Mothers of soldiers WILL go to memorial

Sons’ wives sacrifice their invites to Afghanistan service for grieving parents.

Two mums WILL attend a service honouring their Afghan war hero sons after the soldiers’ wives gave up their places at the ceremony.

Our story last week revealed how families of fallen service personnel were fuming over a snub which meant only next of kin and a “plus one” had been invited to a mass service for troops killed during the 13-year conflict.

Some, like Jacquie McDonald and Janette Binnie, were left heartbroken by the arrangement.

They were told they could not go to the March 13 service at St Paul’s Cathedral as invitations had only been sent to VIPs, politicians and the dead’s next of kin.

In the case of Jacquie, 53, and Janette, 57, it was their sons’ wives who received the invites and as neither mum had kept in contact with them they’d have to miss out.

But in a dramatic turnaround, both wives have offered to forego the ceremony, allowing Jacquie, of Edinburgh, and Janette, of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, to pay tribute to their sons, both named Sean, in the run up to Mothering Sunday.

“Sean’s wife can’t go so has kindly passed her invite and the ‘plus one’ on to me,” said Jacquie. “I’ll take another of the mums who lost her son and otherwise would be denied a chance to go,” she said. “With so little recognition from the MoD, we have to support each other.”

Janette, whose son Sean was killed in Helmand Province in 2009, added: “Our daughter-in-law gave us her tickets and myself and Sean’s father will be attending.

“However, it’s still wrong. We shouldn’t have to wait until widows say they are not attending. Parents should have been a major priority when planning this service.”

The Sunday Post has been swamped with support for parents, and calls for the MoD to switch the service to a larger venue, after it was revealed that only half of the tickets will go to families of fallen soldiers.

The rest of the 2,000 strong congregation will be made up of dignitaries, Army personnel and supporting organisations.

Gemma Frampton’s brother, Anthony, was killed in service in Afghanistan after being blown up by a roadside bomb two years ago. He was just two weeks into his first tour.

“What about parents and siblings?” Gemma, 28, of Huddersfield, said. “The only reason we are able to go is because Anthony wasn’t married.”

Army mum Dee Edwards, of Caernarfon, North Wales, who has watched generations of her family serve in the forces, and campaigned against cuts to the British Army, added: “Why can’t they change the venue? When someone dies it affects the whole family, not just the widows and parents.

“David Cameron is totally out of touch with forces’ families far less backbone than Sir Winston Churchill and less than Maggie Thatcher.”

Others branded the MoD’s lack of consideration for parents of the 453 people who died in the Afghan campaign “shocking”, “disgusting” and “wrong”.

Last night a spokesman for the MoD said: “Unavoidably limited capacity at St Paul’s means we are unable to include everyone who would wish to attend.

“But by reserving half of the congregation places we are ensuring that two people with close ties to anyone who lost their life in Afghanistan can attend.”