Midland families' festive messages for troops in Afghanistan

Dec 22 2008 by Paul Bradley, Birmingham Mail

A BRAVE Midland soldier is set for a double festive celebration as he serves Queen and country over Christmas.

For Marine Mark Long, aged 25 and from Cannock, will celebrate his birthday on Boxing Day in Afghanistan.

Now his family have used the wonders of technology to send him Christmas and birthday greetings via a video message. Mark’s sister Josie, said: “We are exceptionally proud of him and in our eyes he is a hero.”

Dozens of Midland soldiers have also recorded messages to be sent to their families back home.

A team of 35 chefs are with troops at the British base in Afghanistan, Camp Bastion, preparing a mountain of food for Christmas Day. The feast will include 222 Christmas puddings, 37 Christmas cakes, and one mince pie and one After Eight mint each.

The cost of feeding the troops in Bastion’s four dining rooms is £10,265, or £3.42 each. But there will be no brandy for the Christmas sauce, as Camp Bastion a dry area.