Rifles pay tribute to Corporal Wayne Birnie: 'Not a brother in arms but a true brother'

Tributes have been paid to a member of the Rifles who has died, with messages of love, condolences and appreciation flooding in. 

Corporal Wayne Birnie's death was confirmed on Twitter by the Rifles with "great sadness", accompanied by a moving eulogy with no shortage of personal and professional testimony.

Corporal Honey, Corporal Johnston and Rifleman Facey, HQ Company, 1 Rifles, said Corporal Birnie was "the most loving, genuine, kind person we knew".

"Dear Wayne, we are not good at writing… or words… or putting anything down to string a sentence together, lots of this was written with a half-eaten crayon so please bear with us," they said.

"Sat together thinking what to write, and we all came to the agreement that a lot will need to be censored.

"Wayne would usually have something to say, he had more comebacks than Madonna.

"Keeping him under control was like trying to calm down a puppy. He will be greatly missed because the imprint he left on anyone he came across, there are many stories we could tell, but right now I think he's caused enough mischief. 

"We are lucky and grateful to call him our brother, not a brother in arms but a true brother.

"Wayne, we love you with our whole hearts and cannot think of how hollow our lives will be without your crazy ideas and mental laugh. 

"Just want to say thank you Wayne for what you have done for everyone close to you.

"Your wings were ready, but our hearts were not. We love you."

Cpl Birnie's eulogy also paid homage to his professional career, which saw him serve in Afghanistan, where he was injured by enemy fire – but his comrades remember him smiling and rolling a cigarette as he was stretchered off the battlefield.

He was also deployed to London, as part of UK defence's support for the 2012 Olympic Games, the US, Kuwait, as part of the UK's campaign to defeat the so called-Islamic State, Albania, the Falkland Islands and Cyprus.

Colour Serjeant Shawn Gamble, Company Quarter Master Serjeant B Company, 1 Rifles, said Cpl Birnie was "a straight-talking man but behind it all he had a great sense of humour and was selfless and hard-working". 

"Wayne has had a great impact on me as a friend and a work colleague. He helped me through some challenging times, and I will sorely miss him. RIP my friend."

Lieutenant Colonel Colin Oliver MBE, Commanding Officer, 1 Rifles, said Cpl Birnie was "a huge 1 Rifles personality".

"Of his impressive 16 years in the Army he spent the vast majority of his time with us in Chepstow; he was very much part of our family. 

"With the rare distinction of having served in every single Company in the Battalion, there were very few people who didn't know Cpl Birnie. 

"There were fewer still who, whilst they might not always know it, hadn't been supported by him in one way or another.

"Cpl Birnie was a friend to many in 1 Rifles. The significant portion of his life spent in Chepstow and his record of service across every company in 1 Rifles, means that this is very much a loss for the entire battalion."

He ended: "Professional, diligent and always a friendly face, Cpl Birnie will be missed by all those who knew him but leaves a legacy of which they should be proud."