Parcels4Troops

Letters From The Troops

Excerpts from 'Blueys' (letters) and e-mails

received from recipients of the parcels:-

Please note, names have been edited for security reasons.


Dear Alasdair,

Thank you very much for the parcel you sent out from BAA at Edinburgh Airport.
I am the Regimental medical Officer with 3 Rifles who are based in Redford
Barracks Edinburgh and the city link is appreciated.
Conditions here are very basic as we are in a FOB (forward operating base) in the Sangin area. Our food is repetative 10 man ration pack based, with outside wash facilities and just deep trench latrines. The outside showers are now warm usually, though they were only cold when we arrived here in early Oct.
The weather has been warm and sunny by day but cold at night, changing this week to some rain and NE winds from the Himalayas.
We see a number of locals with serious injuries including children. We are used as their local A&E.
Thank you again for the welcome welfare parcel. Please pass on my thanks to all
who contribute, including a Ms Sheila Lawson from Methil, Fife whose newspaper
message was included.
With grateful thanks and best wishes

J A

RAMC

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‘On behalf of 2Rifles and our injured soldiers in Selly Oak Hospital and Headley Court rehabilitation unit I would like to thank you for your very kind donation of £500. The funds we are raising provide our injured heroes with Regimental leisure wear, personalised towels, wreaths for those we have lost and I Phone for a triple amputee who was unable to use a standard mobile phone.

We cannot express our deep gratitude for your contribution and the difference it has made to the lives of our soldiers. Not only for the items received, but knowing they are not forgotten and their sacrifice had been recognised and appreciated.’

Kind regards

Linda Wilson

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‘I would just like to say thank you on behalf of myself and the troops out on the ground for the welfare boxes you are sending us on a regular basis. It’s a big morale boost for us when we open the boxes and loads of goodies fall out. Could you please send my best regards to the rest of your organisation and let everyone know we are very grateful.’

 

B

908 LSU

 

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I would like to say thank you all for sending on the welfare. It has all been sent to the lads on the ground, they have contacted me and ask me to send on their thanks, they said, ‘thank you very much without these surprise parcels coming through to us our morale would be very low. It is great to see we get a lot of support from back home.’

As you are aware it is very hot out here but the lads are working hard and very well, so thanks again to all your team members for all the support you are giving to the boys and girls on the ground

M

908

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My name is L/Cpl Mc of The Black Watch. I am writing this e-mail to thank you, the staff and the passengers at BAA Edinburgh Airport for the parcels you kindly sent out to us. 
My Platoon greatly appriciated this kind thaught and it is good to know that the public back home support what we are doing out here.
Sorry this was not a hand written letter, but all my letter writing kit is at Kandahar Airfield, and I wont be back there for anouther couple of weeks yet.

Thanks all the same though,
from all the lads in Alpha (Grenadier) Company.

 

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I received 8 boxes this morning, thank you very much. I opened one box and  there was a letter from Sgt M of Leven ACF. Can you pass on my thanks, the other boxes, like many in the past will be forwarded to the lads who don’t get boxes. Every single box is appreciated.

Thank you sincerely for sending us a wee bit of home and the many other things in the boxes. You have helped many people a great deal.

Thank you and God Bless

L/Cpl L

Royal Logistic Corps

 

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Thank you for the parcels 

from 4 Troop X COY 45 Commando Royal Marines

 

‘I am writing to you on behalf of the Officers and Soldiers of 38(Seringapatam) Battery Royal Artillery that have received parcels from you and would like to thank you for your generosity and support. Your kind gifts are very welcome and help maintain the troops high level of morale in these difficult and testing conditions.

Without the constant backing from people like yourselves in the UK the job in Afghanistan would be a lot more difficult , however be assured that we are making progress in Afghanistan with the help of good training, equipment and support.

Once again many thanks for your support to the troops in Afghanistan.

Regards

WO2 G’

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Thanks for the parcels received lately they were much appreciated. I split the stuff with my section, we all got something even if we did fight over the sweets Ha Ha. Thanks to the Cadets at Leven Detachment who packed the boxes

Private W

3Scots

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Thanks for the letter received and the brief on what you and your lads do and for the support you give. The parcels we have just received are some of the 1st to get to us since we arrived. I passed them on to the CSM’s who shared them out amongst the ‘Jocks’, there will be letters of thanks in the post. A lot of parcels went to lads who don’t get much mail. Thank you in advance for your support it means a lot to us knowing we have the right kit, right mentality and support of the folks back home in God’s Country.

RSM

3Scots

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I am writing on behalf of the guys to say thanks to you and parcels4troops for the comfort boxes received over the past few weeks. They are very much appreciated. It is amazing how much of a boost it is to get a little reminder of home and of the tremendous support folks at home have for us, these boxes go a long way to sustain our morale, possibly the most important component of fighting power.

With every blessing

Padre A

3 Scots

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Dear Parcels4troops Team

I am writing to you on behalf of 45 Commando Families to thank you for all your support for the families of 45 Commando Royal Marines.

 Thank you for the donation of £200 which went towards the buffet for our Ladies night in January, we had a great time Elvis was brilliant.

 Thank you for the donation of £500 which went towards the cost of new sofas at the Family centre, the redecoration of the centre has really made the families feel special

 Thank you for the donation of £100. This has gone into our Community Fund, which organises events and activities for the Families to take part in whilst their loved ones are deployed, these events make the time pass quicker and let the families do something else to look forward to and to talk about

 Thank you for the gift of 171 toys and games, the children’s faces lit up when they saw them.

 Thank you again for all your support. I look forward to working with you in the future

 Yours

J H

Community worker

45 Commando Royal Marines

 

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Sgt T.P. - Royal Marines - Once again, can you pass on my thanks to 5th Penicuik Girl Guides and Brownies for their parcels, we received four of them yesterday.  It is a difficult time of the tour for us at the minute as we all have the post Christmas blues, most lads have had their RnR and all we have to look forward to is the end of the tour which is still some 3 months away, therefore it was a nice morale boost to receive the parcels.
Although it is tough out here at the minute we have recently been involved in a big operation, during which the lads have found a lot of Taliban weapon caches and bomb making factories, which is a good result.
It has been raining also, which turns the desert into mud, so walking around the Fob is similar to being at Glastonbury (without the music)
Thank you once again for your time and effort you all put into the parcels which are gratefully received.

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R. - Royal Marines - I received your parcel today , thank you. I did like the pink woolly hat that was inside. I’m sure I will  be wearing it around the camp. Life has slowed down a little out here in Afghanistan with the weather taking its toll on most people. The temperature has dropped down to -1c and the rain never gives up at the moment. The patrolling is still fierce as ever and there is not a day that passes that we don’t get engaged at with either small arms or heavy weaponry.

All the best R.

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P. N.  - Just a quick note to say thankyou for the parcel. It is greatly appreciated and we all see these more than just parcels.

It is a big boost during along time away from home and the support has been incredible.

Again thank you.

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Marine S D. I want to take this opportunity to say a massive THANK YOU to you and your team at Parcels 4 Troops on behalf of V Coy, 45 Cdo RM. Our tour out in Afghanistan is now coming to a close and the light at the end of the tunnel is now begining to get bright. Although the time out here has been challenging and at times difficult, the morale of the men was always high and that has a lot to do with the support we recieve from organisations like yours back home. The amount of welfare parcels and well wishes we have recieved has been truely remarkable.

The guys here including myself have been touched by the kind thoughts and support to the Armed Forces, it really does make a difference knowing that the public appreciate what we are doing out here. Again thank you Ali and please pass on my well wishes to your staff. Keep up the good work!! All the best,

Marine S D

V Coy 45 Cdo RM

"Per Mare Per Terram"

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My name is S D. I am currently in  Afghanistan with 45 Cdo RM. I just wanted to say a massive thank you for the parcels that have been sent out to us. Being from Scotland myself and based there it means a great deal indeed to know that the public
back home are supporting us.

I have been out in Afghanistan before and we never received anything
like this. It truly means a lot to the men and women out here, as
you can imagine most basic items are in short supply so even to
receive them is a great boost never mind the other gifts.

I intend to write to Mr & Mrs Mcfarlane from Winchburgh personally
who sent the goods so if you hear from them tell them we are not
ignorant just a little busy.

Anyway a massive thank you to everyone at Parcels 4 troops and to
the kind people who spend their hard earned money on gifts. It
truly is appreciated as is the fact that they are supporting us out
here.

Regards,

S D
45 Cdo RM

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TP - 45 Cdo RM - 'Just got back in off patrol to find some more parcels waiting for me, therefore please pass on our thanks to Mr Simon Cullen, Barrs Irn Bru, The Cadets of Leven Detachment Army Cadet Force, Walkers Shortbread Ltd and Mrs Angela MacKay.
Some of these people have asked for photographs of us, the problem is the computers we are using to email have a security block on them so we cannot plug in any media devices such as flash cards/memory sticks etc, however on return to the UK I will email you a photograph of the troop.Many Thanks once again'

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TP - 45 Cdo RM - 'Once again could you please pass on my thanks to the ever reliable Brownies and Girl Guides and to Mr Simon Cullen, whose parcels we received recently - the Irn Bru from the Brownies went down a treat with the Scottish lads in my troop.
Have been really busy recently playing a major part in OP DIESEL which has been on the news back home I believe, had some good results on that.
The lads remain positive and morale is good and we are looking forward to getting back home soon.'
 
Thank you for your continued support

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 Mastiff Platoon - ' just a note to say thanks from the boys serving in Afghan for the parcels we received over the last few weeks. Their faces light up when they receive mail and parcels and in turn that makes their moral that much higher. We had just taken part in our first Op and were involved in Close contact battle with the enemy at 20 to 150 yards. The boys fought with high spirits. thank you for all your efforts.' 
 
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Fusilier B- 'I just want to say thanks for the parcels you sent me. It is much appreciated especially baby wipes. I loved the sweeties the gummy ones are best. Your parcel was a real morale lifter and will help me through this tour. Many many thanks again.'
 
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Sgt F-  'thank you for all the parcels that my soldiers have received from your parcel appeal. We had just returned from a 5 day mission when we received your parcels and it was a pleasure for some of my soldiers to be handed a parcel which has kindly donated to your appeal "you should have seen the look on their faces" it was a really morale booster for them as they are serving on the frontline. Please if you can forward any pen pals who want to write to the lads to me. Thank you once again.'
 
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Fusilier B- 'Hi to all of you at HMP Edinburgh. Thanks for the kind donation of toileteries and sweets, the boys love them. Thanks for the birds deoderant, good joke. Everything in the boxes is much appreciated. Everything is going well in deepest darkest Helmand province. We chill out as much as we can at night, then go out hunting during the day. Off to get my head down cheers.'
 
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Fusilier C- ' On my return from a 3 day op I was welcomed by your parcel you sent. I want to say thank you very much for being loving and kind to me and all my comrades. Please write to me if you get a chance. God bless you all.'
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Fusilier B- ' I really want to say a big thank you for the big parcel you sent me. This small thing you have done for me makes a big difference here. It is good to know people at home are thinking about us. This gives us great morale, keep in touch with us.'
 
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Sgt D- 'I have just received a parcel donated by prisoners at HMP Edinburgh, these parcels are gratefully appreciated . It really raises morale amongst the troops to know that people back home are thinking of us thank you for everything you are doing.'
 
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Major C-' Just a note to say thank you for the parcel of goodies. To arrive in camp after 2 weeks in the desert to find a parcel with all that stuff was a real treat and hugely appreciated. Given the austere conditions here it is great your parcels are getting through to my company not only for the contents but for the mere fact that the guys realise that someone actually cares about them. The guys are working hard doing a tough job but they are enjoying it, it is what we have trained for, from a commanders perspective it is a real joy to watch youngsters becoming men and a real joy to watch them open your things from home. Thank you very very much for your generosity and support. It really does make a difference.'
 
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L Cpl L- 'I am a female medic and I am writing to thank you for my parcel, the gifts inside where useful to me and has brought me some much needed morale. Thank you again for this parcel'

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L Cpl C- ' I am just writing to say a big thank you for the parcel you sent. Receiving mail and parcels from friends and family is a massive boost to us, but to know that we have support from the general public is awesome. Thank you all very much.'

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Sgt B-   I have just received your parcel and letter so I thought I would drop you a line to say thank you for taking the time to send us a welfare parcel which was gratefully received. We are based in Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, day time temperatures are averaging about 36degrees and get up to 49dgrees in the height of summer. It is nice to get parcels from the UK it helps cheer the guys up especially in the Forward Operating Bases and lets them know people in the UK have not forgotten about them. Thanks

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L/Cpl A- just a note to say thanks very much for the quality parcel I enjoyed it, it lifted morale. I know you don’t need to send parcels but it’s a great though and very much appreciated, it is good to know people outside our families recognise that morale keeps spirits high thanks again.

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 Fus T – Hi it was really surprising when I received my first parcel over here. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you  for the wonderful parcel that you have sent.  I have rang my parents and told them of the surprise parcel I received. Everything is going well here, I have been to Iraq once but did not receive a parcel over there. Thank you for the great thing you have done.

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Fus B- Hi I’m writing to say thank you for the parcel you sent, I am very grateful. To be honest I wasn’t aware of parcels4troops until I received the parcel. I logged onto your website to see the kind of things you are doing for us and on behalf of myself and the rest of the boys out here in Afghan we thank you so much for going out of your way to do this for us. I was actually surprised that people back home we don’t even know are sending us little things that make our life a lot easier here and give us much needed morale, again I cannot thank you enough for your kindness.

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I have enclosed a letter to Cadet M from the Army Cadets who sent a letter in my parcel, will you please pass my letter to him as it gave me great pride reading his letter. Knowing there are kids back home who look up to us and are also thinking of us out here, cheered me up a lot.  Thanks D

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 Cpl C - I would just like to take the chance to write and thank you very,very much for the parcel that was so kindly donated by Priesthill & Nitshill Parish Church. Knowing that the ordinary people of Scotland are thinking about us is a gift to us in itself, so to receive a parcel was a much needed morale boost and on my behalf could you please thank all the members of Priesthill & Nitshill Parish Church with all my heart.

 

 

 

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Fusilier B - ‘I have recently received a parcel from Parcels4troops on behalf of Mrs Angela Mackay (Melness). It is much appreciated and pass on my thanks to Angela. The parcels you are sending us mean so much know there are people back home outwith our families who care for our well being. I have been fortunate enough to receive one of your parcels before and I can’t thank you guys enough for what you are doing for us. It makes the work out here we are doing feel worthwhile know people back home appreciate us. Tell everyone back home associated with and donating to Parcels4troops - Thank you’

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L/Cpl C - ‘Today, we received parcels through ‘Parcels4troops’ and I would just like to say thank you for your kind gesture. It means a lot to us that the public in Scotland support us and that we are in your thoughts. It has even more meaning  for soldiers here with little or no family back home and its parcels like yours that can put a smile on a soldiers face, even after a hard days fighting. Once again thank you from me and my comrades, any support you can give us no matter how small is greatly appreciated. Please pass on our thanks to everyone in Edinburgh you are doing a fantastic job back there. Please keep in touch as even a letter from home means so much.’

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 L/Cpl P-  Hello there. I am writing a quick e-mail to say thank you for your parcel I have just received, It was a very kind and generous package to receive and rather out of the blue to say the least. You have no idea how well these parcels are received over here, it absolutely makes the guys' days who receive them,  Also make no mistake, every last thing is used, it is shared amongst the platoon until everyman gets use out of it.  Once again I would like to say thanks as it is very important to the troops to know we are being supported back home not just by our families but the general public, also to know you have set aside some time to think of us raises morale no end.

P.S - Keep sending Irn Bru out as were in short supply over here.

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JH - Royal Marines- Hi Anne and guys and HMP Edinburgh,
My name is JH, i am in the Royal Marines and i serve in
Yankee Company, 45 Commando. When back home we are based in Arbroath
Near Dundee. Currently i am based North Of Sangin in Helmand Province. I work as a part of a signals Det. We provide communications for the ladswhile on the ground. We got your box that you sent a few days ago and by the sounds of
the letter, we really appreciate what you guys are doing. Its a good feeling know that we have people back home that are going out of there way to support the troops overseas. Your box was really helpful, as the resources we have out here is very minimal. I would like to thank you again, and i look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
J and all the Guys at FOB INKERMAN

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