This is taken with the Gurkhas on Two Sisters the day before the assault. We had been air lifted by helicopter up to Goats Ridge and were shelled all day. What I do know is that the sound of the shell landing close to the camera during this is something I can still remember today.
My mother, father and brother came to meet me at Brize Norton. I think this was one of the few times I have seen my mother in tears. We were exhausted but so glad to be home. They put us onto buses and gave us a police escort all the way to Chelsea Barracks where we had a chance to spend some time with our families before being allowed home. I remember helping count a huge pile of cash which we issued to the lads before they left and then I went home. The chap playing the pipes was Pipe Major Jimmy Riddel who sadly passed away with cancer a few years ago. He wrote a rather famous (at least in the bagpipe world) piece of music called the "Crags of Tumbledown".
It's strange to think I have marched through the streets of London twice to the cheers of the crowds. The first time was in September 1982 when the Welsh Guards (featured mainly here), Scots Guards (very last couple of seconds, they wear the chequered design on their hats) and the Blues and Royals were given their medals. I remember looking up at Prince Charles as we marched past thinking "Crikey he has got rather large ears, just like his dad!"
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