A Seasonal Wish...

As it is Christmas Eve, I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for spending time reading this blog and to those who have helped to contribute to the content by asking questions or engaging in great conversations over on Twitter.

I'd like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Finally, as we all tuck into our festive food and drink, I'd like to ask you all to spend just a moment thinking about all members of the British Army, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy who are not able to spend their Chrstmas at home with their loved ones, and particularly to think about the 107 men and women who died this year and will never spend another Christmas with their loved ones.

These 107 are:

Sjt Christopher Reed
Marine Travis Mackin
Cpt Tom Sawyer
Cpl Danny Winter
Cpl Richard Robinson
Cpl Daniel Neild
Marine Darren Smith
L/Cpl Stephen Kingscott
Cpl Tom Gaden
Rifleman Jamie Gunn
L/Cpl Paul Upton
Marine Michael Laski
L/Cpl Christopher Harkett
Cpl Greame Stiff
Cpl Dean John
L/Sgt Tobie Fasfous
Cpl Sean Binnie
Rifleman Adrian Sheldon
Sgt Ben Ross
Cpl Kumar Pun
Lt Mark Evison
Marine Jason Mackie
Fusilier Petero Suesue
Sapper Jordon Rossi
L/Cpl Kieron Hill
L/Cpl Robert Richards
L/Cpl Nigel Moffet
Cpl Stephen Bolger
Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher
Pte Robert McLaren
Lt Paul Mervis
Major Sean Birchall
Trooper Joshua Hammond
Lt Col Robert THorneloe
L/Cpl David Dennis
Pte Robert Laws
L/Cpl Dane Elson
Capt Ben Babbington-Browne
Trooper Christopher Whiteside
Rifleman Daniel Hume
Pte John Brackpool
Cpl Jonathan Horne
Rifleman Daniel Simpson
Rifleman Joseph Murphy
Rifleman William Aldridge
Rifleman James Backhouse
Cpl Lee Scott
Rifleman Aminiasi Toge
Cpl Joseph Etchells
Capt Daniel Sheperd
Guardsman Christopher King
Bombardier Craig Hopson
WO2 Sean Upton
Trooper Phillip Lawrence
Craftsman Anthony Lombardi
Pte Kyle Adams
Cpl Kevin Mulligan
Pte Jason Williams
Capt Mark Hale
Rifleman Daniel Wild
Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton
Pte Richard Hunt
Sgt Simon Valentine
Fusilier Louis Carter
L/Cpl James Fullarton
Fusilier Simon Annis
Sjt Paul McAleese
Pte Johnathon Young
Fusiler Shaun Bush
Sgt Lee Houltram
Pte Kevin Elliot
Sgt Stuart Millar
L/Cpl Richard Brandon
Pte Gavin Elliott
Cpl John Harrison
Kingsman Jason Dunn-Bridgeman
A/Sjt Michael Lockett
Pte James Prosser
Senior Aircraftsman Marcin Wojtak
Guardsman Jamie Janes
L/Cpl James Hill
Cpl James Oakland
Cpl Thomas Mason
Staff Sgt Olaf Schmid
Sgt Matthew Telford
A/Cpl Steven Boote
Cpl Nicholas Webster-Smith
Guardsman Jimmy Major
WO1 Darren Chant
Sjt Phillip Scott
Rifleman Phillip Allen
Rifleman Samuel Bassett
Cpl Loren Marlton-Thomas
Rifleman Andrew Fentiman
Sgt Robert Loughran-Dickson
A/Sgt John Amer
Rifleman James Brown
L/Cpl David Kirkness
Cpl Simon Hornby
L/Cpl Michael Pritchard
Unnamed from the Parachute Regiment
L/Cpl Christopher Roney

RIP

Merry Christmas.