| Location | Exeter |
| Age | 28 years |
| Date of Birth | 4/1978 |
| Date of Death | 7/2006 |
| Visitors | 1,768 since 05/02/2007 |
| Creator |
my brave brother, killed in Iraq in july 2006 commanding an inner cordon of a major strike operation
to apprehend key terrorists who had killed many Iraqi civilians and both British and American
soldiers. A beautiful young man taken away far too soon. he had a huge heart and would do anything
for anyone. loved and deeply missed by all.
My brother was born in Belfast on the 12th April 1978. He is 3 years older than me. We moved from
Belfast to a little village called Ballykelly when he was 7 and i was 4 and thats when my memories
begin. Even as a very young girl i can remember my brother Johnston being my best friend. We would
spend the whole time playing, running rings around our mum, climbing trees, jumping of roofs,
playing football and war with all the other kids on the estate. He always looked after me (we would
fight all the time ourselves but if anyone else was to fight with any of us then they had both of us
to face). Johnston had taught me how to swim, first spending hours trying to show me the technique
then after running out of patients throwing me into the deep end of a pool and hoping all those
hours would pay off. He even arranged my first ever kiss for me with one of his friends. He truly
was my best friend! We went to the same primary and secondary schools and i can honestly we
weren't embarrassed by each other as many brothers and sisters are at the age of 11 and 14. it
was at that age that we moved to England. Again we went to the same school for a while until we
moved house and as he was doing his GCSE s he stayed at the school he was at. it was then that my
brother started losing his hair. he was diagnosed with aelopisha at 16 and although he found it
incredibly hard he had this amazing ability to turn things around and soon it wasn't a
problem(he was still bald but took it in his stride.) once he had left school he tried many jobs but
non of them mattered to him, thats when he decided to join the army ( at the age of 19). my dad had
died when we were both very young so my brother was the man of the house and having him leave for
the army was heartbreaking, my mum spent weeks on end crying and i joined the army cadets so we
could still have the same intrests. he loved the army ( especially his friends, he would do anything
for them and that is reflected in the way he died, he kept his men safe and sacrificed his own life)
he specialized in survillience and really thrived. he was going to be promoted again when he got
back. anyway life had moved on and i had become a single mum at the age of 18 and he was so
protective of me and my daughter, they adored each other. at the age of 6 my little girl would wait
up every weekend waiting for him to come home (my brother lived with us). she just loved him so
much. by the time my brother left for iraq i had fallen in love with a great man and was arranging
to buy a house and get married. i had finally found someone that my brother approved of. he was so
looking forward to walking me down that isle. the day my bother left for iraq i cried for hours. i
had just dropped my brother of to go to war, only days after his 28th birthday, i can still remember
holding him and telling him i loved him. he phoned every few day when he was out there, i think he
was home sick and missing everyone. the last time i spoke to him was 15th july, 9 hours before he
died. it was our younger brothers 20th birthday. that night i went to bed happy, the next morning i
was told that the guy i had spent all my life with was dead. i couldnt believe it even when we got
him home, he looked so young. mt future husband and i had just put in an offer on a house with an
extra bedroom for him. the sale went through the day after his funeral. we have his bedroon with his
stuff in it but its so empty cause it doesnt have him.
my brother now cant walk me down the isle. he would have been so proud.
I am now very, very proud of him, my big brother! i miss him so much!!!!
so to him i would like to say " i love you bro, you made me the person i am and as long as i
live you will never have died. i am so proud of you, your truly the best. sweet dreams my precious,
until we meet again, i love you! to me it will always be Johnston and Violet!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The one and only
hi Darling what are we going to do son life is just so hard the pain of losing you is just to much the only thing we have is the love we all share as a family otherwise none of us would go on we would be with you thats for sure nothing helps only when we look at the kids there all that keep us going love and miss you stay close son xxxxxxxxx
I LOVE YOU BROTHER XXX
There is discipline in a soldier
you can see it when he walks.
There is honor in a soldier
you can hear it when he talks.
There is courage in a soldier
you can see it in his eyes.
There is loyalty in a soldier
that will not compromise.
There is something in a soldier
that makes him stand apart.
There is strength in a soldier
that beats from his heart.
A soldier isn't a title any man
can be hired to do.
A soldier is the soul of that man
buried deep inside of you.
A soldiers job isn't finished after
a 8 hour shift or 40 hour week.
A soldier is always a soldier
even when he sleeps.
A soldier serves his country first
and his life is left behind.
A soldier has to sacrifice
what comes first in a civilians mind.
If you are a civilian
i am saying this to you...
Next time you see a soldier
remember what they do.
A soldier is the reason our land
is Home Of The Free.
A soldier is the one protecting
you and me.
If you are a soldier-
im saying this to you...
Thank God for every soldier
Thank God for what you do.
God bless x
I love you and miss you so much Johnston.
You Faithful Little Sister
Violet
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
1 year on
Johnst its been a year today and my heart feels like its breaking over again. i miss you so much i cant even begin to put it into words. i never thought i would have got here - its been to hard but rest assured brother i will keep going so one day i know you will be proud of me. i remember this exact min last year - just praying that you hadn't gone - somehow that you had only been injured and then the news was broke to me - i was devastated but wouldn't believe it. i had only spoken to you hours earlier and you were fine, how could this have happened - what did they do to you, the questions just kept coming faster and faster!
Johnston i wanted you to know that every day i have lived with you keeping me going, please continue to give me your strenght and courage to face each day as it comes.
I LOVE YOU JOHNSTON, I ALWAYS HAVE AND I ALWAYS WILL, I WILL NEVER EVER FORGET AND I WILL CHERISH EVERY THOUGHT AND MEMORY I HAVE OF YOU EVERY DAY TILL WE ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER AGAIN. SLEEP PEACEFULLY BROTHER XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
the jump
hi love im sure you are all aware they couldnt do the jump tonis doing it now (mad cow) just make sure bill holds her hand as she s abit scared bless her im sure he will, you will be holding violets and geordie angelas , i dont want any broken bones just make sure they have a soft landing, i dont mind if you have to give them a push just not too hard , anyway i will be there watching ,say hello to everyone for me and tell them i love and miss them all xxx
To all of us who love & miss Johnston so much
Always remember my love is right there
in the beat of your heart, on the wing of your prayer. Forget me not for i am there,
in the beat of your heart,
on the wing of a prayer
Forgive me for parting and leaving you thus,
A joyous reunion is waiting for us
Continue to strive toward your goal and be brave,
know that my love didn't stop at the grave
My spirit is with you through good times and bad
i share all the joys and the sorrows you've had
Feel my presence within your next breath
and realise that there is no distance in death
Ask for my help and i'll answer your call
reach for my help when you stumble and fall
Run the last mile with a smile on your face
my arms will be waiting when you finish the race
it doesnt get any easier bro
The moment that you died
my heart was torn in two,
one side filled with heartache,
the other died with you.
I often lie awake at night,
when the world is fast asleep,
and take a walk down memory lane,
with tears upon my cheeks.
Remembering you is easy,
I do it everyday,
but missing you is heartache,
that never goes away.
I hold you tightly within my heart
and there you will remain.
loving you as much as always
til the day we meet again
JOHN YOUR ONE OF OUR TRUE BRAVE HERO'S IM SURE THAT YOU AND PAUL ARE HAVING A MERRY TIME UP THERE WITH ALL OF THE OTHER HERO'S . HOPE YOU ARE ALL BEHAVING AND NO SILLY PRANKS THAT SOLDIERS ARE WELL KNOW FOR.GOD BLESS YOU SEND YOUR FAMILY LOTS OF ANGEL LOVE .R.I.P. XXXXX
We thought of you with love today
But that is nothing new,
We thought about you yesterday
And the days before that too,
We think of you in silence
We often speak your name,
Now all we have are memories
And your picture in a frame,
Your memory is our keepsake
With which we'll never part,
God has you in his keeping
We have you in our heart...
♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥
Thinking of you
To all of the Cosby Family
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We have also lost our dear son recently in Afghanistan and cannot begin to tell the pain inside except we know what you are going through. They maybe gone but will NEVER be forgotten. God Bless you all. xxxxx
Lizzie, Phil and Jamie Reddy (Parents and Brother of Royal Marine Ben Reddy killed in action 6th March 2007)
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