Paying tributeto our brave fallen heroes

Robert ‘Bob’ Consiglio, 24 – who was killed while on a secretive mission in Iraq in January 1991 that was later made famous by Andy McNab’s book Bravo Two Zero – is one of eight soldiers to have been added to Havant’s cenotaph.

It is to mark all those men from the town who gave their lives in conflicts since the end of the Second World War.

Among the fallen include sailors, marines and soldiers from wars in the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine.

Yesterday’s service, at St Faith’s Church, West Street, was the culmination of a two-year project led by Havant mayor Leah Turner.

She said: ‘This has meant absolutely everything to me.

‘Havant borough is so very proud of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country.

‘It is only these sacrifices that ensure the freedoms we are able to enjoy today.’

The 30-minute service, led by Canon Tom Kennar, saw a number of serving Royal Marines in attendance, as well as cadets, veterans, and family members of some of those commemorated.

Among them included Rosemary Turner, 54, of West Street, Havant.

Her son, David O’Connor died in Afghanistan in October 2012, aged 27.

Rosemary said: ‘The pain of his death will never go away. You feel like you will never truly be happy again.’

Those remembered were: Ronald Carpenter, 21, Royal Army Ordinance Corps, who died in Palestine in 1947; Royal Marine Graham Cox, 19, killed in Northern Ireland in 1973; Michael Foote, 23, Royal Navy, who died aboard HMS Ardent in the Falklands, in 1982; Paul Callus, 24, Royal Navy, who was killed on HMS Coventry at the Falklands, in 1982; Steven Wilson, 23, Parachute Regiment, killed in Northern Ireland in 1989; Robert ‘Bob’ Consiglio, 24, SAS, killed in Iraq in 1991; Elijah Bond, Royal Engineers, 24, killed in Afghanistan in 2011; David O’Connor, 27, Royal Marine, killed in Afghanistan in 2012.