Christmas spirit is kept alive by Midland troops

Their training and patrol duties will continue as tomorrow is another working day for many of the troops serving in Helmand Province.

But despite being thousands of miles away, they will enjoy some traditional home comforts including presents, carol singing and a full turkey dinner.

Most will also have received parcels from family and friends, with tonnes of mail arriving daily by helicopter.

On Christmas Day, troops at larger bases such as Bastion and Lashkar Gah will have Christmas services led by army chaplains and Lashkar Gah will even have a 16-strong choir of soldiers to lead the crowd in carols around a Christmas tree imported from Denmark by the Danish troops based there.

Troops will also have an extra half an hour's phone time to call home – on top of their usual weekly 30-minute allowance.

An army marches on its stomach, however, and the soldiers will not go hungry over the Christmas period.

Task Force Helmand spokesman Major Laurence Roche said: "It has been a huge job to get all the rations in for this time of year. There are convoys delivering sprouts, turkeys and all the trimmings of the Christmas meal.

"We may not be able to enjoy Christmas at home but we'll still have some of the home comforts brought to us." In the more remote bases, however, troops accustomed to surviving on self-cooked army rations, will also have a special treat, a Christmas meal cooked by an army chef.

One of those troops who will be looking forward to his first chef-cooked meal in almost four months is Lance Corporal Anthony Evans from Walsall.

LCpl Evans, aged 36, wanted to send a Christmas message to his family: "Wishing my family and especially my three kids: Jade, Regan, Daniella, and Shell my girlfriend a very Merry Christmas. I love you loads." LCpl Evans is part of 21 Engineer Regiment at the massive base of Bastion. The regiment's members mentor the Afghan Army's engineers and in the past month have been building bridges and clearing routes across Helmand. Also serving in Afghanistan is Private Jordan Wilson from Stourport.

He is stationed at Patrol Base Salang, on the border of Helmand's Green Zone and Desert Dashte. Pte Wilson, aged 19, was one of dozens of troops in 1st Battalion, The Mercians, who wanted to send a Christmas message to loved ones in the UK.

Dressed in a festive Santa hat, he penned his message: "Happy Xmas to all my family and friends." Pte Wilson's job is to protect the Brigade Advisory Group – the troops mentoring the Afghan Army – and to patrol in support of Afghan forces. Maj Roche said it was the continued support from home that would keep the troops happy. The hard work will continue for the soldiers of 4th Mechanized Brigade, known as The Black Rats. Maj Roche said: "All of the fun elements will have to happen between duties but this is our home while we're here and we'll make the best of it and mark Christmas in any way we can." With Christmas in Afghanistan comes winter and, while many people think of the country as constantly hot and dusty, winter in green Helmand is proving to be very wet, he added.

For some of the brigade's soldiers, however, there will be a home Christmas. Just last week it was announced that 500 troops were being sent home early and Maj Roche said many of them would be back with their families in time for Christmas dinner.