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| Afghan blog brings soldier fame | Afghan blog brings soldier fame |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| By Bob Walker BBC News Michael Saunders: His tone has become more reflective | By Bob Walker BBC News Michael Saunders: His tone has become more reflective |
| A blogging soldier is bringing home the realities of life in a combat zone through a series of regular messages to his hometown pub. | A blogging soldier is bringing home the realities of life in a combat zone through a series of regular messages to his hometown pub. |
| E-mails from Colour Sergeant Michael Saunders, currently on a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan, are proving popular amongst customers of the Marwood pub in Worcester. | E-mails from Colour Sergeant Michael Saunders, currently on a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan, are proving popular amongst customers of the Marwood pub in Worcester. |
| It was William Howard Russell who was the first to use modern technology to inform the public about real life on the front line. | It was William Howard Russell who was the first to use modern technology to inform the public about real life on the front line. |
| The Times correspondent's despatches by telegraph from the battlefields of the Crimea in 1854 shocked a public who up until then had only read glorified military accounts of derring-do. | The Times correspondent's despatches by telegraph from the battlefields of the Crimea in 1854 shocked a public who up until then had only read glorified military accounts of derring-do. |
| He was followed by the soldier-poets of WWI, who strove to paint a realistic picture of life in the trenches, both in their verse and in letters home to loved ones. | He was followed by the soldier-poets of WWI, who strove to paint a realistic picture of life in the trenches, both in their verse and in letters home to loved ones. |
| I was caused to reflect that perhaps we were destined to be another force who ...would ultimately fail to secure a lasting peace Michael Saunders Michael Saunders' blog | I was caused to reflect that perhaps we were destined to be another force who ...would ultimately fail to secure a lasting peace Michael Saunders Michael Saunders' blog |
| Now in the era of e-mails, websites and blogs, families and friends can catch up with the latest news from the troops within days or hours. | Now in the era of e-mails, websites and blogs, families and friends can catch up with the latest news from the troops within days or hours. |
| In the United States some military bloggers have become media stars, ending up with lucrative book deals. | In the United States some military bloggers have become media stars, ending up with lucrative book deals. |
| And in a smaller yet deeply personal way, Colour Sergeant Michael Saunders is adding to the tradition of military wordsmiths. | And in a smaller yet deeply personal way, Colour Sergeant Michael Saunders is adding to the tradition of military wordsmiths. |
| He e-mails his thoughts to his sister Tracy Tyrls, who prints them out and pins them to the wall of the high street pub for all to see. | He e-mails his thoughts to his sister Tracy Tyrls, who prints them out and pins them to the wall of the high street pub for all to see. |
| The blog also appears on the regiment's website, where it can be read by comrades in Afghanistan and family back in the UK. | The blog also appears on the regiment's website, where it can be read by comrades in Afghanistan and family back in the UK. |
| Michael describes life in the Mercian Regiment, partly made up of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, currently in Helmand Province working as mentors to the Afghan National Army. | |
| His sister Tracy said it was Michael's idea to try and portray an accurate picture about events in Afghanistan and the feelings of an ordinary soldier. | His sister Tracy said it was Michael's idea to try and portray an accurate picture about events in Afghanistan and the feelings of an ordinary soldier. |
| "How many of us really understand the situation in Afghanistan?" she said. | "How many of us really understand the situation in Afghanistan?" she said. |
| Michael's niece Charlotte has seen another side to her uncle | Michael's niece Charlotte has seen another side to her uncle |
| "I didn't - and Michael's my brother." | "I didn't - and Michael's my brother." |
| Tracy said that appetite runs high amongst Marwood regulars for the day-to-day details of a soldier's life. | Tracy said that appetite runs high amongst Marwood regulars for the day-to-day details of a soldier's life. |
| "You tend to find - even on a Friday or Saturday night when we're busy - there'll be someone standing at the wall having a quick read, catching up and asking when the next one's coming," she said. | "You tend to find - even on a Friday or Saturday night when we're busy - there'll be someone standing at the wall having a quick read, catching up and asking when the next one's coming," she said. |
| Tracy said her brother is rapidly developing a reputation for his descriptive prose. | Tracy said her brother is rapidly developing a reputation for his descriptive prose. |
| Michael's first posts were a potted history of Afghanistan's troubled past and details of his journey to the country, interspersed with vivid descriptions of the desert landscape. | Michael's first posts were a potted history of Afghanistan's troubled past and details of his journey to the country, interspersed with vivid descriptions of the desert landscape. |
| He writes of the "great plains of nothingness" in between southern Afghanistan's scattered villages, the distorting shimmers of heat and the "impression of seeing life in reverse through the mirror of a giant pond". | He writes of the "great plains of nothingness" in between southern Afghanistan's scattered villages, the distorting shimmers of heat and the "impression of seeing life in reverse through the mirror of a giant pond". |
| 'Talented side' | 'Talented side' |
| As he moved closer to the front line, so Michael's tone has become more reflective and philosophical. | As he moved closer to the front line, so Michael's tone has become more reflective and philosophical. |
| In his latest message he writes: "I was caused to reflect that perhaps we were destined to be another force who even through noble intentions, would ultimately fail to secure a lasting peace either by military or political means." | In his latest message he writes: "I was caused to reflect that perhaps we were destined to be another force who even through noble intentions, would ultimately fail to secure a lasting peace either by military or political means." |
| It is a sobering thought that the Mercian Regiment lost nine men during their last visit to Afghanistan. | |
| Michael's niece Charlotte says she is seeing a side of her uncle she knew nothing about. | Michael's niece Charlotte says she is seeing a side of her uncle she knew nothing about. |
| She said: "I've seen him as the macho uncle always there to look out for me. I don't see the talented side of him in that (writing) sense." | She said: "I've seen him as the macho uncle always there to look out for me. I don't see the talented side of him in that (writing) sense." |
| Soon, Michael's thoughts may not be restricted to just family and friends. | Soon, Michael's thoughts may not be restricted to just family and friends. |
| There are plans to move his blog to the Ministry of Defence website, where people all over the world will be able to catch up on a serving soldier's musings. | There are plans to move his blog to the Ministry of Defence website, where people all over the world will be able to catch up on a serving soldier's musings. |