Married couple spend anniversary on Afghanistan battlefield

Dave and Claire Godfrey spent their first wedding anniversary in Afghanistan where the pair are battling the Taliban.

They met during their army training and married on August 8 last year before they were deployed to the Middle East.

Dave serves as a Captain with the 4th Battalion the Rifles, and Claire, 26, is also a Captain with the 33 Armoured Engineer Squadron.

They are both currently based in Helmand Province and celebrated their one year anniversary at their base.

But instead of champagne and a posh dinner they dined on pizza and coke - because alcohol isn't allowed at the camp.

Dave, 28, said: "'Life is busy but as luck would have it Claire and I are in the same location, which means that we can meet occasionally for lunch or a can of pop in the evenings.

"But out here work really does take priority. You give a lot the army but you get a lot in return, both Claire and I really enjoy our job - the challenge, adventure and lifestyle makes it a real draw.

"While this is our first anniversary, there will be many more that we can celebrate in a more conventional manner."

Dave and Clare, from Bristol, fell in love at the University of Nottingham when they both joined the East Midlands University Officer Training Corps.

They had a five year courtship before Dave staged an elaborate proposal on top of Mount Snowdon when he returned from his first tour of duty in Iraq.

They married last year, in a lavish military ceremony that included a Guard of Honour and two buglers from Dave's regiment.

Dave said: "I had just spent seven months deployed in Iraq and I decided I would propose to Claire.

"We are both keen mountaineers so I hatched a plan to propose to her on top of a Welsh mountain. I got down on one knee and proposed." The couple were deployed to war-torn Afghanistan in June, and feel lucky to have been sent on tour at the same time so they can be together.

The pair, who spent their honeymoon wine tasting in California, plan to celebrate "properly" when they return home with another holiday in the United States.

Claire added: "When we return we will celebrate by going on well earned post-operational tour leave.

"Plans at the moment see us going to America to do some walking in the Smokey Mountains. But hot and sandy is not on list of destinations."

Dave and Claire are set to return home from active duty in October.