Tracey GrayThe wife of a soldier who has written a book about how she coped when her husband served in the Falklands is hoping her story will bring comfort and hope to other wives of serving soldiers.Tracey Gray

The wife of a soldier who has written a book about how she coped when her husband served in the Falklands is hoping her story will bring comfort and hope to other wives of serving soldiers.

Val Slaughter, 63, from Mulbarton, has just published her first book, They Also Serve, about how she and her family coped when her husband Herbie, 65, who was a member of the Royal Artillery, was called on to serve during the Falklands conflict, for five months in 1982.

Writing under the pseudonym Eileen Lake, Mrs Slaughter, who has three children with her husband who at the time were aged 13, 10 and seven, described the funny, lonely and scary moments they faced.

At the time the family were living in Lincoln, but Mrs Slaughter moved back to her native Norfolk and set up home with her husband in Mulbarton in 1983.

She said her hope is the book will help other army wives, including those of soldiers in active service today, and be something they can relate to.

She said: 'I always wanted to write a book about what is was like for us at home, but was inspired after I went to London with my husband in 2007 for celebrations marking the 25th year since the Falklands War.

'My husband took part in a parade down The Mall and everyone was clapping and cheering, then the families of the soldiers were asked to march as well and as we did there were even more claps and cheers. It was then in that instant I thought, yes we did also serve as well, and I wanted to tell the stories of the wives and children and families of the soldiers.'

Her husband joined the army at 16, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather who had both served in the Royal Norfolk Regiment, and served from 1959 until 1984, and then went to work at an engineering firm.

He also completed five tours of Northern Ireland during his career in the forces.

Mrs Slaughter said: 'When I see on the television the soldiers coming home and the joy of their families or in some cases the grief for those not coming back, it still resonates today, you can see what the families are going through.

'I think and hope that service wives will be able to identify with what I have written and it will resonate with them.'

She added: 'I think my husband is really proud of what I have done and I have had some really nice comments from my family and friends about it.

'One of the best things about writing it was that it was very therapeutic.'

To order a copy of the book, visit www.authorhouse.com/bookstore and www.waterstones.co.uk , where it is priced at �8.99.

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