Sutton-in-Ashfield Notts, England, UK
British Army
Lance Corporal, 4th Battalion, The Rifles
6/7/2009, Birmingham, England
Taran was born in Kings Mill Hospital Sutton-in-Ashfield Notts on Friday June 19-1987, weighing in at 6lb 13ozs. He showed from a very early age he would get on well in life, he was walking at 9 months old and never stopped bless him.
Tay showed a great ability in many sports especially football.
Taran went to Intake nusery at the tender age of 4, before going across the playground to the Infant School, aged 5. He then went on to Cumberlands middle School aged 9, Tay then went to Queen Elizabeths School aged 13. He represented QE at district level playing football. He played football for Cumberlands and QE, both as Captain.
Tay had trials with Norwich City aged 8 while playing for Mansfield Minors, he then went to Nottingham Forest aged 12 for 1 season before moving to Mansfield Town aged 13 where he played for 3 seasons before deciding it wasn’t for him. Before joining Mansfield he played for Drezden Colts, rejoining after leaving Mansfield Town.
Tay left school aged 15, he had numerous jobs, never claiming a penny from the state. He was let down for an electrician apprenticeship after completing a course. He then came home one day with the famous Tay smile, and said I’m joining the army, he went to do his fitness etc and passed everything with flying colours. He joined the then Royal Green Jackets ( He loved the cap badge) he was in 2RGJ and was to be based at Bulford Wilts, after passing out at Catterick. In 2006 the Green Jackets were to become part of an amalgamation of regiments that became 4 Rifles. Tay settled in well and made many friends, he served as part of the Op telic 10 battle group in Basra Iraq in May 2007. Tay proved himself to be an excellent soldier throughout the tour. Sadly the regiment were to lose 5 great men on that tour as well as 2 others within hours of returning home, some very good mates of Tay’s and the Battalion as a whole.
Tay came home on R&R before going to Afghanistan, week of 22nd May 2009. He complained of having a pain in his shoulder which he put down to all his pre-deployment training. On Thursday 28th May, he had a sneezing fit, and the pain moved to his stomach but he was fine. On Friday 29th May, we took him to Chesterfield Train Station, he seemed okay. We told him if he was still in pain to go to the medical centre before flying, but he said he would be fine.
He flew out on the 2nd June 2009. After arriving in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, he was allocated a bed space when one of his comrades said he looked ill and should go and be checked out, which he did and they thought he had a cold at first.
On Thursday 4th June 2009, at about 4.30pm, Mum had a phone call from Tay to say he was going to Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham. In the car travelling there, we had another call to say that he was now “V.S.I” (very seriously ill). When we arrived at Selly Oak Hospital, they told us that he had some sort of cancer; they had done a CT scan and found that his Lymph nodes in his neck and other places were up.
On Sunday 7th June 2009, the doctors came in around 8.30-9am and deliberated for a while before coming to see us. They told us that they could keep Tay going for another 24 hours, but they didn’t believe he would survive. So we all had a discussion, all 17 of us, and decided to let Tay go with dignity. They turned the machines off at 10.35am and Tay fought for an hour and four minutes before finally taking his last breath, 12 days before his 22nd birthday.
He was known both at home and in battalion for his wind ups and pranks, but had a smile that would get him out of almost anything. He is sadly missed xx