Mum's squaddie sons home safe... and parade with pride

19/07/2008

Of all the friends and parents lining the streets for the heroes’ homecoming parade, none were more proud – and more relieved – than Jane Kilby.

For Jane was welcoming home not one, but three sons from the dangers of service in Iraq.

Band of brothers Lance Corporal Chris Kilby, 22, and Privates Michael Kilby, 21, and Darren Kilby, 18, left home together last November to serve in the war-torn country with the 1st Mercian (Cheshire) batallion.

And yesterday – to their mum Jane’s huge relief – they returned as heroes, marching with 650 comrades through the streets of Chester in front of flag-waving, cheering crowds .

Jane, 39, said: “It was horrible when they left, and there were some worrying times when they were out there. So to see them back was a huge relief.

“I feel so proud of my sons… I don’t think people appreciate what an incredible job they are all doing out there.

“They have made everyone proud. I am particularly glad my boys are safe – but I am pleased everyone from the batallion is back in one piece.”

Jane, from Darlington, told how she lived through the nightmare of several phone calls from her sons in which she could actually hear their bases coming under attack.

On one occasion her eldest son Chris had phoned from Baghdad. In the middle of the call he had yelled: “Got to go Mum!” as the call cut out and Jane heard a huge thud.

“I knew from the sound down the phone that it was an attack,” Jane said.

“It is not the only time I have been speaking to one of my children in Iraq and heard that sound. There have been two or three times.”

She admits that having all three out there at the same time made things so much harder for her.

“I got calls at 3am because that was the only time they could call,” she said. “And getting a phone call in the middle of the night is frightening because you think something may have happened.

“These last six months I have been living by the radio and TV, checking on the news whenever I could.”

Jane has split from her sons’ father Barry, and is  now married to George – a corporal in the same regiment as her boys. Luckily for Jane, George did not go on this recent tour of Iraq.

And now her youngest son, Jonathan, 12, wants to join the Army.

During their spell in Iraq the brothers were separated, with Chris based in Baghdad while Michael and Darren served in Basra and Um Qasar in Southern Iraq.

Chris said: “It was hard because although we were with the same regiment in the same country we were miles apart.

“You think about your brothers and how they are getting on, but there is nothing you can do to help them. You just hope that if something does happen, their training will kick in and keep them safe.”

Yesterday Jane was flanked by her sons as she said: “I cried  when I watched them leave. But I can’t describe how wonderful it is to have them home.”