Troops try to bring a touch of Christmas to the front line

Published on Wednesday 23 December 2009 21:41

LEGIONS of British soldiers will celebrate Christmas thousands of miles away from home in Afghanistan tomorrow.

Thousands of British troops will do what they can to bring festive touches to the hostile environment of Helmand province.

At Camp Bastion, the main British base, colourful lights decorate soldiers' tents, "Merry Christmas" banners hang across the site and tinsel drapes from the ceiling of the forces' cafe.

Christmas services and carol performances will take place across the eight-square-mile site, many of which are organised by Christmas committees, formed by individual regiments.

And turkey dinners will be served on the day in a bid to bring a flavour of Christmas to a place where creature comforts seem so far away.

In a country associated with excruciating heat, the weather will actually be fairly chilly over the festive season – especially when the sun goes down, when it can drop below zero.

Not all the soldiers will be celebrating the day within the relatively secure confines of Camp Bastion – many will be out on the front line in primitive forward operating bases (FOBs) dotted across the province.

Riflemen Declan Anderson, 19, and Lee Clark, 20, both of Edinburgh-based 3rd Battalion the Rifles, will be in the heat of the action at FOB Jackson, in Sangin district.

Both men and their comrades are likely to treat the day like any other and can reasonably expect contact with the Taleban on Christmas Day, as well as on high-risk patrols.

Rfn Anderson, from Taunton, Somerset, said: "I'm going to miss my family, my dogs, going out with my friends."

He said he already had plans to hold an honorary Christmas Day on his return from tour. "I'm going to have a late Christmas Day when I'm back," he said.

Rfn Clark, from the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, said he had his Christmas ahead of his deployment earlier this month. He said: "We exchanged presents while we were away."