A highway for our fallen heroes

A BRITISH town turned out in force yesterday to honour three fallen soldiers-the latest young heroes to sacrifice lives in Afghanistan.

The 2,000-strong crowd stood in respectful silence as their coffins were borne along a road campaigners want renamed Highway For Heroes.

And last night the widow of one of the tragic three-Lance Corporal Christopher Harkett-told the News of the World how her brave squaddie had phoned her in the middle of the night just hours before he died simply to tell her: "I love you".

"He'd volunteered to go out there early so that he'd be back in time for my birthday in October," said Danielle, who only married him seven months ago.

"No words can describe how hard it is to lose him. I've never, ever been so glad about anything I've done as I was about marrying him."

Yesterday Danielle made the journey of her worst nightmares-to RAF Lyneham for the return of her 22-year-old husband who was blown up last Saturday while on patrol with the 2nd Battalion the Royal Welsh in the troubled Helmand province.

Along with him came Corporals Graeme Stiff and Dean John, 25. The pair from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, serving with 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, died in an explosion the following day in the Garmsir district of southern Helmand.

Together they are 150th, 151st and 152nd in the grim toll of British dead from Afghanistan. And the growing number of coffins passing through the streets of Wootton Bassett, Wilts-which traditionally honours our fallen heroes after their bodies have been flown into Lyneham-is not lost on the locals.

Yesterday's body repatriation was the 71st in the town since April 2007. Now a town campaign is underway to rename the route used by the procession as Highway for Heroes.

It's a campaign grieving Danielle Harkett will sign up to. She revealed how Christopher was due to be sent out to the war-torn country this September but he desperately wanted to be home for her 22nd birthday.

So he went early on a six-month tour in February as a sniper for C Company of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Welsh.

In a moving interview, Danielle recalled how she said a tearful goodbye to her hero-who always carried a Bible handed down by his proud army grandfather and father before him.

"I can still see him at the door, the night he was going. He was crying, and so was I," she told us. "He said, 'Dan, don't be scared for me. I'll be back soon, and I promise I won't go on tour for a few more years, and our life will begin properly when I get back.

"I said, 'Our life has already begun, years ago.' He said 'I love you with all my heart.' Then he left."

Describing their last phone conversation just hours before he was killed, she sobbed: "He rang me on what was Friday morning for him, but it was 1.30am for me. When I heard his voice it just made me so happy. He called just to say 'I love you,' and that he missed me, and he said, 'I'll ring you tonight.'" The call never came. Chris was killed by a Taliban bomb while providing covering fire for a foot patrol in Musa Qala in the Helmand Province.

Danielle said: "We kept in contact almost constantly-we wrote to each other up to four times a day, sometimes just to say 'I love you,' or 'I miss you,' but we only got to speak once or twice a week. That was the last thing he ever said to me.

"He is a perfect memory for me. But he's gone to heaven, where he definitely belongs."

Chris had served two tours in Iraq before departing on his last mission to Afghanistan.

Danielle said Chris died doing what he did best . . . protecting others.

"It was his nature to protect people. And he adored me. He was such a considerate and loving man," she said.

"The army was his life. He loved it so much. He was so proud of everything he did there, and I was proud of him for it."

But her world fell apart last Saturday when news of Chris's death arrived at their flat in Tidworth.

She said: "They sent two representatives around to the house on Saturday morning. They didn't have to say anything. I knew.

"I never dreamed I'd be a widow at 21. I asked if it was instantaneous, and they told me that it was.

"I was heartbroken. They told me the circumstances, that he'd been providing cover fire for his colleagues. That was typical of Chris. I wouldn't have thought he would have gone any other way. I just love him so much." Danielle revealed how she was deeply moved by the backing displayed for her husband from everyone who turned out yesterday.

She said: "There's so much support from the army, and from family and friends, and from people that don't even know us.

"The support that we've had is just tremendous. So many people coming together to show how Chris has touched their lives-it's so important to me."

The boys who came home with him leave grieving loved ones too. Corporal John, from Port Talbot, was a married dad-of-three and leaves a devastated wife Wendy and sons Ethan, Harvey and Dylan.

His fallen comrade Corporal Stiff, of Grimsby, leaves a girlfriend Lauren and was described by his army pals as a "dedicated man destined for great things".

As the procession made its way out of Wootton Bassett yesterday, there were tears in the eyes of many who never knew them. Widower Arthur Taylor, 82, is a veteran of World War II and served as a sailor in the Navy on the Russian convoys.

Arthur said: "I come to every one I can get to. I feel honoured to be here.

"I admire these boys for what they've done. Theyre true heroes and I wish I could do more than pay my respects."

And Bob Hambley, 61-a former major in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers-told how he served with Cpl Stiff's father, and brought 100 members of the REME association to pay their respects.

Bob said: "I think it was very moving. Looking at all three of these boys, they were excellent soldiers who died doing their job.

"Their families should know that they have everyone's respect."

HOW YOU CAN HELP

DANIELLE was not paid for her story but asked the News of the World to make a donation to the Royal Welsh Regiment charity tribute fund and the Help for Heroes charity.

Help for Heroes provides support for wounded troops coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq. A staggering £17million has so far been raised for projects to give our troops specialist medical help.

Around £8 million was donated to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Headley Court Surrey.

If you want to donate money to Help For Heroes or are planning a fund- raising event you can contact the charity on 0845 673 1760 or find out more online at www.helpfor heroes.org.uk

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