Girls fight it out for their men

THE women who have to tough it out while their Commando husbands, fiancés and boyfriends are putting their lives on the line are planning to show just how tough they can be.

Among them will be friends of Royal Marines who have been wounded or killed in Afghanistan or in training to deploy there.

The commando 'WAGs' all met through a support group on the Internet social networking site Facebook.

Now they are planning to tackle the gruelling Royal Marine Commando assault course — seven miles of running, climbing and coping with obstacles and underground tunnels.

They aim to raise money for the Help for Heroes charity which supplies medial treatment and physiotherapy for injured soldiers.

Helping to organise the event is Gen Odoni, a former Totnes schoolgirl who is engaged to Royal Marine Commando Shaun Vaughey who is due to be deployed in Afghanistan next month.

Gen, aged 18, who lives in South Brent, said the 23 women who will be taking on the commando endurance course come from all over the country — from Leeds to Barnstaple.

Many will not even have met one another until they get together in October for the challenge.

But they are all drawn together by the very real fears for the safety of their men folk who are faced with death and injury in the battle hotspots of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Gen said: “This has been one of the toughest things I have ever had to do in my life.

“It has changed my life completely being with somebody in the armed forces. Just recently we have had to get personal accident insurance and life insurance and write Shaun's will. It's an unspeakable thing to have to do.”

One of the girls taking part will be Stephanie Smith from Grimsby whose friend Trooper Robert Pearson from the Queen's Royal Lancers was killed in Afghanistan in April.

Another is Lorna Butler from Wigan, whose partner, a Royal Marine with 40 Commando, was shot and wounded in the thigh in Afghanistan and is still undergoing treatment.

Another is Charlotte Herd-Smith from London whose ex-boyfriend Jamie Hutton from 42 Commando was recently killed in a training accident.

Gen went to Jamie's funeral with Charlotte to give her support.

The teenager, who is working at a market research company in Ashburton before taking up a place at Plymouth University to study three dimensional design, added: “It's an indescribable feeling — a real sick feeling in your stomach — when you realise what can happen.”

She said that some of the WAGs had done a similar fundraising event last year along the Commandos' three-mile endurance course after meeting up on Facebook.

Since then more have been in contact and now a total of 23 will be taking part in the challenge on Sunday, October 12.

They are calling the group Team Essence, made up of Royal Marine wives, girlfriends and fiancés.

“We all met through a support group on Facebook. It is tough having a relationship with someone in the military and you often need some support. Some of us have not even met one another yet.”

They are hoping to raise more than £2,000 for the Help for Heroes charity.

Said Gen: “It is a scary thought, and one we don't like to think about often, but it is of great comfort to us knowing that if the unthinkable were to happen, fantastic organisations such as Help for Heroes would be there to give our other halves the best care possible.

“They help our injured heroes by supporting them through various stages of medical treatments, rehab, physiotherapy, and help to provide them with opportunities that will enable them to rebuild their lives, become as independent as possible and hopefully fulfil their potential again.”

To sponsor the team log on to http://www.justgiving.com/team_essence