Good to be back

Photo: Picture: DARREN ROBINSON

FEET up . . . Major Eddy Hardaker enjoys a well-deserved break after returning home from Afghanistan

Major mission over for now

A SOLDIER has returned from his second spell in Afghanistan . . . just in time to celebrate his wife’s birthday.

Major Eddy Hardaker, of Lowerfold Avenue, Heyside, has been washing his kit and catching up on his sleep after a demanding tour.

He left home on his wedding anniversary last October, taking a voluntary team (207 Manchester Field Hospital) to work with wounded soldiers at the British Military Hospital in Camp Bastion.

Father-of-two Eddy, who was second in command, said he was pleased to be back but had enormously appreciated the letters of goodwill and parcels he had received from Oldham and across the North-West.

He said: “It’s great to be home — I’m going to spend some quality time with my family. It’s my wife Viv’s birthday so the timing was perfect!

“It’s been hard out there but you just have to get on with it. One of the big events I missed was the Festival of Remembrance this year in Oldham — it was the 40th year and I have been very involved with the Oldham Tattoo so I was disappointed to miss it.
“But the support I got out there was fantastic. I got parcels from all across the North-West — simple things like a new facecloth, sweets and some shower gel, which meant a lot.”

Eddy, who has previously toured Iraq twice and also served in the Falklands, says he endured some tiring and demanding days at the hospital.

His daily tasks involved caring for wounded soldiers and keeping soldiers up to date with important information.

Eddy added: “The forces are making progress out there — a lot of it isn’t seen at home. But I’ve got no plans to go back out there for at least two, three, or four years.”

While home, Eddy will go back to his job of training up and recruiting TAs.

His tour hasn’t put his son, Adam (22) off as he hopes to go to Sandhurst to join the Army after completing university.