Some friendships are built on laughter, shared memories, and deep bonds that can never truly be broken. Others go even further — they inspire a devotion that lasts forever, even when one of those friends is gone. That was the kind of friendship that linked Barry Delaney and Kevin Elliott, two lifelong mates who had known each other so well that they could joke about even the most unlikely of things, including one very peculiar promise they hoped they’d never need to keep.
When Barry showed up at Kevin’s funeral dressed in a lime green dress and pink stockings, it wasn’t because he had a flair for the dramatic. It was a heartfelt tribute to the close friend he had just lost, and a promise kept under the most painful circumstances imaginable.
A Promise Made in Friendship and Humor
Years before, when Kevin was preparing to join the Army, he and Barry had sat together and imagined what would happen if either of them were to pass away too soon. In the middle of their light-hearted banter, they decided to make a pact — one that was as ridiculous as it was heartfelt. If either one of them were to die young, the other would have to wear a dress to the funeral.
It was one of those jokes that only best mates can truly appreciate — absurd and a bit silly, yet underpinned by the kind of devotion that only grows between people who truly understand each other. Barry never thought that he’d have to honour that pact. No one ever imagines losing their best friend so soon. But when the tragic news came back from Afghanistan, Barry knew exactly what he had to do.
A Loss That Shocked an Entire Community
On August 31, Kevin was serving with the Black Watch regiment in Helmand province when his unit was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. He and his fellow soldier, Sergeant Stuart “Gus” Millar, were killed while protecting their comrades during an intense firefight with insurgents.
Kevin was only 24 years old — a proud soldier who had already completed tours in Iraq and Northern Ireland. Friends and family had thought he was going to leave the Army after his most recent tour, and he had even handed back his kit at Fort George barracks in Inverness. But in true Kevin style, he decided at the last moment that he couldn’t leave his unit behind. When someone asked him why he decided to stay, he replied with a shrug and a grin: “I didn’t want to miss the boys.”
That was who Kevin was — loyal, brave, and someone who always put his mates first.
An Emotional Tribute in Dundee
More than a thousand people gathered to pay their respects to Kevin in his home city of Dundee. The streets fell silent as the funeral cortege made its slow procession to City Churches in Nethergate. Many wore Black Watch tartan ribbons inscribed with “Kevin Elliott — Our Hero,” and his Army colleagues attended in full regimental dress. Even in their sorrow, they stood proud to honour one of their own.
The funeral was steeped in military tradition. White poppies adorned his mother and grandmother’s clothes, and his sister Kirsty wore the Elizabeth Medal, which is given by the Queen to recognize the loss suffered by military families. Kevin’s coffin, draped with the Scottish Saltire, was carried into St. Mary’s Church to the sound of respectful silence.
The Moment That Moved Everyone
And then there was Barry.
As he stepped into the cemetery dressed in that bright green dress and pink socks, the crowd erupted into spontaneous applause. Some smiled through their tears, knowing that this was Barry keeping a sacred promise to his friend. Barry himself was overwhelmed. Grief-stricken and trembling, he knelt down by Kevin’s grave and embraced his family in silence, his heart too full for words.
Barry’s brother, also named Kevin, spoke afterwards, sharing the story behind the unusual tribute. “Barry and Kev were best pals forever,” he explained. “And when Kev joined the Army, they came up with this daft pact. It was meant to be a joke between them — wear a dress if one of them passes away too early. Barry kept his word because that’s the kind of man he is. It was probably the most meaningful tribute of the day.”
He paused before continuing, “Kev had the kind of sense of humour where if he was looking down at all this, he’d be laughing his head off. That was him — always seeing the funny side, even when times were tough.”
Remembering a True Friend, Son, and Soldier
That spirit of lightness mixed with deep love was evident throughout the service. Kevin’s father, Sandy, spoke to the assembled crowd about his son. “He’d do anything for his friends and family,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion. “We will remember him as a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin — and most of all as a son who made us proud every day of his life.”
Captain Lorne Campbell, Black Watch welfare officer, added that Kevin was like a brother to the regiment as well. “He was part of our second family,” Campbell said. “And we’ll never forget his sacrifice — protecting his friends, representing his regiment, and serving his country so that the people of Afghanistan might have a better future.”
An Enduring Legacy of Courage and Loyalty
After the funeral service, Kevin was carried to a waiting hearse as hundreds of people — some dressed in T-shirts bearing his name — lined the streets of Nethergate to say goodbye. The cortege then continued on to Barnhill Cemetery, where Kevin was laid to rest.
Kevin was a sportsman at heart — a talented footballer and boxer who attended Braeview Academy in Dundee before joining the Army in 2002. Throughout his career, he was known for his infectious personality, his big heart, and his sense of humor. Fellow soldier Peter Fenton summed him up simply as “hilarious, confident, loyal, and charming,” someone who could light up a room even on the darkest days.
That light will never truly go out. Even in loss, Barry and Kevin’s bond reminds us of what true friendship means — making promises in life and keeping them, no matter what it takes, even if it means showing up in a green dress at a soldier’s funeral.
And though this tribute was as heartbreaking as it was memorable, one can only imagine Kevin Elliott looking on, laughing his big, warm laugh, knowing that his best mate kept his word — just as he always did.
In moments like these, friendship transcends goodbye, and love endures forever.