Family thanks Prince Harry for tribute to their 'legend' soldier

Prince leads tributes to Yorkshire soldiers killed by Taliban bombers

Harry paid tribute to Corporal Liam Riley and Lance Corporal Graham Shaw, who died in two explosions near Malgir, Helmand, on Monday.

The Prince described Cpl Riley, 21, as a "really special man" as he told how he had served with him at a military training unit in Canada in 2007.

The two soldiers, of 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, serving as part of the 1 Coldstream Guards Battle Group, died just a day after L/Cpl Shaw's 27th birthday on Sunday.

Today, Cpl Riley's family said they were grateful for the Prince's kind words.

His mother Cheryl Routledge said: "He's a legend. We've known it for 21 years. He's just backed up what we've always thought for 21 years."

Mrs Routledge said she was "really amazed" to have heard the royal tribute to her son.

The soldier's brother Jonathan, 22, choked back tears as he said: "We'd like to say thank-you to Prince Harry for his kind words."

His father Michael Riley said his son was really proud of a photograph taken of himself and the Prince in Canada.

The family added that Cpl Riley's six-year-old sister Olivia wanted to take the picture to school with her today.

Speaking at her home in Killamarsh, Sheffield, Mrs Routledge said her son had joked that Prince Harry would always remember meeting Liam Riley.

She said he never bragged about anything he did in the Army but he was always proud of meeting the young Prince, and described how he shared his birthday cake.

"Liam had told us that he'd met Harry in Canada," Mrs Routledge said.

"Liam never bigged anything up about himself in the Army but he was just 'oh yes, I've met Harry'. But he did tell us he's such a decent guy... he's just a regular guy, he said he was really nice. But that was it."

His mother said Cpl Riley always wanted to join the Army.

She said: "He always wanted to do it since he was that high.

"You asked him eight, nine, 10 years old, 'what are you going to do?', he said: 'I'm going to be a soldier.'

"That's all he ever, ever wanted to do."

She said her son was disappointed when he missed out on going to Afghanistan with his company last year because he was on a corporals course, and he jumped at the chance to go this year.

She said: "He so, so wanted to go. He got his wish. That was his wish, to go."

Mrs Routledge said he told everyone before he left: "Don't worry about me. I'm too good looking to die."

Cpl Riley's father was in tears as he said: "We're so proud. You read things in the paper and everyone can read about him. But everyone I know through football and through his life just loved him to bits."

Mr Riley said his son was football-mad and a devoted Sheffield Wednesday fan.

He said the whole family was Owls crazy and his son had a season ticket from the age of four.

Cpl Riley also loved playing football. His father said the soldier would try lots of other sports but always came back to football, playing for a range of teams while growing up in the Beighton area of Sheffield, where he lived until he was 14.

His father added: "He was just a lovely lad."

Asked about reports that his son died helping his comrades, Mr Riley said: "That is Liam. He would do anything for anybody. He would never think of any consequences that would happen to him."

The soldier's parents said Cpl Riley was a fun-living joker who was mischievous - a prankster.

Mr Riley added: "He never, ever bigged himself up. He was just a normal lad off the street - one of the boys.

"He was never something special to himself. To everyone else he was a special son."

His mother said: "He hadn't got a bad bone in his body, our Liam.

"He was so happy. He told you what he thought. He spoke his mind.

"He was honest, polite. He had the most impeccable manners. He was respectful of all his family - he loved his family."

Mrs Routledge added: "I could not think of one person in this world who would have a bad word for our Liam because he didn't have one for anyone else."

She said: "He'll never leave us - we've too many good memories."

Mrs Routledge said Cpl Riley and his brother Jonathan were born just 14 months apart and they called them twins. She said Cpl Riley was so big, people wrongly thought he was the older of the two.

Jonathan said: "I couldn't have asked for a better brother.

"It was a pleasure to watch him growing up."

Asked about when he left for Afghanistan, Mrs Routledge said: "I dreaded him going as every mother dreads their son going. It's a terrible situation. But he knew his duty. He was desperate to go."

The family said it was a great shock how sudden the tragedy had happened as Cpl Riley had only been in Afghanistan for four weeks.

His mother said he was proud of becoming a corporal so young.

She said: "He had the mentality for it. He knew that and he was so dedicated.

"We didn't realise how good he was until we spoke to his commanding officers and saw the tributes from the ranks above just how highly Liam was regarded."

The Prince, who spent 10 weeks on the front line in Afghanistan before being flown home in February 2008, said: "I remember Liam Riley so well from the time we spent serving together at the British Army Training Unit at Suffield in Canada.

"He was a legend. A really special man who got us all going and heading in the right direction. It was a privilege to have worked alongside him."

Harry added: "It is incredibly sad also to hear that Liam died alongside his friend, Lance Corporal Graham Shaw. My heart goes out to their loved ones, and to their many, many friends in their regiment and the wider Army."

Cpl Riley, described as a "star of the future", had volunteered at short notice to serve in Afghanistan and had died while trying to "extract" a member of his team, his comrades said. He had only been out in Afghanistan since December.

A statement on the Sheffield Wednesday website said the club was "distressed" to hear the lifelong fan had died.

In a statement released by the Ministry of Defence, L/Cpl Shaw's family said: "Russ and Karen Shaw and all the members of Graham's family are deeply saddened by the loss of a beloved member of the family who has been taken away from us in the prime of life.

"He was proud to be a member of the British Army like his father before him. He knew the danger that he was to face whilst serving in Afghanistan. He lost his life doing the job he liked and enjoyed.

"We are all very proud of our hero. We ask that the family be left to grieve in peace."

The incident brought the tally of British military deaths since the Afghan campaign started in 2001 to 253 - just two short of the number who died during the Falklands War in 1982.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth paid tribute to the pair, saying: "Lance Corporal Shaw was an impressive and respected soldier and was devoted to his job.

"Corporal Liam Riley stood out to his commanding officers as a highly capable soldier who made a valuable contribution to the Army. His courage to the last is an example to all of us and he will be deeply missed by his family, friends and fellow soldiers."

Lieutenant Colonel Tom Vallings, commanding officer of 3 Yorks, said: "Corporal Liam Riley volunteered at short notice to serve in Afghanistan, such was his eagerness to do his duty.

"He was a strapping soldier from Sheffield and at only 21 years old had been identified as one of our stars of the future.

"He was an inspirational leader of men and was the youngest corporal in the battalion. I have little doubt that he was heading to the top of his unique profession.

"He led by example, with boundless energy and an infectious smile that would spur his team on when life got tough. He was killed by an IED in Helmand, whilst heroically returning fire to extract one of his team. He personified all the very best qualities of a Yorkshire soldier: brave, tough, honest and proud."

Lt Col Vallings added that "his loss has hit us hard".

Lieutenant Colonel Toby Gray, Commanding Officer, 1 Coldstream Guards Battle Group, added: "In the short period Corporal Riley served with the Coldstream Battle Group, there had been only the highest of praise for this exceptionally talented and promising JNCO. He had the brightest of futures ahead of him."

Major Nick McKenzie, Officer Commanding Corunna Company, 3 Yorks, said: "Corporal Riley was one of the best soldiers I have ever met, who clearly had a bright future ahead of him."

L/Cpl Shaw was team leader of a base security foot patrol when an improvised explosive device detonated, killing him instantly, the MoD said.

Lt Col Vallings said he was "totally selfless".

Lt Col Gray said it was a "privilege to have had such a fine soldier".

He added: "He was a perfect example of the level of soldiering excellence resonating from all the attached 'Dukes'."