The former British soldier who traveled to the Ukraine to help fight Russia is killed in a car crash while there, with the family facing a £10,000 bill to repatriate his body.
- Julian Thorn died in an accident in the Ukraine and his fiancée is trying to repatriate the body
A former British soldier who traveled to Ukraine to help fight the Russia he died in a car accident while in the war-torn country.
Julian Thorn, 36, from Hexham, Northumberland, was killed in the collision in Ukraine and his heartbroken fiancee now faces a £10,000 bill to repatriate his body to the UK.
Thorn’s partner, Louise Lathbury, said his death “left a hole in my heart that can never be filled” as they launched a fundraising campaign to recover his body.
The British sniper, known to friends and family as Jay, traveled to Ukraine in February last year to help train Ukrainian forces in the middle of Vladimir. putinthe invasion of
“He believed in doing the right thing, so much so that he went to the Ukraine to support them, knowing that his skill as a British Army veteran would be of some use,” Louise told the outlet. Echo of the North.
Julian Thorn, 36, (pictured in Ukraine) from Hexham, Northumberland, was killed in the collision in Ukraine and his heartbroken fiancee now faces a £10,000 bill to repatriate his body to the UK.
The British sniper, known to friends and family as Jay, traveled to Ukraine in February last year to help train Ukrainian forces amid Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
But Louise was told on May 21 that her fiancé, who was working as a bar owner after leaving the British Army, had been killed in a car accident. She had been designing her wedding rings at a local workshop for her upcoming wedding that same day.
Louise has now established a GoFundMe while she and Thorn’s family have to raise £10,000 to bring the ex-soldier’s body home. Her insurance does not cover the costs of repatriation efforts due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“While we all come to terms with this unthinkable loss, I am faced with the daunting task of repatriating Jay home. The cost of this is incredibly high and I am seeking his support at this difficult time,” Louise said.
“I hope to raise enough funds to bring Jay home to the place she loves so much. I know Jay touched so many people’s lives and I am incredibly grateful for any support you can offer during this difficult time,” she added.
Thorn’s partner, Louise Lathbury, said his death “left a void in my heart that can never be filled” as they launched a fundraising campaign to recover his body. In the photo: Julian Thorn
Louise has now set up a GoFundMe page as she and Thorn’s family have to raise £10,000 to bring the ex-soldier’s body home.
Thorn, who previously ran a pub in the town of Allendale, spent eight years in the army before traveling to the Ukraine to help troops there in February last year.
Luisa told the ChronicleLive: ‘He was hard on the outside and soft on the inside. He had that tough exterior and he was tough, but he was a big softie on the inside. I just wanted to do something good.
‘I had been going back and forth [to Ukraine] since the war started,” said Louise. ‘He was doing a bit of everything over there. He was training a lot of soldiers, because he is ex-military and he was supporting different units.
‘He felt that he had abilities that could be used there. It was something she felt she had to do.
Louise and Thorn, who met in a Reading pub, said they had kept in touch while he was in Ukraine via a secure messaging app.
“We text each other every day and call as often as we can,” she said. I worried about him all the time.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are providing support to the family of a British man following his death in Ukraine, and we are in contact with local authorities.”