A FORMER Tavistock College student who has just returned from the Gulf has expressed appreciation for the packages sent by the people of the town as a result of the collection at the post office.
Mark Biggadike, whose parents Brian and Diane live in the town, was also a 2312 (Tavistock) ATC cadet. He returned from action last Sunday week and spoke of the overwhelming support from the local community.
?I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude to the people of Tavistock and Whitchurch for their good wishes and encouragement during the conflict. I was overwhelmed by the number of messages of support and ?aid? parcels sent from Tavistock Post Office to myself and my colleagues,? he said.
Mark, who is now a Flt Lt in the RAF, was serving with Oxfordshire-based 33 Squadron, flying Puma helicopters in support of British troops. The squadron was responsible for inserting troops on to Iraq?s Al-faw peninsula on the first day of the war.
?It was an exciting and nerve-racking day,? said Mark. ?We were dropping in members of 42 Commando Royal Marines from Plymouth, so for me it was a truly local affair!?
Further into the conflict, the squadron operated in a casualty evacuation role, moving injured troops from the front line back to the field hospitals. ?The flying was pretty hairy; we were operating in a high-threat environment at extreme low level, picking up some seriously injured guys,? said Mark.
Mark spent last week relaxing in Tavistock with his fiancée Erika visiting family and friends while re-adjusting to the UK climate.