Steve Parsley describes the tension in Catterick Garrison on the first night of war

Half a world away from the war in the Gulf Europe's largest Army base is on full alert.

Sentries on guard at Catterick Garrison shine their torches into every corner of every car passing through the gates so that they knew exactly who was going in and out.

A mobile dog patrol prowled the streets supported by a CCTV control room which could send both police and military police officers to check any suspicious activity.

But somehow, everything seemed quieter and more subdued. There was a sombre mood at the base, which is home to 25,000 servicemen and women, and from which about 1,500 troops have gone to fight in Iraq.

Taxi driver Sean Waters said: "It's been particularly quiet this week. I don't know whether it's because more people are staying in to watch the news or simply because they don't feel like going out."

Some bars in the Garrison were showing the footballing disappointments of Newcastle and Arsenal almost in defiance of the news on the other TV channels that aircraft had begun bombing Iraqi artillery.

One of them, Johnny's Caf, has been serving soldiers for more than 40 years. Last night groups of soldiers gathered there as usual, their lives going on with a quiet awareness that war had begun in the Middle East - a war that would soon involve people they knew.

"Now we've gone in, let's just hope we can get this over and get home again as quickly as possible," said a soldier.

Some questioned whether the war was justified and indicated little support for the way Messrs Bush and Blair had handled the affair.

But all were agreed that now war is under way, public opinion should at least swing behind the troops on the ground.

"The lads in the Gulf need to know that they have public support," said one soldier.