British Army solider tragically killed in Kenya attack while on motorbike trip

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A British Army solider has tragically been killed in an attack in Kenya while he was off-duty. Major Kevin McCool died on November 29 after being attacked while out on a motorbike tip off base, the Ministry of Defence has said.No further details surrounding the circumstances of the incident that claimed the 32-year-old's life have been released, as reports the Mirror.

Tributes to Maj MacCool have been led by Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, who described his passing as a "tragic loss".He added: "It's clear from the tributes of those who knew him that Maj McCool was an exceptional person and an exceptional soldier, loved and respected in equal measure, who served his country with distinction."Commissioned from Sandhurst in August 2014, Maj McCool had been deployed in the Middle East, the Falklands and Africa.

A eulogy issued by the MoD read: "As well as a glittering operational record, he also aced many of the military's hardest courses.""His fitness was legendary, once beating the whole Battalion on a two miler, as was his endurance.

His enthusiasm was infectious."He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye, that made him tremendous fun to be with. Yet his professionalism and sense of purpose was paramount, and clear to all those lucky enough to serve with him."Maj McCool's commanding officer called him a "big family man" and someone "of the utmost integrity". "I will never forget my final memory of him, which was on operations; he had just come off the ground having slept a handful of hours in as many days," they added."We discussed the possibility of having to deploy another team into the operational furnace from which he had just come.