A British soldier, Major Kevin McCool, aged 32, lost his life in Kenya after an off-duty attack on November 29, as confirmed by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The circumstances surrounding McCool’s death were not detailed in the official statement released on Friday, which only mentioned that he “tragically died while off-duty.”
According to reports from British media, McCool was on a motorcycle trip away from the base when the incident occurred.
His father, Joseph, shared with Sky News that McCool had embarked on a ride up a local mountain, preparing for the conclusion of his tour of duty, just three days away.
“He decided to go out on his scrambler motorbike for one last ride up a local mountain.
He went up a road and two guys jumped out at him with a gun,” the father explained.
“It seems that he thought the gun was a dummy, he didn’t think it was real.
He made the mistaken assumption that the gun was artificial, and they shot him.”
Commissioned from Sandhurst in August 2014, McCool had been deployed in various regions, including Europe, the Middle East, the Falklands, and Africa.
The Ministry of Defence described him as a “big family man” and highlighted his impressive operational record and successful completion of challenging military courses.
“He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye, that made him tremendous fun to be with.
Yet his professionalism and sense of purpose were paramount and clear to all those lucky enough to serve with him,” read a heartfelt eulogy.
The British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) is based in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, with a smaller base in Nairobi.
BATUK comprises approximately 100 permanent staff and an additional 280 personnel on short tours, according to the British Army website.
Operating under an agreement with the Kenyan government, up to six infantry battalions per year conduct eight-week exercises in the country.
Additionally, the British army provides training to Kenyan troops to combat terrorism in the region.
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