Heart-broken mum fulfills dream of honouring her soldier son at Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance

MORE than a decade on from the tragic death of her soldier son Private Daniel Wade, heart-broken Warrington mum Lisa Billing, fulfilled her dream of attending the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Despite applying on numerous occasions Lisa, whose son Daniel was killed in action in Afghanistan in March 2012, aged just 20, had failed to obtain tickets, which had left her upset and frustrated. On hearing her plight Warrington-Worldwide contacted the Royal British Legion, resulting in Lisa and her sister Kerry Wilcock being able to make the trip.

Lisa said: “After 10 years and this is my 11th year of Remembrances, it was an absolute Honour and privilege that I was invited to take part in the Festival of Remembrance.
“I had mixed emotions yet I am the proudest Mum in the world.
“I took my sister Kerry Wilcock with me, she has been there through everything standing at my side from the day I got the dreaded knock on the door.
Lisa added: It was a very sad occasion yet one with immense pride too.

“Losing my Son is a Remembrance every day for me. The whole of the Roal Albert Hall stood including King Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales whilst we all nervously, yet proudly walked representing our sons and daughters.
“We were lucky enough to meet Huw Edwards and Shona McGarty (Whitney from EastEnders) I was also given the privilege to meet Andrea Bocelli’s son who sang with his father.
“It was amazing, Huw thanked us all for attending as none of our children should ever be forgotten – it was an honour to be present.

Kerry added: “Today was one of the most hardest, humbling and privileged things I have been able to do. Attending the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance in memory of our wonderful Dan. I can’t even begin to put it into words the emotions we have been through over the last 48 hours. We met some wonderful families who were all there for the same reason who immediately became friends.”
Daniel, a former Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School pupil, was one of six British soldiers killed by a massive Taliban bomb in Afghanistan in March 2012.
Private Wade and the five other soldiers had been on a security patrol in a Warrior armoured fighting vehicle when it was caught in an explosion in the Kandahar province.