MORE than 12,000 football fans observed an impeccable minute’s silence in memory of the six soldiers who died in Afghanistan before Huddersfield Town’s home game against Rochdale.
Lance Cpl Jason Peddlety and Pte Adam Fieldhouse, from the Yorkshire Regiment led the sides out before kick-off and as the players and match officials stood around the centre circle for the silence, the pair lined up on the touchline alongside members of the families of the three Huddersfield soldiers killed as well as Town directors and the management teams from both clubs.
At half-time, the 12,142 fans present – including 746 from Rochdale – rose to applaud the two soldiers as they walked around the pitch.
Meanwhile, the 275 runners taking part in the Huddersfield park run held a minute’s applause for the fallen soldiers before the weekly 5km Saturday morning event at Greenhead Park.
A minute’s silence was also held before the Honley Male Voice Choir concert at St Mary’s Church in Honley on Saturday.
The event was a free concert for the choir’s friends.
The choir then dedicated the song Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again to the six fallen servicemen.
Meanwhile, Huddersfield soldier Corporal Philip Shaw is making final preparations alongside his colleagues in the 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment to deploy to the frontline in Helmand Province.
And they do so in the knowledge that six of their comrades were killed there less than a week ago.
Cpl Shaw, 25, and the dad of nine-week old Charlie, is from Quarmby.
He was a friend of Cpl Jake Hartley, and also knew Privates Daniel Wilford and Anton Frampton, who also came from the town. Now hundreds more troops are set to deploy next month to support Operation Herrick 16.
Cpl Shaw, who grew up in the Colne Valley, said: “I knew the lads who died and it does make you apprehensive.
“We were all terribly shocked by what happened but we have a job to do.
“We are determined to get out there and get on with the job. We have been training hard for months and we now just want to get on with the task.
“Everyone is apprehensive about going into a hostile environment but we have had excellent training”.
Cpl Shaw, who enlisted at the age of 17 in 2003, will help command a half-platoon when his unit is deployed.
They will mount patrols throughout Helmand and run checkpoints.
He was speaking during a final training exercise on Salisbury Plain before the Yorkshire soldiers – along with hundreds more – are deployed.
He had also enjoyed home leave with his partner Sarah and their new baby son.
That gave him the chance to see his mother Rosemary, of Longwood, and dad Richard.
“They will definitely be worried about me, as will Sarah, but equally they are proud of what I am doing.
“I have served in Iraq in the past and now I’m going to Afghanistan and I’m ready for the challenge”.
