Newly-wed Vicky Lang, 18, gets a farewell hug from husband Rhys as soldiers from the 1st Battalion Queen's Dragoon Guards left their base at Catterick Garrison last week for the Gulf.

There were tears as the troopers gathered up their kit bags and boarded two coaches taking them on the first stage of their journey to what seems likely to be another war with Iraq.

Vicky said: "It's just, he'll be gone for such a long time," she said. "I didn't think it would happen. It's just so difficult to let them go."