Last updated 16:20, Wednesday, 27 August 2008

A COUPLE waited six months for their soldier grandson to arrive home safe from serving in Afghanistan.

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Richard Burrow, 78, and 74-year-old wife Mary, of Oxen Park, near Spark Bridge, turned on the news and opened the newspapers with dread as they worried about grandson Jonathan Lynn.

But their waiting came to an end at the weekend when the family were reunited on Sunday at the TA barracks in Preston, where 24-year-old Jonathan was also presented with his service medal.

Mr Burrow said: “It was a bonny day but it was quite a worrying time.

“I had one eye on the newspapers and one ear to the radio and television to hear of anything had happened – I think everybody that has lads and lassies out there thinks the same and has that little bit of anxiety about whether things were going right.

“It was nice to see him back and well. I never tire of singing his praises. We’re very proud of him.” Mr Lynn, who worked as a forklift truck driver before his tour of duty with the Territorial Army, is a member of the 4th Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.

He has been helping colleagues to secure the NATO headquarters in Kabul where the military from almost 40 nations make up the International Security Assistance Force.

His duties, in temperatures which can reach 40°C, included guarding the facility and going out on patrols – often on foot – across the city.

Mr Lynn, from Carlisle, said: “I was never really felt frightened. We were the only people doing foot patrols so we were able to get much closer to the local people.

“The younger ones were interested in our chocolate and supplies while older people wanted to know when they might see the end of sewage flowing down the streets.

“I got the impression that all they wanted was to live in peace. The Afghans don’t cause trouble – it seems to come from over their borders.

“I’m really not sure what I’m going to do next, but I’m still getting paid for a few weeks so there’s plenty of time to make up my mind.

“I was able to ring home most nights from Kabul but what I’m really looking forward to doing is going out with my mates.

“I’ve thought about joining the regular Army in the past and I’m still 50/50 about that. It would be great if we were doing tours of duty all the time.”

Mr and Mrs Burrow welcomed Jonathan home with his mum and dad Sue and Robert.

Mr Burrow said: “This was the first time we had seen him since he came home on R&R in May. He came home for about 10 days then and went back again.

“It was a shock when he said he was going earlier in the year, but my wife had an inkling because he had been away on a course and had injections and she said ‘they don’t give them those for nothing’.

“I hope he stays in the TA. He was talking about volunteering to go to Cyprus. I can understand why after seeing him with his mates – all laughing and the camaraderie was good to see.

“They all look after each other and learn about teamwork and respect.”