ianstone
06-07-2010, 09:35 PM
I haven’t told my little girl
her hero Daddy was killed
by a punch in the street
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snf08spdpunch682_1059754a.jpg Loving dad ... Chris Chacksfield with Sofia, who doesn't yet know her hero is gone
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CHATTING away to her mummy, three-year-old Sofia Chacksfield is a smiling, happy little girl.
She hasn't seen her father Chris for a few days, but as he is a serving soldier often away in war zones she doesn't find that too unusual.
Yet little Sofia will never see her daddy again after he was killed by a stranger's single punch on a rare night out.
And although the attack was more than a week ago, Chris's widow, Adele, 32, still hasn't found the words to tell her daughter that the dad she adored is dead.
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snf08spdpunch3803_1059753a.jpg Proud dad ... Sofia with doting Chris
The heartbroken Army nurse said: "How do you tell your little girl her daddy isn't coming home? I haven't a clue how to start to tell her.
"I'm dreading it. But it's the funeral next week and I've got to do it before then. I just don't want to hurt her."
Strapping Staff Sergeant Chris, 31, had come through tours in Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia unscathed. He was hit as he waited for a taxi outside the Babylon 90's Bar in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Felled
He had decided to take Adele on a night out to celebrate after she returned home from treating Our Boys in Afghanistan just four weeks ago.
They arranged for Sofia to be looked after by her grandparents and headed out to finally spend some time together.
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snf08spdpunch3802_1059771a.jpg So difficult ... injured Adele dreads breaking the sad truth to Sofia
As well as serving their country round the globe, the Chacksfields were often apart as Chris was based in South Wales and Adele at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.
But the night was to end in tragedy when the 6ft 2in, 14st "gentle giant" was felled in a "completely unprovoked" attack. He was hit from behind by an assailant who then ran off, leaving Chris and Adele on the ground.
Chris, a popular member of the Signals Regiment, was taken to Newcastle Royal Infirmary.
After three days spent at Chris' bedside following the May 31 attack, Adele was told by medics that Chris had no hope of recovery from his severe head injuries.
And last Thursday Adele, from Derby, had to make the difficult decision to switch off her husband's life support machine.
"With us both being in the Army you are used to seeing traumatic things and being in some dangerous situations," she said. "You don't expect to be killed in an unprovoked attack in your own country.
"Chris had always been like a cat with nine lives, there's been so many times when he cheated death.
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snf08spdpunch380_1059772a.jpg Random attack ... outside Babylon bar
"He would never go in to much detail, but he had been in situations while on duty where colleagues had been shot and killed, but he always seemed to escape without as much as a scratch."
The couple met in 2003 through a mutual friend and married the following year.
Sofia was born on December 8, 2006 - the day after Chris landed back from Afghanistan.
The soldier, who was originally from Tamworth, Staffs, was with the 14th Signals and had served twice in Bosnia and once in Iraq.
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snf08spdpunch180_1059773a.jpg War duty ... Army nurse Adele in Afghanistan
Struggling to come to terms with the random nature of the assault, Adele, who suffered head and facial injuries, said: "As an Army wife you prepare for the news your man won't be coming home from Afghanistan, but you don't expect him to meet his death on what had been a happy night out.
"I don't remember much about the attack. I was just walking along the street one minute and waking up on the pavement the next.
"Chris was lying next to me. It was totally random and unprovoked. Witnesses said this lad just came running at us and hit Chris in the back of the head. There was no words spoken, no argument or disagreement.
"There was just no need for it at all. Chris was a high flier in the Signals Regiment and he had reached the rank of Staff Sergeant really quickly.
"He was going to go all the way. He lived for his Army career and was respected by everyone. He was outgoing, lovely, and a great dad."
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snnspdpunch3800_1059870a.jpg Tragic couple ... Chris and Adele
Loved ones have also paid tribute to Chris with messages on social networking site Facebook. His Mother-in-law Denise Bailey wrote: "Thinking of my precious daughter Adele and granddaughter Sofia at this extremely sad time.
"A privilege to have had Chris as my son-in-law, a great person and much-loved family member. Will never be the same without you."
And uncle Ian Heathcote added: "Feeling so sad. More like losing a son than a nephew."
Chris' former commanding officer, Murray Thompson, was also full of praise for the brave soldier. He said: "He was the hero of our squadron tour of Afghanistan in 2006 and we were proud of his actions.
"I cannot believe he is gone. He was the finest sergeant I ever worked with. He had a way with people that was difficult to describe, but soldiers were just drawn to him."
Adele's father Trevor, 54, a fireman for 32 years and now retired, said the loss was being felt across the family. "Chris was not just my son-in-law, he was my best mate," he said.
"He always seemed to survive so this is just a terrible and pointless way for a brave man to have died."
Chris' funeral will take place in Derby next week with full military honours, by which time Adele has vowed to break the terrible news to little Sofia.
She said: "The whole thing is a nightmare you can't wake up from.
"Chris was a lovely man. He was my gentle giant. He would not want me to wallow in self-pity, he would want all of us to celebrate his life." "But I just can't believe he's gone."
A 22-year-old man has been remanded in custody by Newcastle magistrates charged with grievous bodily harm with intent and wounding in connection with the incident.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3003820/Wifes-grief-after-war-veteran-Chris-Chacksfield-killed-by-punch-on-night-out.html#ixzz0qDlcMWWg
Yet another sickening attack
her hero Daddy was killed
by a punch in the street
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snf08spdpunch682_1059754a.jpg Loving dad ... Chris Chacksfield with Sofia, who doesn't yet know her hero is gone
<H2 class=small sizset="8" sizcache="4">
</H2>
CHATTING away to her mummy, three-year-old Sofia Chacksfield is a smiling, happy little girl.
She hasn't seen her father Chris for a few days, but as he is a serving soldier often away in war zones she doesn't find that too unusual.
Yet little Sofia will never see her daddy again after he was killed by a stranger's single punch on a rare night out.
And although the attack was more than a week ago, Chris's widow, Adele, 32, still hasn't found the words to tell her daughter that the dad she adored is dead.
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snf08spdpunch3803_1059753a.jpg Proud dad ... Sofia with doting Chris
The heartbroken Army nurse said: "How do you tell your little girl her daddy isn't coming home? I haven't a clue how to start to tell her.
"I'm dreading it. But it's the funeral next week and I've got to do it before then. I just don't want to hurt her."
Strapping Staff Sergeant Chris, 31, had come through tours in Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia unscathed. He was hit as he waited for a taxi outside the Babylon 90's Bar in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Felled
He had decided to take Adele on a night out to celebrate after she returned home from treating Our Boys in Afghanistan just four weeks ago.
They arranged for Sofia to be looked after by her grandparents and headed out to finally spend some time together.
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snf08spdpunch3802_1059771a.jpg So difficult ... injured Adele dreads breaking the sad truth to Sofia
As well as serving their country round the globe, the Chacksfields were often apart as Chris was based in South Wales and Adele at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.
But the night was to end in tragedy when the 6ft 2in, 14st "gentle giant" was felled in a "completely unprovoked" attack. He was hit from behind by an assailant who then ran off, leaving Chris and Adele on the ground.
Chris, a popular member of the Signals Regiment, was taken to Newcastle Royal Infirmary.
After three days spent at Chris' bedside following the May 31 attack, Adele was told by medics that Chris had no hope of recovery from his severe head injuries.
And last Thursday Adele, from Derby, had to make the difficult decision to switch off her husband's life support machine.
"With us both being in the Army you are used to seeing traumatic things and being in some dangerous situations," she said. "You don't expect to be killed in an unprovoked attack in your own country.
"Chris had always been like a cat with nine lives, there's been so many times when he cheated death.
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snf08spdpunch380_1059772a.jpg Random attack ... outside Babylon bar
"He would never go in to much detail, but he had been in situations while on duty where colleagues had been shot and killed, but he always seemed to escape without as much as a scratch."
The couple met in 2003 through a mutual friend and married the following year.
Sofia was born on December 8, 2006 - the day after Chris landed back from Afghanistan.
The soldier, who was originally from Tamworth, Staffs, was with the 14th Signals and had served twice in Bosnia and once in Iraq.
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snf08spdpunch180_1059773a.jpg War duty ... Army nurse Adele in Afghanistan
Struggling to come to terms with the random nature of the assault, Adele, who suffered head and facial injuries, said: "As an Army wife you prepare for the news your man won't be coming home from Afghanistan, but you don't expect him to meet his death on what had been a happy night out.
"I don't remember much about the attack. I was just walking along the street one minute and waking up on the pavement the next.
"Chris was lying next to me. It was totally random and unprovoked. Witnesses said this lad just came running at us and hit Chris in the back of the head. There was no words spoken, no argument or disagreement.
"There was just no need for it at all. Chris was a high flier in the Signals Regiment and he had reached the rank of Staff Sergeant really quickly.
"He was going to go all the way. He lived for his Army career and was respected by everyone. He was outgoing, lovely, and a great dad."
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01059/snnspdpunch3800_1059870a.jpg Tragic couple ... Chris and Adele
Loved ones have also paid tribute to Chris with messages on social networking site Facebook. His Mother-in-law Denise Bailey wrote: "Thinking of my precious daughter Adele and granddaughter Sofia at this extremely sad time.
"A privilege to have had Chris as my son-in-law, a great person and much-loved family member. Will never be the same without you."
And uncle Ian Heathcote added: "Feeling so sad. More like losing a son than a nephew."
Chris' former commanding officer, Murray Thompson, was also full of praise for the brave soldier. He said: "He was the hero of our squadron tour of Afghanistan in 2006 and we were proud of his actions.
"I cannot believe he is gone. He was the finest sergeant I ever worked with. He had a way with people that was difficult to describe, but soldiers were just drawn to him."
Adele's father Trevor, 54, a fireman for 32 years and now retired, said the loss was being felt across the family. "Chris was not just my son-in-law, he was my best mate," he said.
"He always seemed to survive so this is just a terrible and pointless way for a brave man to have died."
Chris' funeral will take place in Derby next week with full military honours, by which time Adele has vowed to break the terrible news to little Sofia.
She said: "The whole thing is a nightmare you can't wake up from.
"Chris was a lovely man. He was my gentle giant. He would not want me to wallow in self-pity, he would want all of us to celebrate his life." "But I just can't believe he's gone."
A 22-year-old man has been remanded in custody by Newcastle magistrates charged with grievous bodily harm with intent and wounding in connection with the incident.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3003820/Wifes-grief-after-war-veteran-Chris-Chacksfield-killed-by-punch-on-night-out.html#ixzz0qDlcMWWg
Yet another sickening attack