Tax reduction hopes dashed

The Rushcliffe MP, Mr Ken Clarke, was given special dispensation for his wife to claim single person’s occupancy at his West Bridgford home because he was in London so often.

When Captain Doug Hallam wrote to his local council asking to be afforded the same financial assistance because he was posted to Helmand Province for six months, the answer was no.

“I was disgusted,” said Captain Hallam, who has risen through the ranks.

“I wrote back saying ‘thanks for supporting the troops’.”

Captain Hallam was the last permanent senior instructor with the Newark Territorial Army battalion at Sherwood Avenue, Newark.

Doug, who grew up in Edwinstowe and now lives in Erewash, is known to all as Dog.

Doug is not not the name he was christened with.

He was told that when he was commissioned he could no longer be referred to as Dog so changed his name to Doug by deed poll.

Doug said the tour seemed to be passing quickly, although his wife said she felt it was the longest one he had been on.

Captain Hallam said: “We lost nine guys killed last time and that is always going to be at the front of anyone’s mind back at home.

“The country seems to be more behind us though and the lads need to feel that.

“For once the military is getting some recognition.

“We don’t choose the locations we go to — we just do the best job that we can when we are there.

“The biggest threat to us is the improvised explosive devices — that and the uncertainty.

“This has been a tough week, someone has died virtually every day in Helmand. Things are hotting up again.”

Captain Hallam is based at Camp Shorabak, which he describes as an oasis of calm in a desert fraught with danger.

The 44-year-old said: “This is a young man’s war. What we guys did in Northern Ireland was a children’s playground in comparison but we can offer the young ones our old heads by way of experience. I have had virtually every job in this battalion.”

As transport officer he is responsible for a huge daily logistics operation, organising flights, convoys, and cargo and passengers to and from any number of locations, from the forward operating bases to the bigger camps and airfields.

He deals with the routine, the unexpected and has to organise extractions or reinforcements when the going gets tough.

Now that the Taliban are picking up the pace of attacks, he is busier than ever and says that he must use not just the might of the RAF air assets, but those of other coalition forces to get the job done.