have been Neal's 29th birthday, instead the family will gather at the Portadown war memorial where his name will be revealed.

Captain Doug Beattie of the local British Legion said it was right that Lieutenant Turkington's name should be added.

"This is about a town remembering, so it's only right and proper that one of our sons, who was born here, who grew up here, who went to school and who touched so many lives, is remembered here."

Mr Turkington said the day will be another "milestone in reflection" for the family, added that he respected what his son stood for.

"He has made us and our family proud and I think he's made the town proud. There are lots of parents who were not lucky enough to have their children as long as we had Neal, and we're very thankful for that, and it was an honour to be his parent."

© UTV News
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4 Comments
T J McClean in Belfast wrote (272 days ago):
What a dreadful waste of life and wonderful potentialall for what? To satisfy Cameron's moral duty? Totally agree with norman.d Very sad for all these bereaved families at home and abroad.
Stephen in Portadown wrote (274 days ago):
Lovely service today in Portadown. All the more moving due to the fact that today would have been Neal's 29th birthday. A lasting memory by which the family can remember this brave young man.
Paul in County Down wrote (274 days ago):
He is now leading the other soldiers above and protecting us all from there.God bless him.RIP.
norman.d in bangor wrote (274 days ago):
its sad that young men and women are losing their lives in these wars that serve no purpose and no end just a total waste of young lives there are no winners in wars just losers and we have lost enough lives time to bring them home from afghanistan
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