Kevin Thompson expected to be sent somewhere neutral

Sam Thompson from Herne, Kent, says she never dreamed her husband Kevin would be sent to the Gulf.

She says soldiers in the Middle East have not got enough to eat.

And she says she has had to contend with people telling her they do not agree with the war - overlooking how distressed she already is.

'Couldn't believe it'

Mr and Mrs Thompson, who have a young family, had discussed the possibility of him being called up, but thought he would be sent somewhere away from the danger zone.

What is my husband doing 20 miles from the border when he's only a part-time soldier? Sam Thompson

She said: "I always assumed that if he was called up, which was in the back of our minds, he would go somewhere like Germany or Belize or the Falklands and relieve regular troops to go to Kuwait.

"When he said Kuwait I couldn't believe it.

"It never entered my head for a second that he would be 20 miles from the border.

Short of food

"I mean, what is my husband doing 20 miles from the border when he's only a part-time soldier?"

Mrs Thompson says her husband has told her he and his colleagues are short of food and she has sent parcels of provisions out to him.

Do people not understand how distressed I am? Sam Thompson

"The only thing we can do to help them from this distance is send them something they might enjoy," she said.

"We're very helpless."

Mrs Thompson said one of the hardest things to cope with is having anti-war feeling thrust in her face at a time when her main concern is for her husband's welfare.

She said: "People who I would class as acquaintances seem to think that I am the right person to come up to and say 'I don't think we should go to war'.

'My husband could die'

"Do people not understand how distressed I am anyway, without feeling they have to rub it in somehow?

"Effectively what they are saying is my husband could die and you don't actually believe it's a good idea.

"What is his life worth if I don't believe in it?

"All I can do is be as good and cope as well as I can here so that he doesn't have to feel guilty about being away."