Scots bodyguard finally laid to rest after Iraq ordeal

Hundreds of mourners yesterday finally paid their last respects to a Scots security guard who was kidnapped and killed while working in Iraq almost five years ago.

More than 400 friends, family and former colleagues from 2 Paras joined Alan McMenemy’s widow, Roseleen, and the couple’s children Erin and Luke.

His bare coffin sat at the front of Bearsden Cross Parish Church in Bearsden, near Glasgow, as the Reverend John Harris led the service for a man for whom “fear was not in his vocabulary”.

The memorial service card thanked those who attended the same church where a memorial service was held last August.

It said: “Alan was many things to many people, husband, father, son, brother, and friend.

“He lived a full and exciting life and made many friends of everyone he met along the way, he was fearless, fun and generous to a fault.

“He was a proud and loving father to Erin and Luke, an exceptional dad, husband and friend.

“Alan lived life to its absolute fullest, he jumped out of planes, drove fast cars and even faster motorbikes, fear was not in his vocabulary.

“He was full of energy and laughter and always had a great story to tell.

“Sadly Alan was taken from us all far too early, but it is not with sadness that we should remember him but with the laughter and love that he was so full of in life.”

Mr Harris praised Mrs McMenemy for her strength throughout the ordeal.

Mr McMenemy, from Glasgow, was 34 when he was snatched by gunmen along with three other guards and an IT expert they were protecting in 2007. The five men were kidnapped by militants posing as police at the Iraqi finance ministry.

Their captors wanted to use them as part of a hostage exchange. When this was refused the bodyguards were all killed.

Rev Harris said: “Roseleen has had tremendous courage right through this whole ordeal and kept faith with him.”