Mother to join son on battlefield

Debbie Aylett says she has mixed feelings about going to Afghanistan

A hospital nurse from Hampshire who is also a major in the Territorial Army (TA) is to become the first mother to join her son on the battlefield.

Debbie Aylett, 48, from Southsea, goes to the front line in Afghanistan in the new year where her son, Tom, 22, is already serving.

As an army major she is senior in rank to Tom who is a marine in 40 commando.

"I've already told him to call me ma'am and not mum," she said, adding that it was "a bit bizarre".

She added: "I never thought I would be in the same theatre of war as Tom but it will be good.

Realistic about danger

"I have mixed feelings about going but I do want to do what I have been training for although I am slightly apprehensive as I haven't done a tour of duty before," the mother-of-two said.

Mrs Aylett, who works as a ward sister in the cardiac department of the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, volunteered to serve for three months in the war-torn country.

She will fly out on 11 January to help run 243 Field hospital at Camp Bastion in Helmand province.

"I have to be realistic about the risk of Tom getting hurt. I cannot guarantee it will not happen because that is the sort of chance he takes in his job.

"But I would rather be out there if anything happens to him. At least me and my colleagues can use all our medical skills to help him."

Mrs Aylett joined the TA eight years ago while Tom, her elder son, who joined the Royal Marines four years ago, is on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.