Afghanistan: 40 more years of hurt

EVERY morning since his hero son was killed in Afghanistan, Pete Hammond silently prays: "Don't let my boy's death be in vain."

Standing alone in his garden each day the proud dad lets the memories flood back of happy times with the boy he has lost, 18-year-old Trooper Joshua Hammond.

He knows too well the suffering other parents will surely face as the bloody conflict grinds on - perhaps for 40 YEARS.

That's how long British troops could be forced to remain in the war-torn country, according to the Army's incoming chief, General Sir Dave Richards.

Grief-stricken Pete knows the toll will inevitably soar way beyond the 199 Brits slain so far. Yet his message is clear: "The troops have to stay in Afghanistan and see the job through."

He explains: "If they decided to pull out without the job being finished, then all our soldiers who have lost their lives out there will have died for nothing."

Speaking just six weeks after Joshua died in a roadside bomb along the Shamalan canal, near Lashkar Gah, Pete says he knows many other families will face devastating losses too.

"If they receive the news we've gone through I know what journey they will have to go on," he said.

"If you lose your son or daughter, it's unbearable. I know it's getting ridiculous, the amount of soldiers we're losing, but the army has to make sure they stay there.

"It has to start with getting the message through to the Afghan children there. If we can show them that we want to help by giving them healthcare and an education it may give them an incentive not to support the Taliban.

"It can be done, it just needs a lot of work. If you can see a change down the line, five years, ten years, and it stops the threat of terrorism here, then we're heading in the right direction.

"There obviously has to be a cut-off point sometime but Our Boys have to do the job."

Known to his friends as "Hammy", Joshua, of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, was killed on July 1 along with Lieut-Colonel Rupert Thorneloe when their armoured vehicle was blown up by the Taliban as it drove in a convoy.

The horror struck just three weeks before Josh was due home for leave and a reunion with his family and fiancée Emma Green, 19. Dad Pete's eyes filled with tears as he said: "Joshua was due to get married to Emma next year.

"They even had the venue in mind and were going to plan the day when he got back on leave. It's like all those other special occasions, like his birthdays, which he'll now never see.

"We plan to hold a party at Wembury beach near our Devon home every year on his birthday, July 9, to celebrate his life. We went this year and let off balloons and threw bottles with messages about Joshua into the sea for other people to share our memories.

"But 40 years is so far away. He wouldn't even have been drawing his pension then, he was so young when he died. But I wouldn't stop any of my other children joining the forces if they had that dream. Our family has strong links to the military and that's where Joshua picked up the bug to join the Army.

"Maybe my other sons will want to follow in his footsteps and help finish the job that he went out there to do."

Pete, 39, explained why he sits in the garden of his Plymouth home every morning and evening thinking about his son. He said: "All the memories are here. It's quiet and relaxing.

"In some strange way I still think he's doing his job in Afghanistan and I'll get a phone call saying, 'Hi dad, got the suntan. Back soon'.

"We sent him out a gift box with loads of goodies for his birthday which was eight days after he died. I'm not sure he got it. But I'm lucky I can still cherish memories of him as a boy.

"At age six he was playing with his toy tank, and it captivated him. From that moment you could tell he was fascinated by the military.

"We had an extremely close bond. Even when I dropped him off at nursery for the first time it broke my heart and he wasn't even two.

"Now I've said goodbye to Joshua for the last time."

But Pete, a plasterer, warns if our troops do stay in Afghanistan they need enough helicopters to transport them around in safety.

"They should be fully equipped with what they need," he said. "The job they're doing is for the whole country. No stone should be left unturned when it comes to safety."

Trooper Hammond completed his basic training in Harrogate before enlisting as a member of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, based at Tidworth, Wiltshire, and being sent to Afghanistan. But a month after his family waved him off they received the devastating news of his death.

Pete, along with wife Leigh, 31, and their five other children abandoned their family holiday at Butlins and prepared for the return of Joshua's coffin and his funeral.

Pete said: "This has totally ripped my life apart. I just feel lost."

The family have been comforted by letters of sympathy from Army officers and even got a handwritten note from the Prime Minister, in which Mr Brown praised Joshua's courage and professionalism.

Still, Pete finds his biggest help comes from his children. He said: "If I'm sitting in the garden and one sees me crying they'll come up and give me a kiss. That gives me so much strength." There are no kisses that can comfort Joshua's heartbroken fiancee Emma though.

The bank clerk was dreaming of a white wedding next year with her groom in military uniform. Now all she has is a letter he wrote for her in the event of his death.

It says: "If you are reading this you know the worst has happened. Please stay strong and remember my love for you will always live on."

Their teenage friendship started at school but it wasn't until Joshua started army training that they began dating. Emma recalls: "It was his smile, his laughter. He lit up the room when he walked in.

"I didn't want to stop him going to Afghanistan even though in the back of your mind you know something could happen.

"It's still hard to believe he has died. But when his regiment have their homecoming parade, that's when it will really hit us all. He won't be coming home."

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