The Fife mother of a soldier who died in Germany has spoken of her heartbreak.
The blast left him with serious arm injuries.
Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Ed Fenton paid tribute to Pte Connolly, who had also served in Iraq and Northern Ireland.
He said, “He was a fit, proud and professional soldier blessed with an infectious enthusiasm for everything. Pte Connolly will be hugely missed by all who knew him.
“He leaves behind wife Stacy and a family whom he loved dearly. They are in all of our thoughts and prayers at this tragic time.”Tartan WeekLast year Pte Connolly took to the catwalk during New York’s Tartan Week, wearing the traditional Black Watch tartan and uniform.
The 2010 Dressed to Kilt fashion show, organised by Sir Sean Connery, was aimed at raising funds for the veterans’ charity Erskine.
Erskine chief executive Major Jim Panton said, “Personally I am devastated to hear what has happened, but I am mostly grieving for Stacy Connolly, Mark’s wife, who we got to know along with Mark at the event in New York.
“They were a lovely couple and we really enjoyed their company. They were looking forward to getting on with their lives as Mark began to overcome the injuries he had previously sustained.
“Unlike many others, Mark had a chance to take things forward and for him to die so tragically in these circumstances after surviving what he did in Afghanistan is just dreadful.”
Maj Panton praised the work Pte Connolly had done for the charity.
He said, “It is always difficult for anyone who has been injured or has been exposed to the things he was, as I believe Mark was very close to his colleague who died during the explosion in Afghanistan.
“For anyone who has been wounded to step forward and who is prepared to speak up for our organisation, we are forever in their debt.”
He added, “Mark did a brilliant job for us and he absolutely represented The Black Watch and the British Army to the highest standard.”
An army spokeswoman said, “We are aware of the incident but we are unable to comment as the matter is being investigated by the Royal Military Police.”
Having survived a Taliban attack while serving with The Black Watch in Afghanistan two years earlier, Private Mark Connolly (24) passed away in hospital early on Saturday morning after being seriously injured in an alleged brawl outside a pub in the town of Paderborn.
Linda McComiskie (47), who stays in Methil, was still in shock when she spoke to The Courier.
“It was early on Saturday morning. An army liaison officer came to the door and told us,” she said. “It has been hard for me. I couldn’t even get there in time to see him. It just went so quick. I didn’t even get to hold his hand or anything.”
The Royal Military Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Pte Connolly, who lived in Inverness with his wife Stacy (26).
Ms McComiskie said she was waiting for his body to be repatriated and not knowing how her son had died was taking its toll.
“I just wish they would hurry it up so we could find out what really happened to him,” she said. “It’s getting me down. I can’t cope with it, but they’re doing their best.”
Pte Connolly had been close to his older brother Paul (26).VisitHis mum said, “His brother Paul went to visit him just a few weeks ago, just before he went away to Germany. They were very close, Paul and Mark. They did everything together when they were younger.
“We’re quite a close family. They’re all taking it really bad. Mark was just a great lad. He got on with everybody and he loved playing his guitar. He liked a lot of things, including his Xbox.
“We’re just waiting to see. We don’t really know what happened at all.”
Pte Connolly was staying at barracks in Paderborn while he completed an army driving course.
He stayed on in the army despite cheating death in 2009, when he was caught up in an explosion that killed his colleague Pte Robert McLaren in Afghanistan’s Kandahar region.
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