Mother's message in a bottle to son killed in Afghanistan found by oil spill clean-up workers

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated:

A mother's tribute to Private James Prosser, who was killed in 2009, has been found by oil-spill workers

A mother's tribute to Private James Prosser, who was killed in 2009, has been found by oil-spill workers

A message in a bottle written by the mother of a British soldier killed in Afghanistan has been found by workers cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Sarah Adams, 43, was on holiday in Barbados when she wrote the loving message  about her son Private James Prosser, 21, who was killed by a roadside bomb.

She threw it into the sea and after floating 1,300 miles it was fished out of the water by workers cleaning up the oil leak from the BP pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico.

The workers were so moved by Mrs Adams' message they wrote to her to pay their own tribute to her son.

Mrs Adams said: 'I put the message in a bottle of Sambuca - because that was James's favourite drink.

'The message was all about James, how much we loved him and how much we miss  him.

'I wanted to make everyone aware that we're responsible for the world we live in and not to forget the soldiers who have given up their lives.

'It was an open letter to anyone who found it - but I never thought it would be seen again.

'I'm so delighted it has been found by such caring people and that James has touched their lives as well.'

Mrs Adams tossed the bottle from a boat in the Caribbean on January 5 - and it turned up at Horn Island off the coast of Louisana.

In their letter to Mrs Adams, the workers said: 'Words cannot express our heartfelt sympathy to your family over the loss of James.

'Your letters describe a remarkable young man who was very loved by his family and friends.

'We extend our gratitude to James for the service he did in Afghanistan and we recognise the courage, the strength and bravery it requires to serve in the Armed Forces.

'You are in our thoughts as we all continue to pray for the safe return of our soldiers worldwide.

'As we are certain he did before his death, James has continued to touch the lives of many people in a positive way.

'Finding that bottle is something we will never forget.'

The workers from Progressive Pipeline Management also sent Mrs Adams a signed  T-shirt from the crew and a photograph of them with the bottle.

James of the 2nd battalion Royal Welsh was was killed while driving his Warrior vehicle during a patrol in Helmand Province in September last year.

His family went to Barbados on holiday because they could not face a traditional Christmas at home without James. 

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