Last updated at 16:32, Monday, 08 February 2010

You have to hand it to those Taliban chaps in Afghanistan, they know how to fight dirty. But they’ve gone too far this time.

All’s fair in love and war, but blowing up food supplies destined for our troops is too much to stomach.

They shot down the helicopter flying to Forward Operating Bases in the Sangin District which meant no fresh deliveries could be supplied.

But our lads are made of stern, inventive stuff.

Thankfully, they’ve also got constitutions of iron.

Because Army chef, Corporal Liam Francis had to come up with menus centred around emergency rations that included that always available standby... Spam.

So he treated the lads to Spam stroganoff, sweet and sour Spam, Spam fritters and Spam carbonara, among other recipes, until fresh supplies resumed six weeks later.

Hmmmm, Joking aside, this is a small but telling example of the tenacity of our troops.

While it’s great that our guys can grit their teeth and get on with life in the face of such adversity, this incident poses two serious questions:

• Why did it take six weeks for another ‘copter to supply fresh food?

• Can’t the Army pack something other than Spam as an emergency ration?

First published at 11:24, Monday, 08 February 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk