John's sacrifice honoured at last

THEY had been married for just 12 weeks when they were forced apart.

Corporal John Aikman, from Newtongrange, was ordered to Northern Ireland on an emergency tour with The Royal Corps of Signals, leaving his new wife at home.

A few months later and 25-year-old John was shot dead by IRA gunmen outside the courthouse in Armagh.

Almost 40 years on, Cpl Aikman's sacrifice has finally been recognised with the Elizabeth Cross - with his widow Theresa May accepting the invitation to receive his honour.

Theresa told the Evening News: "We're very proud that this honour has been awarded to him.

"Of course we have mixed feelings because it's never going to bring him back, he gave his life for his country while doing the job he loved."

In a moving presentation, Theresa, along with Cpl Aikman's sisters Frances and Linda, his nephews Scott and Calum and his niece Leanne, accepted the honour from Patrick Prenter, Lord Lieutenant from Midlothian.

Major David Harvey of Headquarters 51 (Scottish) Brigade, who co-ordinates the Elizabeth Cross presentations, described Cpl Aikman as a liked and respected soldier. He was previously laid to rest with full military honours at Newbattle Cemetery.

Theresa said: "I met John around April 1972, when I was 19 in Newtongrange miners club. He was just such a nice person. He was in the army in 1965 when he was 17, and left briefly in 1972 before returning in February 1973.

"We met in that April and were married the following May. We went to Germany for six weeks, and soon after he was posted to Northern Ireland for an emergency tour. It was just 12 weeks after our wedding."

Theresa, who now lives in Bonnyrigg, said although the fact that her husband was a soldier was always a worry, she didn't expect the worst until the news came on November 6, 1973, that he had been killed.

She said: "In a way it was a worry, but when you're young you never think it will happen to you. On that day, before I was told, I felt uneasy. Part of me knew what had happened.

"We weren't together that long, so I didn't even know many of his friends, but what we had was good."We had planned to have a family."

The Elizabeth Cross memorial recognises the families of armed forces personnel who have died on operations or as a result of an act of terrorism.

Martine McNee, senior spokeswoman for the Army in Scotland, said: "It was an honour to present John's family with the cross and we hope that they are justly proud of the contribution he made to achieving peace in Northern Ireland."

Theresa said she had remained friends with his family, and they attended her second wedding in 1994, when she married Colin May.

She said: "I was really angry for a long time, because he was in the prime of his life. We will never forget him."