THE message has come across loud and clear.

The people of Huddersfield want to save The Duke of Wellington's Regiment.

We asked for your support in the wake of plans by Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon to prune the British Army - with the famous Dukes likely to be among the casualties.

And you responded in your hundreds. At least 300 people sent coupons into the Examiner offices for us to pass on to Mr Hoon, asking him to save the famous regiment.

Many others chose to respond by writing letters to the Editor - clearly demonstrating the strong affinity that the 302-year-old regiment has with Huddersfield.

The regiment's headquarters are in Wellesley Park, Halifax, but for many, many years the recruiting has been done in Huddersfield, in the Holme and Colne Valleys.

Many of those who replied to back our campaign are ex-Dukes, or their relatives.

Mrs Dorothy Firth, of Mirfield, sent in a poignant photograph from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

It bears the inscription: Their Name Liveth For Evermore and was from a cemetery containing the grave of a relative.

Private John William Wallis died at the age of 32 on July 1, 1916, serving with the regiment's 2nd Battalion at the Somme.

He was the husband of Alice Wallis, of Duke Street, Huddersfield, and the son of Joseph Wallis, of Paddock.

Another Somme veteran was Pte E Murphy, who died on September 25, 1916, aged just 26.

"He was my uncle and he is remembered with honour", said Mrs Lena Scholes, of Waterloo.

"Please do not disband his regiment. He died before we were born but his great nephew has been to see his grave and he is still spoken of as though he was still alive".

Mrs Susan Buttle, of Westcroft, Honley, said: "The proposal to get rid of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment is despicable.

"My late father served with the Dukes, both with the TA and through the war. He will be turning in his grave".

Mrs Barbara Dworskyj, of Lindley, said: "My dad Wilfred Lawson was in the Dukes and served in the First World War in France.

"When he returned he was wounded in the chest, back and arm and was badly disabled.

"No-one would employ him so he had a basket and toured the Colne Valley, trying to sell woollen and cotton goods. He was determined not to give in.

"We should keep the regimental name of which he was so proud".

Laura Weedon knows more than most about the anguish that can affect soldiers' families.

Her son Peter, now 20, is currently serving with the Dukes and fought in the last Gulf War.

She said: "He fought for this country in Iraq and is proud of being a Duke".

Mrs Hilda Popiel, 75, of Slaithwaite, saw her father Elliot Bamforth die in his 50s - still bearing the scars of trench warfare from the Great War.

"He was proud to serve the Dukes and he was one of many from Slaithwaite who were called up.

"Many of them never came back and those that did would not talk about what went on.

"Surely they did not die or suffer for nothing?"

Roy Sargent, 66, of Birkby, did his National Service with the Dukes. He spent two years with the regiment, serving in Malta, Cyprus and Northern Ireland.

"I have fond memories of the Dukes. It is a proud regiment with a great history."

READERS who backed the call to arms include:

A Pittendreigh, Kirkheaton; D Deleon, Oakes; S Young, Mirfield; R A Hawkins, Huddersfield; A M Morton, Huddersfield; S Ellis, Kirkburton; S White, Newsome; G Shaw, Huddersfield; A Dollive, Newsome; P Thackray, Moldgreen; P Wike, Lockwood; K Myers, Crosland Moor; I Fillan, Kirkburton; M and P Kaye, Newsome; M Bray, Fenay Bridge; C and R Moorhouse, Oakes; H Wood, South Devon.

N and B Nagle, Netherton; G Wood, Huddersfield; B Wood, Huddersfield; G Gill, Lepton; D Haigh, Waterloo; W Norman, Jackson Bridge; C G R Sargent, Kirkby; D M Firth, Mirfield; H Popiel, Slaithwaite; P Fearnley, Lindley; P Hanley, Berry Brow; H Wilkinson, Deighton; D Wroe, Meltham; L Martin, Newsome; E Holland, Cowcliffe; E Briggs, Bradley; P and E McNulty, Almondbury; R Withington, Cowlersley; L Weedon, Primrose Hill; G P Lawton, Kirkburton; B Senior, Dalton.

B M Taylor, Stocksmoor; S Taylor, Stocksmoor; D J K Cleave, Farnley Tyas; R G E Cleave, Fenay Bridge; J Cleave, Fenay Bridge; P Hellawell, Huddersfield; C M Hellawell, Huddersfield; G Blackmore, Dalton; B M Nuttall, Huddersfield; P Phayer, Kirkheaton; P Lynn, Netherton; J Jackson, Lepton; J Thomas, Huddersfield; B France, Golcar; N Humphreys, Kirkheaton.

S M Asher, Fenay Bridge; J Coldwell, Greetland; A Marsland, Lockwood; B J Osbon, Holmfirth; G A Bamlett, Holmfirth; C White, Holmfirth; D Minogue, Golcar; J A Quinn, Golcar; P Bower, Kirkheaton; A K Swift, Staincliffe;M Cuttell, Holmfirth; D A Longstaff, Waterloo; D Jessop, Lepton; G Fenwick, Birchencliffe; G Hall, Slaithwaite; F Smith, Almondbury.

J Noble, New Mill; S Thorpe, Fenay Bridge; J Thorpe, Fenay Bridge; P Hanson, Crosland Moor; N A Kelly, Dalton; K W Balmforth, Kirkheaton; J Dunne, Marsh; C Higgins, Bradley; A Mann, Dalton; G Thailey, Crosland Moor; G D Machin, Meltham; M Gledhill, Golcar; G Hill, Dalton; J Lawton, Thongsbridge; A Ayres, Bradley; S Gordon, Moldgreen.

D I Whithead, Netherton; P Butcher, Almondbury; J Hirst, Bradley; S L Hirst, Bradley; J Brook, Huddersfield; M Haigh, Oakes; F Shaw, Meltham; J Evans, South Wales; D M Longden, Newsome; M Worsley, Halifax; M A Carter, Lindley; D Starkey, Deighton; A Chadwick, Bradley; A M Diskin, Almondbury; D L Bates, Moldgreen; M Carter, Lepton; H Smith, Sheepridge.

J C Kershaw, Marsden; J Hughes, Birchencliffe; R Sharp, Barnsley; G Pickersgill, Leeds; J Wagner, Holmfirth; R Booth, Slaithwaite; J Shaw, Scissett; K Moorem Marsh; W M Hancock, Edgerton; M Hutchinson, Honley; L Handley, Oakes; G Clarke, Cowlersley; R Wood, Waterloo; G Hodges, Lockwood; G Longden, Huddersfield; L Whitehouse, Marsh; L F Free, Marsh; J Lawton, Meltham; G Peace, New Mill; N Stead, Primrose Hill.

G Hirst, Dalton; J Brook, Lindley; K Horner, Oakes; A E Taylor, Linthwaite; P K Harley, Berry Brow; D Harley, Dalton; S Atkinson, Kirkheaton; D MacLean, Waterloo; J Harrison, Golcar; J Howarth, Meltham; E Bamforth, Marsh; B Stanley, Marsh; D Irman, Birchencliffe; N Lodge, Marsh; A Lodge, Ainley Top; D M Firth, Mirfield; H Thomas, Huddersfield; L Wood, Linthwaite; M Wood, Linthwaite.

D Lockwood, Moldgreen; J M Taylor, Honley; V Doherty, Scissett; P Wilkinson, Lepton; R and H Wood, Clayton West; D L Firth, Almondbury; T Cole, Honley; J Taylor, Kirkheaton; P Daykin, Netherton; H Daykin, Netherton; P A Shires, Huddersfield; M Hutchinson, Longwood; N B Simpson, Beaumont Park; A Smith, Oakes.

L Stott, Mirfield; W R Brown, Slaithwaite; B Field, Kirkheaton; M Milnes, Mirfield; J Lockwood, Thongsbridge; H Sugden, Almondbury; S E Ellen, Fixby; J and H Kelly, Sheepridge; M Leonard, Waterloo; R and E Kelly, Sheepridge; C H snf J Roberts, Oakes; J Wood, Cowlesley; P R Firth, Almondbury.

S Dunnans, Newsome; W Kaye, Longwood; F Grahame, Newsome; R Wood, Honley; D B Pearson, Meltham; G Brown, Golcar; G E James, Crosland Moor; J Jones, Grange Moor; A White, Lindley; L Knight, Longwood; A Mosley, Paddock; B M Hunt, Kirkburton; R Wilson, Almondbury; G Chadwick, Holmfirth; F Dyson, Oakes; Mr and Mrs M Wilson, Holmfirth; B and L Wood, Milnsbridge.

D Sykes, Shepley; C Whiteley, Oakes; B Sykes, Lindley; M and J Leech, Marsh; A North, Armitage Bridge; D Barraclough, Beaumont Park; B Holmes, Armitage Bridge; P Blackburn, Crosland Moor; L Gash, New Mill; M Wilson, Holmfirth; G Brewins, Bradley; J Ambler, Lindley; P Lambert, Cowcliffe; J Powell, Highfields; E and D Clark, Slaithwaite; I Lodge, Oakes; E D Scholes, Deighton.

G Brook, Golcar; K H Oddy, Upper Cumberworth; B Sherwood, Rastrick; B Osborn, Holmfirth; W Ling, Mirfield; D Addy, Newsome; E Robinson, Almondbury; B Roninson, Almondbury; P Turner, Brockholes; I, L, E and S Day, Golcar; D Morelli, Dewsbury; R and J Whiteside, Mirfield; S Graham, Huddersfield; K Machin, Huddersfield; D Barrowclough, Lancs; L M Mitchell, Upper Cumberworth.

C Henderson, Newsome; L G Thirhill, Dalton; K Crossley, Elland; M Swain, Milnsbridge; S M Butler, Honley; G S Donkersley, Golcar; A Stansfield, Newsome;R Slater, Linthwaite; P Longstafe, Waterloo; C Scholes, Waterloo; M Kenyon, Oakes; M A Galvin, Oakes; B Heath, Denby Dale; J Hinchliffe, Meltham; B Curry, Honley; B Armitage, Marsh; C Sutcliffe, Edgerton.

P Hallas, Oakes; J Brown, Slaithwaite; A Watson, Shepley; J Stock, Brighouse; B North, Oakes; K Lockey, Cowersley; G B Sykes, Golcar; D Patrick, Netherton; B W Woodcock, Quarmby; J R Brearley, Golcar; J Taylor, Newsome; P Crowe, Netherton; P Whitmarsh, Netherton; H Wain, Berry Brow; S R Sutton, Huddersfield; C Ford, Honley; B Duransky, Lindley.

A M Maxwel, Golcar; H Sisson, Thongsbridge; E Breanah, Rawthorpe; Shaw, Dalton; A Morris, Slaithwaite; J Toulehr, Lascelles Hall; R Walker, Slaithwaite; J Gill, Elland; D Harrop, York.

P Miller, Birstall; J M Sykes and P Sykes, Newsome; Mrs K Dickinson, Botham Hall; L M Newby, Mirfield;M Hutchinson, Honley; A Cushing, Linthwaite;S M Jaworski, Beaumont Park; Walter Downs, Lepton; Lionel Allen and Jean Allen, Slaithwaite; C M Stansfield, Bradley; J Muslatt, Linthwaite; and J A West, Lepton;J Senior, Marsh; J Jackson, Brighouse; D Dransfield, Bradley.