Soldier’s father breaks down in tears after learning of his death

By Isanella Patoir

Laddy Peneux, a father of five, broke down in tears while talking about his son, 28-year-old Lance Corporal Tooney Peneux who was killed in the explosion at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Base Camp Stephenson at Timehri Thursday.

Two other soldiers were also killed in the explosion; they have been identified as 24949 Lance Corporal Kevon Nicholson, 23, of Levi Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam and 25340 Private Shaqueel Deheart, 20, of Paradise Village, West Coast Berbice.

The elder Peneux during a telephone interview with the News Room said that his youngest son always dreamt of joining the GDF.

“He is my baby boy…he got a rank of Lance Corporal; he say he gotta be a soldier, in the first instance he tried and he failed and after couple months, he went and he get through, he said he got to be a soldier,” a tearful Peneux recalled.

The Lance Corporal is originally from Orealla Village, Corentyne River.

Mr Peneux said he saw his son in December last year and spoke with him hours before his gruesome death.

“He sent me some change [money] last night and he called me around 9 o’ clock and ask if I got it and we [were] talking and making joke last night.”

“Let the army do everything in their power and bring my son home that is all. That is my last son. I want him to come home,” the father said.

Mr Peneux said another of his sons informed him of the explosion.

“I heard a bomb explode and my other son on the East Bank called me and tell me that something happened at Timehri, so when they went the body was already removed and he had to go and certify that it is his brother,” the father said.

A statement from the GDF revealed that the soldiers were involved in the preparation of “pyrotechnics (fireworks) for demolition” when the explosion occurred at approximately 09:00h Thursday.

Two soldiers, 17939 Sergeant Quincy Threlfall, 43, and 23867 Lance Corporal Paul Peters, 29, were also injured during the incident.

Sergeant Threlfall is currently receiving medical care at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) while Lance Corporal Peters was treated at Base Camp Stephenson.

The GDF has launched a Board of Inquiry (BoI) into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

President David Granger has also expressed his sadness at the death of three soldiers.