Ex-British soldier volunteering in Ukraine killed in car crash
A former British soldier, who had been helping people on the Ukraine-Poland border, has been killed in a car crash in Ukraine.
Julian Thorn, also known as Jay, who served in the Fusiliers and did tours of Afghanistan, had travelled to Ukraine as it was "something he felt strongly about and wanted to share the skills he had", his fiancee Louise Lathbury said.
The 36-year-old had carried out humanitarian work helping refugees on the Ukraine-Poland border as well as training locals on military equipment sent over from the UK.
Ms Lathbury said he died "instantly" in the crash, which was confirmed by a colleague in Ukraine and the Foreign Office.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by Ms Lathbury to raise money to bring Mr Thorn's body back from Ukraine – she hopes to raise £15,000.
Ms Lathbury added that Mr Thorn's mother and grandfather were also desperate to bring him back to the UK, saying it would mean "everything to bring him back whole".
'I just want him to come back'
Speaking about what it would mean to bring him home to Northumberland, Ms Lathbury said: "It would mean everything because we need to bring him back whole.
"He needs to come back and he needs to be him and so then we can do what's right for him when we get him home.
"I want him to have a nice send-off and be where he loved – he loved Hadrian's Wall and he loved Northumberland and I just want him to come back and be in the place he loved so much."
Ms Lathbury was told of the death on 21 May, the day she made his wedding ring.
She said: "To be honest I didn't believe it was real and I did ask, 'Are you sure it’s him? Are you sure it's him?'
"But the other thing is we were talking about the wedding and everything and I'd made his wedding ring on that Sunday – and then you think, did I tempt fate by making it?
"You do, you think silly things like that when it happens.
"I was devastated – it was a surprise and I was going to give it to him when he got back."
Ms Lathbury, who had been with Mr Thorn for four years, said his death had "left a void in my heart that can never be filled".
She has said any money left over from the GoFundMe campaign would be donated to another family trying to bring back a loved one's body and to an animal charity.
Ms Lathbury added: "The thing with Jay is, I don't think it was just the Ukraine situation – if he could help he wanted to help, no matter what it was.
"He loved animals – we've got rescue animals all over the place because he just wanted to help," she said.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We are providing support to the family of a British man following his death in Ukraine, and are in touch with the local authorities."
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