By Craig Smith

A FIFE Black Watch veteran has used the fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq to call for an end to the bloodshed by bringing our troops home.

The call comes on a particularly poignant day for those across the country who have lost loved ones in the long conflict. It is exactly five years to the day that the war in Iraq began and since then a total of 175 British service personnel have been killed while serving their country.

Scone Black Watch soldier Lance Corporal Barry Stephen (31) was the first Scot to die, in a grenade attack near Az Zubayr on March 24, 2003.

Fife has seen more than its fair share of heartache over the years, with seven young Black Watch soldiers from the kingdom making the ultimate sacrifice.

In 2004 alone, Private Marc Ferns (21), from Glenrothes, Private Kevin McHale (27), from Lochgelly, Private Paul Lowe (19), from Kelty, Sergeant Stuart Gray (31), from Dunfermline and Private Scott McArdle (22), from Glenrothes, all died while on peacekeeping duties.

They were followed in 2007 by Private Jamie Kerr (20), from Cowdenbeath, and Private Scott Kennedy (20), of Oakley, who lost their lives when a roadside bomb went off while they were on patrol in Basra.

Arbroath-based marines from RM Condor have suffered particularly badly over the five years. The victims were: Marine Gary Wright (22), Corporal Ben Nowak (27), Marine Jonathan Wigley (21), Lance Bombardier James Dwyer (22), Lance Corporal Mathew Ford (30), Marine Jonathan Holland (23) and WO2 Michael Smith (39).

Tragedy stemming from the Iraq conflict even touched the sleepy fishing village of Pittenweem, which had to mourn the loss of local woman Fiona Watson in August, 2003—just five months after fighting began.

Miss Watson (35) was one of more than 20 people killed when a massive truck bomb devastated the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad.

Rob Scott, chairman of The Black Watch Association Fife, said the protracted nature of the conflict meant that milestones like today’s simply bring back terrible memories for the family and friends of those who lost their lives.

With thousands more people still very much in the firing line, either directly or indirectly, Mr Scott said it was time for Prime Minister Gordon Brown to end the daily heartache felt by families across the country.

“It’s five years since the war started but although the war only lasted two weeks, we have had a lot more people killed since it finished than during the actual conflict—it’s absolutely not on,” he said.

“It’s about time we called it a day and (started) asking why we are continuing to keep bringing body bags back to our county.

“I wrote to Gordon Brown to say that the decision to fight in Iraq would result in bodies being brought back to Fife and all I got back was [a reply] to say that the contents of my letter had been noted.

“We have to give those who are out there 100% support, and that’s what’s happening—in my area, people are sending out parcels all the time—but the underlying thing is that they shouldn’t be there in the first place.

“We are ultimately now just a peacekeeping force but the bodies are still coming back—let them keep their own peace.”

A small memorial service was held at the new Glenrothes war memorial yesterday to pay tribute to Pte Ferns and Pte McArdle but their families, although represented, were understandably reluctant to commemorate the occasion.

“Commemorate is completely the wrong word—we should be hanging our heads in shame that this conflict is continuing,” Mr Scott said. “We are still losing people and people are still coming back in body bags because they have given the ultimate sacrifice.

“The families are not allowed to close the book and they wish it would just stop but every time they turn on the TV or pick up a paper it’s a reminder.

“They’ve obviously got their own thoughts but it would be nice for them to have some sort of closure.”

Mr Scott said his grandson Charles (22), one of five generations of his family who have served in The Black Watch, has decided to leave the armed forces.

“He was serving in Iraq but then he was told he was due to go to Afghanistan in 2009 so he decided to come out of it; he said he didn’t see the sense of it and I agree with him,” he added. “We’re robbing Peter to pay Paul and we’re sending young men out to Afghanistan to be part of another terrible situation.”