Thursday 16 October 2008

Another young death

The news tonight that a 21 year old soldier has died in Afghanistan sends a shiver down the spine of all of us with sons fighting in that country. Will is the same age, just a couple of weeks into his first tour with the Royal Marines.

Yesterday I got his first letter home, full of the sort of stories any father wants to hear (not!), Apparently, while on guard duty, an rpg whizzed over his head, exploding 100 metres behind him. And then he was riding shotgun in the last vehicle in a convoy when it came under attack. Will told me he let loose at anything that moved.

And, in this modern age, despite being at war in a far country, Will and his colleagues still get to go on Facebook and keep in touch with home. It's a strange world!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This must be an anxious time for your family Mike and I wish you well.

I hate this waste of young life.
There is no British interests in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

As such our forces must be withdrawn from these miserable, fly infested places at maximum speed.

I wish your son a safe return Mike sooner rather than later and pray that there are no more grieving families in these unpopular New Labour adventures.