'Hello mum, this is going to be hard for you to read ...'

[babsbunny]

At 19, Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher was one of the youngest victims of the Afghan war. These letters – given to The Independent by his family – reveal the excitement of a teenager sent to fulfil his dream, and his maturity in confronting the possibility that he might not make it home

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/hello-mum-this-is-going-to-be-hard-for-you-to-read-1753008.html

Monday, 20 July 2009

In the spring of this year, the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles deployed to Afghanistan. Halfway through the battalion's tour, it has lost nine soldiers, with dozens injured.

Of those to have given their lives, four were teenagers. Here Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher, who was 19 when he was killed by an explosion near Gereshk seven weeks ago, tells his own story, through letters home and the last letter he left behind to bid farewell to his family – his mother Helena, father Robin and brothers Zac, 21, and Steely, 17.

Following are the words of a proud soldier described by his officers as possessing "a rucksack full of potential", and by his friends as a rascal always cracking jokes and helping to keep morale high. Most of all, they are the words of a young son to his mum, dad and brothers.
Terri Judd

[MadMaddie]

1. Damn!

May this young man RIP and may his family get through this tradgedy. He did grow up.....

[tblue37]

2. That one definitely made me bawl. nt

[shireen]

3. a wonderful son!

what a terrible loss. Every number in the statistics we see has a story. Thanks to his family sharing those letters, Cyrus put a public face on one of those numbers.
i hate war.

[Festivito]

4. Great manhood that responds to his acts even from beyond the grave.

Well done young soldier, well done good family, friends, nearest and dearest.

[B3Nut]

5. God speed good sir

We should all drink a toast to this fine young man whose life was tragically cut short. To have faced his mortality with such poetic grace at his young age showed maturity beyond his years.

Todd in Cheesecurdistan

[LWolf]

6. Fuck.

I'm the mother of 2 grown sons. I love them, and I know that they love me.

They also know that I don't really care what they do, I just want them to be happy. I only have one mandate for their lives: to outlive me.

I hope that this young man's foresight will comfort his family, but I doubt it will stop them from mourning him.

I'm going to stop by my son's for hug now.

[Swede]

7. That was tough to read.

RIP Cyrus.

[babydollhead]

8. I cry.

[Sabien]

9. wow

Here's to you Cyrus

Well done.