Tributes paid to 'brave as they come' British volunteer, 22, killed in Ukraine
10 November 2024, 07:31
A family has paid tribute to their son who has been killed while volunteering in Ukraine, with the family saying they "begged him not to go".
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Callum Tindal-Draper, 22, was serving as part the International Legion when he was killed defending the country.
He's believed to have died while defending a command post on November 5.
A graduate of the Duchy College Military and Protective Services Academy, the school shared the sad news to Facebook.
In a heartbreaking post, they described Callum as a "passionate, articulate and bright student, who was keen to learn, with a strong moral compass."
Callum's mother, Caroline Tindal, said that Callum "fought till he could no longer hold them off any more".
In a post on Facebook, she added that: "His platoon are calling him a 'hero' and 'as brave as they come'."
“22 is a young age. But you lived and died following your heart, soul and morals.
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“May you rest in peace and help watch over those who have passed.”
Callum's family, who live in Gunnislake, Cornwall, say they tried to convince their son not to travel to Ukraine.
His father said: "We begged and begged and begged him not to go.
"But Callum said 'dad, I'm not frightened of bullies and what's going on in Ukraine is awful and someone needs to stand up for these people'."
Following his death, the academy added: “He was well liked and respected by his peers, and was not one to shy away from causes he believed in and was instrumental in collecting the three minibus loads of equipment that the learners gathered when the war in Ukraine initially kicked off.
“Callum truly believed in his sense of duty and after working for the NHS after the course, decided it was his duty to help Ukraine and joined the International Legion of Ukraine in the summer.”
“His platoon are calling him a ‘hero’ and ‘as brave as they come’. “So tomorrow and Monday, we will also be remembering this brave young man.”
The Foreign Office said: "We are aware that a British national has reportedly died in Ukraine and stand ready to assist the family in the UK."
The Foreign Office continues to urge people not to travel to Ukraine while the country is in conflict with Russia.
