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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Bill McLoughlin

British soldier, 32, killed while off duty in Kenya, MoD reports

A British soldier has died while off duty in Kenya, the Ministry of Defence has said.

Major Kevin McCool, 32, died while off duty on November 29 after having served in the Middle East, Europe, Falklands and Africa during his military career. 

According to the BBC, Mr McCool was on a motorcycle trip when he was attacked, although the MoD has not provided any details surrounding his death.

The Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps, said: "It’s clear from the tributes of those who knew him that Major McCool was an exceptional person and an exceptional soldier, loved and respected in equal measure, who served his country with distinction.

"My thoughts and sympathies are with his family, friends, and colleagues currently coming to terms with this most tragic loss."

Maj McCool’s Commanding Officer said: "Kevin McCool was living his best life, doing a job he loved, with people he loved. A man of the utmost integrity, he was fearless and oozed moral courage.

"I will never forget my final memory of him, which was on operations; he had just come off the ground having slept a handful of hours in as many days.

"We discussed the possibility of having to deploy another team into the operational furnace from which he had just come. He stopped me mid-sentence, fixed me with his piercing blue eyes, and simply said, 'send me'.

"A bright light has gone out amongst our ranks. He will be missed, but never forgotten."

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