A SOLDIER from Durham took time out of his busy schedule in Northern Ireland to send Christmas messages back home to the family and friends.
Gunner John Buck, left, 19, a former pupil of Durham Johnston School, said: "Hello to all my family and friends. I'll see you all soon."
Soldiers from 39 Regiment Royal Artillery were recently deployed to Northern Ireland from their base in Newcastle on a short operational tour of duty.
Army chefs used 450 turkeys, 700kg of stuffing, 750 Christmas puddings and 1.5 tonnes of Brussels sprouts, 15,000 mince pies, 4501bs of mixed nuts, half-a-ton of satsumas, and 10,000 crackers to make a festive feast for soldiers in the province.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article