Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the charity dedicated to supporting bereaved military children and young people, has released new figures showing that each year approximately 2,100 children experience the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
In the lead up to Armed Forces Day, the charity has released a poignant video where bereaved military children share their personal stories of loss, pride, and how Scotty’s has helped them.
Scotty’s Little Soldiers estimates, based on new data in reliable national datasets including the 2021 Census and MoD data, that around 2,100 children each year are newly bereaved of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces. So far this year, Scotty’s has already supported over 680 bereaved military children, so the charity is now embarking on a growth phase to ensure it can continue to offer efficient and effective services to an increasing number of beneficiaries, but this expansion cannot be achieved without additional funds.
In a special video released by Scotty’s Little Soldiers, bereaved military children, who are members of the charity, honour their heroes and bravely share what it’s like growing up without their parents. They speak candidly about their pride in their parents’ service and how Scotty’s has provided crucial support.
Elizabeth and Isabelle’s Story – Elizabeth and Isabelle, who were just two and one when their dad, LNN Thomas Bovington, a Leading Naval Nurse in the Royal Navy, died from a genetic heart condition in 2016, share their ways of remembering him. Elizabeth says,
“Sometimes we’ll just sit down, Mum will tell us stories about him, or we would look over old pictures and say, ‘Oh, this is what your dad did one night’.” Isabelle adds, “Because I was just a baby when he died, it helps me keep memories of him.” Talking about support from Scotty’s Elizabeth says, “Scotty’s Little Soldiers makes us feel like we’re not the only one who has lost a parent who worked in the military.”
Tuscany’s Story – Tuscany, who was 13 when her dad, LMEM Paul Crowther, Leading Marine Engineering Mechanic in the Royal Navy, died by suicide in 2020, shares her journey:
“He was always loved by the military and he always had that kind of military family as well as us as a family.” Reflecting on her grief, she says, “Although we don’t look through the photos all the time because it can bring back a lot of emotions, just knowing that they’re there and that I can look at them whenever I want, that’s quite important to me.” She acknowledges Scotty’s role in her growth: “I don’t think I would have been able to grow as a young person if I didn’t have Scotty’s there to support me.”
Isabella, Oliver and Evie’s Story – Sgt Thomas Pike, an Aircraft Engineer in the RAF, was a father of three when he died in 2021 from Covid-19 complications. Thirteen-year-old Isabella, who was 10 when her dad died, fondly remembers:
“He was always making people laugh and he was always joking about things.” Oliver (11) smiles as he shares his own memories: “Whenever we watched a rugby match and they scored, he used to pick us up and dance around with us.” Their younger sister, Evie, just three years old when their dad died, says that if she could say one more thing to her daddy, “I’d tell him I love him and miss him.” Speaking of support from Scotty’s, Isabella says: “It’s got a lot of kids that are like me, with parents that aren’t alive anymore that were in the military. So it’s filled with other kids that I can relate to and make me feel like I’m not so alone.”
Joshua’s Story – Nineteen-year-old Joshua, whose dad, Lance Corporal Christopher Bradshaw who served in the Royal Intelligence Corps of the British Army, was killed in a car collision in 2011, talks about him with pride:
“To know my dad served our country makes me feel proud.” Reflecting on his grief, Joshua says, “My dad died when I was six years old. I felt the way I dealt with that was not like a way I would have known in any way.” He emphasises the multifaceted support from Scotty’s: “Scotty’s is not just one line of support, it’s loads of different ways of support. Scotty’s Little Soldiers has and continues to support me every day.”
Brooke’s Story – Brooke, who was only seven months old when her dad, Corporal Lee Scott from the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2009, speaks about growing up without memories of her dad:
“My mum and brother, Kai, he was five when my dad died, and they tend to talk a lot about it. My brother will be in the supermarket and be like, ‘Oh, that was dad’s favourite…’ I almost get a little bit jealous that he has those memories and I don’t.” When asked what she’d say to her dad, given the chance, she says, with tears in her eyes, “it’s so difficult because he’s missed 14 years, but just that I love him.”