The father of an 18-year-old Briton who died on the frontline in Ukraine has described how attending his son’s funeral “was the most difficult thing I have ever done”.
James Wilton, from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, had just finished college when he decided he wanted to go to Ukraine as a volunteer fighter to help fend off Russia’s land, air and sea invasion of its smaller neighbour.
He was killed by a drone in July as he crossed open ground while carrying a heavy pack on his back. His friend, an American volunteer named Jason, tried to save him but was unable to.
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James’s father, Graham Wilton, said his son had “only just turned 18” when he decided he wanted to go to Ukraine, where the war with Russia has been raging on for almost three years.
As he paid tribute to the “polite, likeable young man”, Mr Wilton said the teenager was resolved to go despite his mother and sisters being “dead set against him going”.
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‘Some of the best days of his life’
Mr Wilton said his son “made it clear” that joining the fight in Ukraine was what he wanted, so he “did everything I possibly could to make sure he knew exactly what was involved and that he could be fully prepared for what may lay ahead”.
Mr Wilton said James, who “never really had a bad word to say about anyone or anything”, spent three months in Ukraine where he received combat training, and he described them as “some of the best days of his life”.
He said: “Unfortunately it was not to be and I guess you can never fully prepare for what happens on the battlefield.
“I thank Jason for his bravery in trying to save James in a bad moment and for getting him off the battlefield, even if it was in vain.”
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Jason told The Sun newspaper how they were crossing open ground, 20m apart, when James froze after seeing a Russian drone above them.
While they tried to run for cover, weighed down with backpacks, two more drones appeared and James was fatally wounded by one of them.
When Jason then went back to help the teenager, one of the drones hovered above him and he thought he was about to die as well, but it flew off without attacking him.
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Jason was subsequently badly injured by a mine.
Speaking of his son’s funeral in Ukraine, Mr Wilton said: “This was the most difficult thing I have ever done.
“I spent two weeks in Kyiv and [with] James’ comrades and friends and it was a very emotional trip.
“I made some friends for life in James’ fellow soldiers and wish them all well.”
