From bombs and Basra to back home for Christmas

Captain Jerome-Alexander Braithwaite, a member of the 256 (City of London) Field Hospital Unit, came under mortar and rocket fire on a daily basis during his time at Camp Dogwood.

He said: "We were flown in under the cover of darkness in helicopters.

"The first night we got there we came under fire from a rocket attack. That was very scary. We had two days of grace after that first attack while we set up the camp and the ward but, after that, we were being rocketed on a daily basis, sometimes two to three times a day.

"They were targeting meal times because they thought we would all be eating together. In the end you could time the attacks. There would be one at 8am, one at midday and then another one at supper time.

"That did not go on for long because they soon realised we were not all eating together.

"There were times when the rounds were hitting so close, some of the mortars and rockets sounded as though they were going to land on us. At one point

our building was hit by shrapnel.

"We were told we were not allowed to go anywhere without our body armour and our rifles loaded so we were ready to go if anything happened at all times."

Captain Braithwaite, a surgical nurse based at Worthing Hospital in civilian life, joined the TA in 1994 and was commissioned in 1998. His love of the military was instilled in him by his great grandfather and grandfather, who served in the First and Second World Wars respectively.

His wife, Jayne, is also a member of the TA and the couple met while on tour in Germany in 1998. In three years of marriage, they have spent only one wedding anniversary together in Britain because of their respective tours.

Captain Braithwaite was deployed to Iraq on Operation Telic 4 in July and his first posting was to the Shaibah Logistics Base, near Basra, where he was team leader of the orthopaedic ward. The hospital catered for military casualties and he was based there for two months.

After Shaibah, Captain Braithwaite was posted to a 10-bed facility in Camp Abu-Naji, just outside Alamarah. He was the officer in charge of the ward but was there for only two weeks before being assigned to Operation Braken with the Black Watch battlegroup.

Captain Braith-waite, who celebrated his 30th birthday in Iraq, called his wife, who was back home in Durrington, to tell her about his new posting.

"Even though she is in the military and she has been out there herself, she had been watching all the reports on the TV and was worried," he said.

"The aim of our role with the Black Watch was to treat the soldiers and get them back with the men as quickly as possible. And we were very successful."

Soldiers who were very seriously injured were treated on the field and flown straight out so Captain Braithwaite said he and his team mainly dealt with shrapnel wounds.

"There were young lads coming in, 18 and 19 years old and they looked so young. They looked like kids.

"It was very humbling for me because they were so professional. All of the people I came into contact with were just exceptional. From the 18 and 19-year-old lads, who just wanted to be patched up and sent back out again as soon as possible, to the experienced soldiers and officers. I was hoping I would get the chance to serve my country. I am patriotic and I wanted to do my bit. It was challenging times with the Black Watch but something I will remember forever."

Captain Braithwaite also praised staff and colleagues at Worthing Hospital who were so understanding when he told them he had been called up on tour.

"They sent me letters and parcels and have just been excellent."

In recognition of his role in Operation Telic, Captain Braithwaite has been presented with an operational medal for his contribution to the peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts in Iraq.