Three sons on Iraq duty put mother through mill

Oct 25 2007 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

A BIRKENHEAD mother is steeling herself for an emotional farewell as her three eldest sons prepare for a six-month tour of duty in Iraq.

The band of brothers will join 550 other soldiers from the newly- formed 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire) on operations deep within Southern Iraq.

But while Christopher Kilby, 21, and brothers Michael, 20, and Darren, 18, have spent months together in Iraq-specific training, once they land on hostile soil they will be separated by the Army into different companies in different Iraqi provinces.

Echoing the 1998 Academy Award-winning epic, Saving Private Ryan, Michael and Darren will be deployed to a separate location to Christopher to reduce the chances of family tragedy.

Their mother, Jane, who works at Cole Street primary school in Birkenhead, has been through previous tension because team commander Christopher has served in Iraq before.

She said: “I am immensely proud of all of them but of course as their mother I am also really nervous about what they will face out there.

“This is the first time that they will all be away together at the same time so it is nerve-wracking – but they are highly trained and will be back next year.

“I have two other children at home who are going to miss them too – especially over Christmas.”

The Regiment, created on September 1, deploys on November 11 and 17.

With the Kilby brothers will be Regiment Sergeant Major Vince Gough, who praised the whole Kilby family for their commitment to the Regiment.

He said: “After 22 years of service and numerous tours, you begin to understand how difficult it is for the parents, wives, girlfriends and children left behind. To have three sons away on the same tour must be very difficult but I can reassure Mrs Kilby that her boys will be with their second family.”

The tour has come at a bad time for sniper Michael, who was married to wife Nicola, from Northwich, less than three months ago.

He said: “We both knew it was coming before we got married but it is still going to be a wrench.”

Christopher said: “We have been hammering the training and are ready to go.

“You know if you are in the Army at some point you will be called upon and this is what all the training has been for.”

Darren added: “As a machine gunner, I will be sat on top of the wagon, which will be interesting.

“I am with Michael but it’ll be strange not seeing Christopher.”

carolineinnes