A British dad has officially been declared as Missing In Action because his body has yet to be recovered from the battlefield but his wife believes he has been killed in Ukraine
The wife of a British father who volunteered to fight in Ukraine despite lacking military experience has been informed that he was killed by a Russian drone on his first mission.
Alan Robert Williams, 35, from Wirral, Merseyside, is officially listed as Missing In Action as his body has not yet been recovered. His wife, Stephanie, 40, has spoken out about her anguish and how she begged Alan, with whom she shares a 12-year-old daughter, not to travel to Ukraine.
Stephanie has also disclosed the tragic reasons behind Alan’s decision to enter the conflict zone after he lost his job as a site manager at a school earlier this year.
According to what she has learned from members of Alan’s unit, he was fatally struck in the Kharkiv region on July 14 while attempting to rescue some foreign officers. They were caught off guard by four drones, which dropped a mortar just eight metres from their position.
Alan, who was facing away from the blast, was unresponsive instantly. His comrades were then forced to retreat under the pressure of the ongoing Russian offensive.
In her first public statement, she told the Liverpool Echo: “He only signed his contract with the unit on the 10th of June. He had only been there a month. He had no frontline military experience at all.
“Even though I can’t dispute the accounts I’ve been given from numerous people I have spoken to out there, it still doesn’t feel real.
“I have been sending him messages on his phone giving him updates as to what has been going on. Even though he has not picked up his phone and all the lads I have spoken to are not going to tell me he is gone if he is not because they are all going through their own pain as well.”
Alan and Stephanie first crossed paths 14 years ago at a local Wirral pub before tying the knot in 2017.
However, Alan had battled mental health issues for years, and earlier this year attempted to end his own life. Following his hospital discharge, he volunteered to join the fight in Ukraine, despite desperate pleas from his family not to go.
Explaining the possible reasoning behind his decision, Stephanie revealed: “We all believed initially he applied because of his mental health, a case of, ‘If I can’t die at my own hands, I will die at the hands of another man.’ That was our initial feeling.
“But since he has gone and I have been able to access his device, he was telling his friends that it was because he couldn’t sit by and watch what was happening to the civilians, especially the children.
“When it came to children he had a massive heart. It gave him purpose. That is what a few of the lads out there said, he finally felt that he wasn’t failing people. That was his biggest issue you see – he always felt like he was failing people.”
Alan departed for Ukraine on May 7 where he completed his training, and appeared in much brighter spirits during his initial conversations with Stephanie, who had “feared the worst” from the outset. Stephanie’s mental health took a turn for the worse even as Alan’s improved, leading her to feel as though they had swapped places.
The last conversation she had with Alan was on July 2, when he mentioned embarking on his first mission, and Stephanie sensed a worrying shift in his demeanour.
“I could tell by the way he was talking to me it was a dangerous mission,” she disclosed. “I noticed the difference in his tone and behaviour and it heightened my senses and I would literally wake up at five in the morning, check my phone, I would check it every hour, checking if he was online.
“I was constantly checking to see if there was any sign of life.”
The tension stretched out over two excruciating weeks until a Ukrainian sergeant reached out to Stephanie on July 15, delivering news in a brief three-minute call.
“She told me in three minutes they had lost contact with him and all the evidence showed he was killed in action,” Stephanie said.
Then, on July 30, a man who had been with Alan from his arrival in Ukraine through to the mission rang her up.
He confirmed unequivocally that Alan had fallen on the battlefield, and despite their best efforts to save him, the ambush made it too perilous.
Caught in a state of limbo since then, Stephanie said she won’t be able to mourn properly until Alan is officially declared Killed In Action.
For Stephanie to proceed, her husband’s body must be recovered for DNA testing, or after six months, she can petition Ukrainian courts to have him officially declared deceased.
The process must take place in Ukraine, with all documents in Ukrainian, complicating matters, particularly financially.
Stephanie, who works as a civil servant by day and call handler by night, shared: “We have lost Alan’s wage completely which was half of our bills. I can’t claim anything with regards to being a widow until he is officially declared.
“I am not entitled to anything. I earn too much to claim any single person benefit and I have two adult children who count towards people in my house so I can’t claim anything at all.
“At the moment I have a tiny buffer but once that finishes I will not be able to afford bills or rent or anything like that.”
Lynne, Stephanie’s mother, has set up a GoFundMe to support her daughter, stating on the fundraiser: “We want to help take some of the stress away by raising money towards rent, bills, food and also any possible legal expenses she may have due to him being overseas. Any donation big or small is greatly appreciated at this difficult time.”
A representative from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated: “We are supporting the family of a British man who is missing in Ukraine and are in contact with the local authorities.”
To make a GoFundMe donation to Stephanie and her loved ones, you can do so here
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email [email protected], visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.