Parents’ pride as training room opens in tribute to Aaron (From The Northern Echo)
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Parents’ pride as training room opens in tribute to Aaron
8:04am Tuesday 13th November 2007 in News
OPENING CEREMONY: Aaron's parents, Karen and Peter Lincoln, with Regimental Sergeant Major Andrew Pemberton
PRIDE and loss were etched into the faces of Peter and Karen Lincoln, as a training facility was dedicated to their son Aaron, who was killed in Iraq.
Aaron was only 18 when he was shot during a gun battle in Basra, on April 2, while he was serving with 2nd Battalion The Rifles.
Yesterday, Regimental Sergeant Major Andrew Pemberton officially opened the Rifleman Aaron Lincoln Room, at the Pelaw View Centre, in Sherburn Road Estate, Durham.
Wearing two necklaces, bearing pictures of Aaron aged 16 and 18, mother Karen, 43, said: "This means a lot to us. We're so proud of him.
"It's been very hard for us. But it's so nice what they've done for him on the estate. He was a very popular lad.
"Everyone's come together for him. I've been overwhelmed by the support."
RSM Pemberton, who was with Aaron on the day he died, said: "He was a Newcastle supporter, and with me being a Sunderland supporter we had our banter and fun.
"Whenever I saw him walking around, I'd always make a beeline for him, to have a little dig at how Newcastle were performing.
"He was very popular in the battalion and he was proud to serve Crown and country.
"It was a horrible day when he was killed.
"It's an honour that the public in the North-East have recognised Aaron's work and sacrifice.
To see the people here today makes me very proud."
The Aaron Lincoln Room was repainted and equipped for the Sherburn Road Community Action Partnership by young people working with the Prince's Trust.
Partnership secretary Susan Thompson said: "Many events have been set up in Aaron's memory.
The last thing we did was to get a strong wooden memorial seat erected in the cemetery.
"However, we decided in June we could not let Remembrance Day go by this year without a tribute to Aaron," she added.
During the opening ceremony, RSM Pemberton accepted a cheque for £600, raised by a musical staged by Aaron's friends, on behalf of the Lost Soldiers Fund.
Mrs Thompson appealed for donations of computers, furniture or other equipment for the room.
For more information, contact Tom Casling on 0191-384-9561.
