Soldiers join internet group

Membership of the Facebook page set up by the Advertiser in honour of the Mercians’ parade is growing.

Members include Private Damian Mackenzie, a Mercian soldier from Newark, and his girlfriend, Abbi Johnson of Chatsworth Road, Newark, who is pregnant with their first child and writes how she will be there supporting “her brave man and daddy to be.”

Another member commends 2 Mercian’s achievements and points out that the Queen’s Royal Lancers are currently posted to Afghanistan and says they count among their number at least six Newark boys and urges support for them too.

Lance-corporal Johno Lee, of Coddington, of 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, signed up from Antigua, where he is taking part in the 605 nautical mile RORC Caribbean 600 yacht race.

He is part of a crew of 14 British Servicemen and ex-Servicemen who have lost limbs in conflicts.

Lance-corporal Lee lost his right leg below the knee when the vehicle he was in was blown up in Helmand Pro- vince, Afghanistan, in 2007.

To join the group follow the link from www.newarkadver tiser.co.uk or type 2 Mercian into the Facebook search engine.