"[My husband] was a bit quiet. He'd obviously just heard about the deployment being confirmed, but he's ready to go and do what he's got to do. I think he knew deep down that he was going to go.

"The biggest thing that's worrying everybody is the fact that the Americans work differently, as far as I can gather.

"Then again, Black Watch is a senior regiment and I'm sure they'll be fine. They've got a job to do and they know what they're doing. So hopefully they'll be alright."

"They've been in Kosovo, they've been in Bosnia, they've been in Iraq last year, they've been to Northern Ireland. All of these are areas where there's danger.

"There are areas in Bosnia and Kosovo where they've had to work with the Americans. I can't see really that there's too much difference in what they are going through now."

"We found out about two and a half weeks ago. It was just a rumour, but it soon spread and it stirred up a hornet's nest. It's definitely a political move.

"Blair is doing it to shore up power for Bush in his election.

"I'm not angry he's out there fighting - that's his job - but I'm angry that we were lied to. If they'd got the job done in the first place it would be fine, but they are going to face problems, they will be targets because the enemy is going to know they are coming."

"A lot of the press has been very, very negative and that is the hardest part - dealing with the negative press. One headline, for instance, in one of the national newspapers about Black Watch said 'Merry Christmas, welcome to hell'.

"That's not what you want your 13-year-old daughter reading. That was based on pure speculation, because there were no details whatsoever released to the press or ourselves at the time. So, it was just speculation."

"I found out through the media. We were kept in the dark, despite what Blair says about us being told. Maybe some of the married personnel were informed but not families of those soldiers who are not married.

"At the end of the day they are soldiers, even if it's three miles up road or 3,000, they have a job to do.

"But home for Christmas? Wrong - Blair can't guarantee it and if he says he can, I'd like it in writing.

"It's the same with [UK Defence Secretary] Geoff Hoon saying it's weeks not months, they cannot guarantee it and the US would admit the same.

"But [my son] Tony's a professional soldier, I've got no problems accepting the job that he's doing and I support him 100%."

"If you've got a decision, you can plan your life, you can get on with it.

"In a way I find it quite reassuring that it's based on a military decision - to me that's far more reassuring than a political decision.

"We haven't really talked about [what lies ahead] because when he phones me, he wants to hear about me and the children. But he did say to me he didn't think it would be any less friendly than the areas they have been into. It has been made out that it will be a lot worse, but in his opinion he doesn't think it will be hugely worse."

"We are absolutely angry. There is no need for them to go there. We think that this is a political decision.