FAMILY members held back the tears as they unveiled a permanent memorial in honour of fallen soldier Tom Wroe.

Private Wroe, 18, of Meltham, was killed last September alongside his colleague Sgt Gareth Thursby while serving in Afghanistan.

Yesterday, the new Tom Wroe Complex Care Facility at Helme Hall Care Home was officially unveiled by his sister Demi and Lt Col Zac Stenning OBE, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment.

Dignitaries from across Yorkshire, including the Lord Lt of West Yorkshire, Dr Ingrid Roscoe, the Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Martyn Bolt and the Mayor of Meltham, Clr Terry Lyons were joined by members of the armed forces, friends and family for a ceremony in his honour.

And on the day that would have been his 19th birthday everyone agreed the new care unit was a fitting legacy to his name.

Tom’s mother Claire, who works at the care home, said: “Over the past nine months, working here has helped me through these difficult times – it’s my second home.

“Tom knew how passionate I was about my job and where I worked.

“He talked about this in his last ever letter to me.

“So for the unit to be named after our son Tom – words cannot describe how I feel.”

Demi, who has joined the Army Cadets in a bid to follow her brother into the Army, said: “It’s Tom’s 19th birthday and we all know he will be celebrating up in heaven with Gareth and all the other heroes.”

Father Mick, who served in the Duke of Wellington Regiment himself, thanked Tom’s friends from the Yorkshire Regiment for travelling up from Warminster for the ceremony.

He added: “Tom volunteered to go to Afghanistan as soon as he turned 18 – for that we are so proud of him.

“Nobody could foresee what was going to happen that fateful day.

“We want to thank the soldiers who were there for helping Tom and Gareth, we know they did everything possible to save them.”

Lt Col Stenning said: “This unit represents a permanent symbol of everything Tom achieved.

“He came to Afghanistan as an 18-year-old man, the son of a Duke and committed himself to serving our battalion.

“The values and courage he showed last summer are of the highest order.

“Selfless service, discipline, loyalty; everything that should inspire the youth of today.

“I’m immensely proud to be here with some of his friends today to recognise his commitment in everything he did for us”.

Click below for pictures from Helme Hall Care Home.

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