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Flying the flag for Lee
From the Bolton Evening News, first published Monday 14th Jul 2003.
A COUPLE are flying the flag in support of their soldier grandson who is fighting in Iraq with the British forces.
Bill and Ann Dwyer, both aged 63, are flying the Union flag and have also attached yellow ribbons to their door and windows.
They are among scores of residents throughout Bolton who are expressing their support for the UK troops.
Mr and Mrs Dwyer have attached the large Union flag to the front of their Tonge Moor Road home.
The couple's grandson Lee Dwyer is in souther Iraq with the 16th air assault brigade and is believed to be near to the oil fields in Rumaila. He was transferred to the Paratroop regiment and received infantry training just before war broke out.
His grandfather Bill said: "We just wanted to give a bit more support to our troops. We're watching the news constantly and are worried about Lee.
"We saw on the television that a lot of houses in America were flying the flag and decided it was a good way of expressing our feelings. We got the flag from an army store and tied yellow ribbons to the door and window as a symbol of hope.
"It would be nice if more people wanted to do it because the troops are seeing the television and they need to know they have our support and encouragement from people back home."
Another resident William Sterling is one of the other residents who is also display a union jack flag outside his house on Thicketford Road.
The 71-year-old said: "We have no one in the British forces but felt compelled to show our support for the families of the soldiers who have."
His daughter, Angela Sterling, is flying the flag outside her home in Crompton Way. She said: "We have got to back the troops out there because they are British. I feel very strongly about that and don't feel there are enough people showing their support for them."
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