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| 'My son was 18 and went to Ukraine as cannon fodder' | 'My son was 18 and went to Ukraine as cannon fodder' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Volunteers from the International Legion who served with James Wilton in Ukraine | Volunteers from the International Legion who served with James Wilton in Ukraine |
| Being dropped off at the airport often marks the start of an exciting adventure for many 18-year-olds. | Being dropped off at the airport often marks the start of an exciting adventure for many 18-year-olds. |
| For James Wilton, who had volunteered to fight for Ukraine just months after finishing college, it would ultimately lead to his death. | For James Wilton, who had volunteered to fight for Ukraine just months after finishing college, it would ultimately lead to his death. |
| In July, the teenager from Huddersfield was killed in a drone attack in the village of Terny on the eastern front. | In July, the teenager from Huddersfield was killed in a drone attack in the village of Terny on the eastern front. |
| "He had his whole life in front of him," says James' father, Graham. | "He had his whole life in front of him," says James' father, Graham. |
| "I would swap places with him tomorrow just so he could be sat at home having a pint and watching the darts. | "I would swap places with him tomorrow just so he could be sat at home having a pint and watching the darts. |
| "I'm 52, I have lived my life. He was 18, who knows what he could have done? He didn't have a life, that's the worst part of it." | "I'm 52, I have lived my life. He was 18, who knows what he could have done? He didn't have a life, that's the worst part of it." |
| Graham Wilton's 18-year-old son James was killed while fighting in Ukraine | Graham Wilton's 18-year-old son James was killed while fighting in Ukraine |
| According to Graham, James had wanted to join the British Army when he left Royds Hall High School aged 16. Instead he chose to enrol on a course in animal land care at Kirklees College. | According to Graham, James had wanted to join the British Army when he left Royds Hall High School aged 16. Instead he chose to enrol on a course in animal land care at Kirklees College. |
| Aged 17 and nearing the end of his education, Graham says James began to discuss wanting to go to Ukraine to help with the war effort. | Aged 17 and nearing the end of his education, Graham says James began to discuss wanting to go to Ukraine to help with the war effort. |
| Neither Graham, James' mother, or his older sisters Sarah, 21, or Sophie, 22, had wanted the youngest member of the family to go, but they were unable to convince him to change his mind. | Neither Graham, James' mother, or his older sisters Sarah, 21, or Sophie, 22, had wanted the youngest member of the family to go, but they were unable to convince him to change his mind. |
| "I sat down with him and had various conversations about why he wanted to do it, what I thought about it, and in the end he decided it was something he wanted to do," says Graham, who lived with his only son. | "I sat down with him and had various conversations about why he wanted to do it, what I thought about it, and in the end he decided it was something he wanted to do," says Graham, who lived with his only son. |
| "I suppose he thought it was a bit of an adventure and he was going out there to help and hopefully make a difference." | "I suppose he thought it was a bit of an adventure and he was going out there to help and hopefully make a difference." |
| Graham says he reluctantly supported James, adding: "If I hadn't have done it I would have woken up one morning and he would have gone. | Graham says he reluctantly supported James, adding: "If I hadn't have done it I would have woken up one morning and he would have gone. |
| "Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Could I have changed his mind? No." | "Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Could I have changed his mind? No." |
| James Wilton travelled to Ukraine to fight Russian forces after leaving college | James Wilton travelled to Ukraine to fight Russian forces after leaving college |
| Graham dropped James off at Manchester Airport on 28 April. From there he caught a flight to Krakow then boarded a bus to Ternopil, where he joined up with the International Legion and underwent a basic training programme lasting about four weeks. | Graham dropped James off at Manchester Airport on 28 April. From there he caught a flight to Krakow then boarded a bus to Ternopil, where he joined up with the International Legion and underwent a basic training programme lasting about four weeks. |
| Graham says his son and his comrades, who hailed from all over the world and had varying degrees of military experience, were "totally ill-equipped" and used as "cannon fodder". | Graham says his son and his comrades, who hailed from all over the world and had varying degrees of military experience, were "totally ill-equipped" and used as "cannon fodder". |
| Still, he was unaware of James having any regrets about his decision during their regular telephone conversations, which Graham says were borne out of his son's desire to hold on to some "normality". | Still, he was unaware of James having any regrets about his decision during their regular telephone conversations, which Graham says were borne out of his son's desire to hold on to some "normality". |
| "He met some wonderful people and he would have had a lot of lifelong friends should he have survived." | "He met some wonderful people and he would have had a lot of lifelong friends should he have survived." |
| Graham says his son was on his first mission when he was killed running between two trenches in a field with no cover. | Graham says his son was on his first mission when he was killed running between two trenches in a field with no cover. |
| They had spoken just the previous night. | They had spoken just the previous night. |
| "He seemed OK. He did say at some point 'I don't think I'm going to be here as long as what I might be. It's a little bit different to what I thought'. | "He seemed OK. He did say at some point 'I don't think I'm going to be here as long as what I might be. It's a little bit different to what I thought'. |
| "I said: 'It's up to you. If anything goes wrong or pear-shaped I'll come and get you'. That was always an option if he decided he didn't want to be there." | "I said: 'It's up to you. If anything goes wrong or pear-shaped I'll come and get you'. That was always an option if he decided he didn't want to be there." |
| According to the International Legion website, volunteers, who are paid for their service, can terminate their contract after six months. | According to the International Legion website, volunteers, who are paid for their service, can terminate their contract after six months. |
| "The mission he went on, he didn't have to go. But because his best mate at the time was going he decided 'well I'm going as well'. | "The mission he went on, he didn't have to go. But because his best mate at the time was going he decided 'well I'm going as well'. |
| "Given the circumstances I would have probably done exactly the same." | "Given the circumstances I would have probably done exactly the same." |
| Graham says his son had ambitions of joining the British Army after school | |
| Graham made the 1,800-mile trip to Ukraine for his son's funeral. | Graham made the 1,800-mile trip to Ukraine for his son's funeral. |
| Reflecting on his death, he says James died "doing something he felt strongly about". | Reflecting on his death, he says James died "doing something he felt strongly about". |
| "It's very, very sad and unfortunate that he didn't get to make as much difference as he would have liked. | "It's very, very sad and unfortunate that he didn't get to make as much difference as he would have liked. |
| "What happened to James unfortunately will probably be happening to someone else in the middle of a field in eastern Ukraine. | "What happened to James unfortunately will probably be happening to someone else in the middle of a field in eastern Ukraine. |
| "It's time people back home actually realised what it's like out there." | "It's time people back home actually realised what it's like out there." |
| Back at the home Graham and James shared in Lindley, life is "quiet". | Back at the home Graham and James shared in Lindley, life is "quiet". |
| "He grew up to be a nice young man and he would get on with anybody. | "He grew up to be a nice young man and he would get on with anybody. |
| "I'll go home tonight and he's not sat there playing Playstation, it's weird. | "I'll go home tonight and he's not sat there playing Playstation, it's weird. |
| "We were great. We would sit there and have something to eat and talk about all sorts of stuff. There wasn't anything, as far as I know, that he wouldn't tell me, which is why he was open with me when he decided what he was doing." | "We were great. We would sit there and have something to eat and talk about all sorts of stuff. There wasn't anything, as far as I know, that he wouldn't tell me, which is why he was open with me when he decided what he was doing." |
| The night before James left he had spent the night with his father "laughing and joking" and drinking beer in front of the TV. | The night before James left he had spent the night with his father "laughing and joking" and drinking beer in front of the TV. |
| Graham's grief is still raw. | Graham's grief is still raw. |
| "It's just so draining. You try not to think about it, you are sort of OK then something comes up and it sets you going again. | "It's just so draining. You try not to think about it, you are sort of OK then something comes up and it sets you going again. |
| "He was possibly a younger version of me. Maybe if I was him at a younger age I would have probably done the same thing." | "He was possibly a younger version of me. Maybe if I was him at a younger age I would have probably done the same thing." |
| Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here, external. | Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here, external. |