One of the things that brightened the day of soldiers on the frontline in Helmand province in December 2007 was parcels sent to them by relatives and strangers back in the UK…

NOTHING boosts a soldier’s morale, when he or she is 1,000s of miles from home, more than a parcel full of gifts – especially at Christmas.

At the moment a large amount of troops from the Scarborough area are stationed in Afghanistan while serving with 2nd Yorkshire Battalion (Green Howards) and are missing their families and friends.

Cpl Carl Peterson, who is originally from the South Cliff area, said: “I’ve done quite well but I am also missing a lot of post since the postal strike because there is a lot of backlog. Getting a parcel just makes your day and you read the letters more than once.”

His colleague, Sgt Andrew Morrison from Middlesbrough, added: “The positive impact that they have on soldiers in the field, whether from loved ones or a kind soul, it gives you a sense of worth.

“You could have had a really bad day and seen a lot bad things but once you come back and there’s a letter there from a loved one you are ready to go back out again.”

And in Kandahar the British Forces Post Office (BFPO) will have handled an estimated 200,000 packages – the equivalent of 55 tonnes – during the two weeks before Christmas.

Staff Sgt John Coalville, who co-ordinates the operation, said: “It’s probably intensified by about three and a half times at this time of year.

“People are sending Christmas cakes, Santa hats, crackers, party hampers, stuff like that. We are getting quite a few welfare parcels from people in the UK.”

He said they were sent by people and simply addressed ‘Eo Soldier’ and they were evenly distributed among the troops. “It’s nice that people do care, it makes you feel valued and it cheers you up,” he said.

The Ministry of Defence has widened the choices of its Bluey – a blue coloured letter sent to and from servicemen and women – to include photos and even a secure electronic version.

While the Evening News was embedded with 2 Yorks, in Camp Tombstone in the Helmand Province, several sacks of post arrived for the troops stationed there.

QM Major Marc Steventon, the camp’s quartermaster, also emphasised how important the post was – particularly at Christmas.

He said: “Weeton Primary School, near where we are based in Lancashire, launched an appeal for parcels. We got somewhere in the region of between 400 and 500 parcels.

“We’ve also had parcels from the Friends of the Green Howards, Betty’s Tea Rooms, the Royal British Legion and lots from the Scarborough area.

“The reaction is like one of disbelief from the men. The support that we are now getting from the public and people back home is phenomenal.”

He added that receiving a parcel did raise morale and thanked people back home who had given their support.

From The Scarborough Evening News on Thursday, December 27, 2007.