MILITARY men and women and their families are to gather in Colchester to honour of one of their fallen comrades.

The event will also support town toddler Breya Ward who is bravely battling an aggressive stomach cancer.

Rather than dying on the battlefield, Mike Lamb, known as Lamby, succumbed to a virulent form of malignant skin cancer.

The 32-year-old was originally from South Africa but from 2007 served at the 16 Medical Regiment, Merville Barracks, Colchester, though in more recent years, lived in Bristol. He served in Afghanistan, Kenya and the Falklands.

During his teenage years, the South African had beaten skin cancer, but last Chrismas Eve was told it had returned. However, not to spoil their holidays, he did not tell anyone until after the New Year.

Colchester-based Melissa Ghuman, the wife of Lamby’s friend and former colleague Indy Ghuman, felt that Lamby was such a good man, who had travelled so far to serve the UK, the least she could do was help fundraise for his family.

Melissa, who is 32, created a GoFundMe page and within three weeks, some £14,470 was raised. The Colchester General Hospital theatre orderly had set a target of £15,000, so a family fun day is planned for Friday May 26.

She said: “Lamby was as genuine a person you could ever meet, who would always put others first. He always walked around with a beaming smile on his face.”

“The messages of support and amount donated just showed how great a man Lamby was, and also gave his family a glimpse of what high esteem he was held in.”

Lamby had already proposed to his Portugeuse fiancée Barabara before his devastating diagnosis and they married in hospital. He even had a stag party there with his friends.

Melissa continued: “Lamby thanked me for raising the money, which would help towards his wedding, pay for family flights over from South Africa and ultimately funeral costs.”

“In the end, Lamby passed away peacefully on February 6. He was surrounded by his wife and family and proved the doctors wrong by making sure he beat their diagnosis of living for only a month. A stubborn South African till the end.”

“Even though Lamby may not be with us now, he still holds a special place in people’s hearts. His funeral was an amazing event topped off by a memorable speech by his best friend Justin Duplesis.”

The 16 Medical Regiment will have a Families Day in their Corporals Club Bar from 3pm to 8pm, where there will be a plaque dedication ceremony, plus face painting, inflatables, live music, refreshments, bar, cake sale and raffles. There will also be a stretcher carry from Brightlingsea to the Corporals club around 3.30pm.

Melissa is organising this event with friends Ben Stewart, Richard Chapman, Chris King and Abbie Colvin.

The money raised will benefit Macmillan Cancer Support, the Royal British Legion and TeamBreya, the fundraising campaign to raise £250,000 to help save two year-old Breya Ward.

Since launching their campaign last month, parents Hollie Robinson and Ollie Ward, a member of 2 Batallion of the Parachute Regiment, who live off Brerechurch Hall Road, have raised more than £92,000.

Melissa added: “It would be a great day for families to raise money for three great causes, remember a truly amazing man and give those who didn’t know him an insight into a remarkable young man who passed away far too young at the age of 32.”