Press Statement – Lea Holmes
“I would like to thank the hundreds of people who have written to me and my children and sent their condolences, support and good wishes. There has been so much good will and kindness towards us that it has not to date been possible to thank people individually. I would also like to thank our friends, as well as the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines and the Royal Marines Charity for their support to our family.
Matt was exceptionally proud to have served as Commandant General of the Royal Marines and his service was recognised by being awarded a DSO and CBE. Following Matt’s death, we also learned that he had been awarded the Legion of Merit by the United States of America for his exceptionally meritorious service in Afghanistan, something that Matt would have felt extremely honoured to have received.
This is another very difficult day for us. Over the last 18 months we have had to learn how to navigate the next steps of our lives without Matt. There will be discussions about the reasons for what happened, including speculation, because of the very nature of Matt’s death. At the end of his life, Matt was coming to terms with the end of this stage of his career and facing personal struggles.
However, most importantly, Matt was a kind, generous man. He had committed his life to serving in the Royal Marines and he took immense responsibility for the lives of those he served alongside very seriously: not a day would go by without him thinking of the men under his Command who were lost or injured; and of course, their families. Alongside the demands of his career, Matt was a loving father who adored his children and would have hugely admired their resilience over the last 18 months. The outcome of the Inquest does not change any of that and I would request that you respect our family’s privacy, at a time when we are all still grieving.”
Lea Holmes