Thanks - messages from frontline troops in Afghanistan to Echo readers

The Echo-backed campaign has successfully so far sent out 383 shoeboxes to frontline soldiers fighting in Afghanistan.

Dorchester Councillor Molly Rennie and her team of volunteers have spent hours putting together and organising boxes to send out to troops in the Dorchester Comfort Box Appeal.

More than 100 boxes were sent out last week to soldiers serving in 2nd Battalion Rifles and now more donations are desperately needed for a new batch of boxes.

Following the sad news this week of the death of five soldiers all from the 2 Rifles, Coun Rennie said that the soldiers need the morale boosters more than ever.

She added: “If anybody had even any doubts how much the boxes mean to them you just have to read the letters.

A letter received this week from Corporal Nick Sumner, of Portland, describes how much the parcels mean to the troops. He said: “It’s the first time in 10 years that it seems like people from my home county actually care about us soldiers.”

Nick’s mum Lindi Sumner, of Portland, said she really appreciates all the help that people in the community are giving soldiers like her son Nick.

She said: “I am just so pleased at the amount of people who think about the soldiers out there.”

In a letter from Cpl Andy McAtee, serving in 2 Rifles, he said that ‘each and every item or message of support is divided and read out to the guys’. He said the boxes ‘brighten up the faces of the guys’.

He added: “It is especially important to see the junior soldiers brighten up with messages from home.

All around the community groups of people from schools, residential homes, playgroups and individual supporters have been giving time to put together boxes for our troops.

Grandma Eleanor Fancy from Weymouth puts together a box a week for soldiers and one for her grandson L-Cpl Richard Rigby who is currently in Afghanistan.

She said: “I save things for the boxes all the time and every week I cut all of the articles out in the Echo that Richard would like and send them in the boxes.”

From Nick Sumner

I would firstly like to thank you and your readers for your continued support for us out here in Afghanistan. The parcels and letters we receive are a great boost for our morale and also help supplement our bland diet with much needed calories.

I would like to also tell you a bit about myself and my boys. I am a 29-year-old corporal in charge of a small but dangerous detachment of Royal Engineers attached to 2 Rifles in Helmand Province. Our role out here is to provide close engineer support and infrastructure development, which means we are at the front of mast patrols clearing IEOs and fighting with the infantry, when we are contacted. When we get back to camp (Forward Operating Base (FOB) Weekman) we have a couple of hours rest then start our construction projects, which vary from building new accommodation to repairing the electrics. So out here we are very busy.

I myself am from Portland, and receiving these care packages from the people of Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester mean a lot to me. It’s the first time in ten years that it seems like people from my home county actually care about us soldiers. I myself am out here for another seven months so am looking forward to the continued support back home.

P.S. I forgot Father’s Day so if you could put a small message in the paper to a Raymond Sumner of Portland, wishing him belated happy Father’s Day, I would be very thankful, as I am a terrible son.

FROM Danny and the boys from FST4.FOB InKERMAN

Thanks very much for the welfare parcels that you, and everyone else, have sent over to us. My name’s Danny, a soldier serving with the Artillery up in FOB Inkerman, which is in the Helmand province. All of the guys, including myself really appreciate any sort of welfare sent over to us. It’s always gives a boost to the boys when it comes through as we only get post once every 4-5 weeks.

Thank you again for your support and it’s nice to know that people are thinking about us from our countries and local areas. Thanks again.

From PJ Faram

Thank you for the parcels. They were ace and within 10 minutes I think me and my mate devoured all its contents as it was a massive boost of morale. We here would like to thank everyone who is involved in Molly Rennie’s shoebox campaign as it really does give everyone morale for once in a while.

Things here are tough at the moment due to the hard fighting but as long as we get fed we don’t really mind as it’s our job.

It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, it seems that the sergeant major likes the sideburns kept short and the hair up tight.

One thing that does get us is at lunch – we always have spam, baked beans and noodles.

I don’t know what else to say really as I am about to go out on patrol. I am in the Royal Military Police 173 Procoy attached to 2 Rifles, B Coy, Fob Inkerman, Sangin Helmand Province and am here with one other mate.

My mate LCpl Phillip Wall enjoyed contents of parcel also.

Regards and much improved morale

from MJ Oldfield, Kajaki

My name is Mike Oldfield, I am serving out in Afghan up at Kajaki dam in the upper Sangin Valley.

Today I received a welfare box from Councillor Molly Rennie with your insert slip inside. I would like to thank you all for your support and gifts. Receiving any mail out here is a massive morale boost. I’m not from Dorset but would like to thanks any local people who at their own expense have made our time fighting a bit better.

Our job here is to defend Kajaki Dam from the Taliban and to disrupt their activity where possible. We have been here about two months and have been working and at times fighting hard to achieve our mission.

Please pass on my thanks to everyone who has helped or donated to the welfare boxes.

from Sig Platoon, 2 Rifles, Rfn Rajaloo I am very grateful for your thoughts about all the troops who are working very hard in Afghanistan. I thank you personally on behalf of my platoon for all the parcels, which have been sent to us. I am also very happy to learn that a lot of people are supporting us during this tour in Dorset. The shoebox was interesting and full of good, useful things to keep us going. Many thanks again and I wish you luck for your involvement in your campaign.

From Lt Hannah Keenan, 2 Rifles

Just a quick bluey to say thank you so much for your parcels – they really do make a difference out here, especially as a girl.

Thanks again your thoughfulness is very much appreciated.

From Rfn David Young

I am writing to say thank you for the box sent through to me. It’s an excellent idea and I’m glad the community is behind the campaign. It certainly put a smile on my face and everything inside was just what I needed.

Would it be possible to pass on my thanks to Pat and Paulette Gill from Weymouth who sent my box out here.

Thanks again

from Cpl Andy ‘Mac’ McAtee, 2 Rifles

My name is Andy McAtee. I am a member of A company, fire support group of 2 Rifles. We are currently based in Fob Jackson in Sangin.

I am writing on behalf of FSG to thank you, the staff at the Dorset Echo all your readers for your continued support while we are on tour in Helmand province. Your support and help at home is greatly appreciated by us all. Please thank everyone involved in the collecting and packing of the welfare parcels that come to us on a regular basis here.

Each and every item or message of support is divided and read out to the guys. It is good to see such small but essential things like shower gel, sweets and magazines brighten up the guy’s faces. It is especially important to see the junior soldiers brighten up with messages from home. It makes my job and that of the other NCOs far easier to keep them going when morale is high. For that I personally thank you all.

from RFN Keiran Jones

I am serving with 2 rifles in Afghanistan in FOB Inkerman and just wanted to say thanks for all the welfare stuff we received. There are little or no luxuries here and it really makes the difference, especially to the food. The stuff we get is really basic so it’s nice to get some treats. So thanks a lot to you and all the supporters from Dorset.