By Ralph Barnett

Aberdeen lad Stuart Morrice used to be a swimming instructor at council-run pools in the Granite City but is now in one of the driest places in the world— the vast deserts of Helmand province in Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Morrice (26) studied sport in his native city but after a short time realised, like many fellow members of 45 Commando, that he wanted to do a bit more.

He said, “It’s certainly exciting enough out here in my day-to-day job, looking after the ammunition side of things with the mentoring team for the Afghan National Army battalion we are working with, organising ammo storage and convoy moves and that sort of thing.

“It’s actually been really good fun working with the ANA because they really seem to be keen on getting themselves trained up to a level where they can take over security in their country and allow the British and other coalition forces to go home, although I do believe it’s going to take quite a few years before that will happen.

“Working with the Afghans makes you feel like you’re making a difference and, although we have a great team of interpreters working alongside us, it can be a struggle sometimes.

“I’ve been in the marines for five years now and was with the Fleet Protection Group at Faslane before joining 45 Commando at RM Condor.

“Apart from Afghanistan, I’ve also been in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Gibraltar and Kenya, so I’ve seen a lot more of the world than I would have if I’d carried on being a swimming teacher in Aberdeen.

“When I’m not out on exercise, on operational duty or at Condor, I live in Aberdeen with my girlfriend Sarah Adu and our eight-year-old son Kai.

“I speak to him and Sarah on the phone every night if I can and they’re both OK about me being out here, although they obviously worry when they hear about some of the things that have been happening and I don’t think Kai really understands too much about what I’m doing over here.

“It’s not really as bad out here as some of the media coverage would make you think—the conditions in camp are pretty good and the food is all right as well, so I don’t really have much to complain about.”