As soldiers from 32 Regiment, Royal Artillery based at Larkhill prepared to go into action in the Gulf last week, the regular Wednesday morning get together by wives and families for coffee and cakes at the Larkhill Community Centre took on a greater significance.

The 400 soldiers in the gulf with the regiment, have left about 150 wives and partners and as many children at home. Twenty-one are pregnant and are expecting to give birth while their husbands are away. Two married couples have deployed with the regiment.

The regiment's welfare officer, Major Steve Wallis said the family coffee mornings were held every week even when the soldiers are at home.

"It's not just because we are on operations," he said. "It's a regular, informal occasion for the ladies to get together and swap news and it also gives them an opportunity to whinge at me as the welfare officer."

Maj Wallis has been in the army for 37 years and has, he says, served just about everywhere. "The most important thing of this job is to provide stability and a point of contact."

The commanding officer, Lt Col Mark Lacey, is sending back a weekly report from the Gulf. "He tells us what the soldiers are doing, but not where they are or anything about the operation," said Maj Wallis.

"He tells us about the living conditions, what they're eating, and whether they have managed to get a shower - things like that."

Mrs Mirjam Lacey said the wives were, of course, worried about their husbands, it was only natural. But they were all used to their husbands being away, although not on operations like this.