By Cara Sulieman
THE mother of hero Scots soldier Tam Mason who died six weeks after being injured in Afghanistan has paid tribute to her son, saying he told her: “Don’t worry about me – I’ve got God on my side”.
Linda Buchanan described how her “wonderful son” used to tell her it would be an “honour” to die doing the job he loved.
The 27-year-old died six weeks after being injured in a blast in Kandahar despite attempts by specialist medics to save him.
“An honour”
Mourning her loss, Mrs Buchanan said: “He had been happy to go back over to Afghanistan. We would say, ‘Be careful, don’t let the Taliban get you.’
“He would laugh and say ‘Don’t worry about me. I’ve got God on my side. I’ll be home before you know it.’
“But he also said, ‘If anything does happen to me, it would be an honour to die doing a job I love.’
“Tam was a great soldier and he was so proud of being in the Black Watch.
“There was no other regiment for him.”
“Never be the same”
Both Linda and Tam’s stepfather Charlie, from Kelty in Fife, said nothing would “take away the pain in our hearts from losing our wonderful son”.
They added: “It is so hard to accept that Tam is not coming back and our lives will never be the same now that he is no longer here.
“He was the most wonderful, loving and considerate son and we are so honoured to be his parents, to know him and love him.”
His father, Thomas Mason, also spoke about his son, saying that the Army was something he had always wanted to do.
“Very proud”
He said: “I feel very proud of my son giving his life serving his country.
“He was someone who was very active and the Army life was something he always wanted to get into.”
Corporal Mason was deployed to Afghanistan in March and was injured on September 15 when an improvised explosive device went off during an operation in Kandahar.
After six weeks of treatment both in Afghanistan and the UK, he died on Sunday at Selly Oak Hospital.
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