Mak (last name unknown)

Serving in a regular brigade of the Bosnian-Croat Army, the HVO, Mak was killed in his first action against the Serbs. His death was a tragic accident, reportedly a casualty of "friendly fire." During counter-sniper operations around the outskirts of the city towards the airfield region near Blagaj, Mak was shot twice in the chest and died when he was mistaken for a member of the enemy forces. One of the other volunteers received a wound in the left foot.

Working with the same unit was an Irish volunteer known as Alan, situated above the area in an OP on the side of Hum (a large hill to the north-west of the city). It was Alan who fired the shots that killed Mak instantly.

Although devastated by what had occurred, Alan continued in service with the HVO until March 1994 when he decided to return to Ireland; a former colleague who kept in touch for a while believed that Alan had by 1999 passed away. The wounded French volunteer, named "Regis," who had originally presented himself with Mak for service in Croatia, remained another month in Bosnia before returning home to Nice where he reportedly committed suicide.

Mak was buried by the men of his unit amongst the graves of other soldiers and civilians killed during the shelling of the city; the graves were placed in what used to be a small public park, Mak's resting place marked with a wooden cross, surmounted by his steel helmet, adorned with a rosary crucifix, a prayer card with medallion and inscribed with the simple words, "Mak- Englich."

In December 1999, members of the Croatian Forces International Volunteers Association returned to Mostar to discover that Mak's grave survived intact, even the old helmet was still in place. A ceremony of remembrance was conducted, a floral wreath placed on the grave and a simple prayer in Croatian was recited in grateful recognition of the ultimate sacrifice that this man made in the name of freedom.