Mother's concern for four sons

Mother's concern for four sons

Elizabeth Stewart: Four sons in the Gulf

A Scottish mother has more cause than most to scan the television pictures of the war in Iraq.

Elizabeth Stewart, from Wishaw, Lanarkshire, has four sons in the same regiment of the Royal Artillery.

The two oldest, Sergeants Stuart Campbell, 35, and Robert, 34, fought in the last Gulf War.

But Bombardier Gordon Campbell, 22, and Gunner Scott Campbell, 19, are in the Gulf for the first time.

Normal everyday things

All four have served at different times in Kosovo, Bosnia, and Northern Ireland.

Elizabeth, 54, who uses her maiden name after divorce from the boys' father, said she had not spoken to any of her sons for 10 days.

She said: "I just try to keep my days as normal as possible and continue with normal everyday things.

"I think for them over there to know that things are normal at home will give them a boost."

Elizabeth said she writes regularly, particularly to the younger boys, because they are "fancy free" and have no partner at home.

Elizabeth Stewart's four sons

Her eldest son Stuart has left behind his wife Jenny and children Adam, four, and Sally, 20 months.

Son Robert has left behind wife Yvonne only eight months after their wedding.

Gordon and Scott are both single.

Elizabeth said her boys had been eager to begin their role in the Gulf.

"It was a case of 'let's get away, let's get things done, and let's get home again'."

Draw comfort

She said: "I watch the television in the hope that I will catch a glimpse of at least one of them, if not them all.

"Because of the media coverage, some of the pictures are so clear that you would have a chance of actually seeing them."

All four sons are serving with the 26th Royal Regiment of the Royal Artillery based in Guetersloh, Germany.

Elizabeth said that she hoped her sons would draw comfort from being in the same unit.

"I would like to think if they were needing morale support of some sort they would be able to get it, which is maybe more fortunate than some young lad or young girl who has nobody out there."