TWO Swarthmoor soldiers representing their country in the Gulf could be home soon - one of them as soon as next week.

Corporal Colin Opie, 26, was posted to Kuwait about 11

weeks ago and Private Shaun Cloudsdale, 23, about eight weeks ago.

Both are usually based in Germany. Corporal Opie is with the 212 Signal Squadron, which is allied to the UK Armoured Division Signal Regiment, and Private Cloudsdale is with the 12th Royal Artillery.

Both soldiers, former pupils at Ulverston Victoria High School, have written numerous airmail letters to their families while fighting the war in Iraq. When they made contact last week both said they could be home within weeks.

Corporal Opie's mum, Olive Opie, of Park Avenue, said he had rung his wife, Emma, who is also in the army and based in Germany with their eight-month old son Kian, last Thursday.

"He told her that he was fine and that he was hoping to be home in the next eight to ten weeks. He will go back to Germany first but then I think he will come to visit us. It is such great news because I know he is safe and I could be seeing him soon. They have done such a great job out there," she said.

Corporal Opie's troop followed American soldiers into Iraq. He is now positioned at the main army headquarters and is working 12-hour days.

Private Cloudsdale could be back in Swarthmoor as early as next week. His mum Lesley, of Crosslands Close, said: "He rang last week and said he was okay and that he could be home in about two weeks. We haven't heard anything from him in the last week. In one way it's worse now because we don't see what's happening on the news so we don't exactly know where he is or what he is doing."

When first posted to Kuwait, Private Cloudsdale was looking after the prisoners of war. Mrs Cloudsdale said she thought he was now guarding oil fields.

April 24, 2003 15:30