TA veteran meets PM

6:42am Sunday 20th July 2008

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The Territorial Army has taken Carl Alford to two of the world's war zones.

But on Wednesday the young soldier had a different kind of duty - visiting 10 Downing Street for a celebration of the TA's 100th anniversary.

Rifleman Alford, from North Way, Oxford, was one of 29 part-time soldiers invited to a reception with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Mr Brown thanked the soldiers, who were joined at the event by their employers, for their commitment and service to the armed forces.

Rfn Alford, 23, who works at Lucy's Switchgear, in Thame, said: "It was a good day out, but I didn't get a chance to speak to Gordon Brown personally. He spoke to a few soldiers and a made a speech - it was a really good reception.

"I did manage to speak to (Defence Secretary) Des Browne about the TA, about how it's changed, what it's done for me as a person and how my employers have supported me. It's not every day you get to go to Downing Street and meet the Prime Minister. It was certainly special."

Rfn Alford, a member of 7 Rifles, based at Slade Barracks, in Headington, served in the Iraqi city of Basra in 2005, then went to Helmand Province, in Afghanistan, last year, returning home in March.

Lucy's UK operations manager Kevin Quinell, who also attended the reception, said: "We have a couple of lads working for us who are in the TA and it's something we're proud to support."