[Kitty]

I love this place, did you have a good look through the drawer upon drawer of medals in the first room? Lots of VC's in evidence!

As for the Cheshires, they are now 1st Battallion [Cheshire] Mercian Regiment, and are currently deployed in Afghanistan. As they are such a small company their numbers have been increased with Gurkha. So far they have lost men into the double figures, and about a third have already been injured, most critically. And they are a very young regiment with the average age probably being about 20.

They are due home in November and will be parading through 3 cheshire towns, the third and final being my home town of Congleton. ALL cheshires will be there even if they are in a wheelchair. The parade date being 10th November, lateish in the afternoon, no confirmed time yet.

I will do my best to be home for it, but I expect as many of you to make it as possible too. The cheshires are currently stationed in what is considered the worst part of Helmand province. And they are fighting hard.