Dear Soldier, Thank you, you are amazing - Newport pupils pen letters to military

But youngsters at Moorfield Primary School in Newport were overwhelmed with the responses they received – and got more than they bargained for when two soldiers from the military base in Donnington paid them a surprise visit.

Four youngsters who had written letters to the 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade came face to face with Major Malcolm Hill and Corporal Gemma O'Reilly, from the unit.

Major Hill, from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, said: "It was a bit of a surprise to see the letters.

"Some of the questions they asked were really, really good.

"I wrote back to a girl called Amy Hill and told her I had been to Bosnia and Kosovo. I told her that the armed forces wasn't all about fighting and we do other things as well."

The 55-year-old, of Wem, added: "I was very impressed at how well informed they were."

Corporal O'Reilly, aged 31, of Telford, who is in the Royal Corps of Signals, said: "The letters were lovely and very touching.

"I read every single one and it was really nice to meet the children we wrote back to."

The letters were originally penned to be used as bunting on a military-themed float made by the school for Newport Carnival, which took place in the summer.

Afterwards, it was decided to send several of them to the Venning Barracks, allowing the youngsters to tell the soldiers about themselves, ask questions about the armed forced and give their heartfelt thanks for the work that they do.

One of the letters penned by a youngster at the school read: "Dear Soldier, I respect what you do for everyone in the world.

"One day I am going to be a soldier because of what you do. Thank you. You are amazing."

Year 3 pupil Louis Cochrane said he had been excited to get a letter in return.

The seven-year-old said: "I asked them a few questions like what the Army was like and what they did. They said there was all sorts of jobs in the Army, not just fighting. It's also about helping people.

"It was good. I didn't expect to get a letter back."

Year 5 pupil Finlay Price said he had asked what life was like in the armed forces in his letter.

The nine-year-old said: "I was very excited to get a letter back. It was a nice surprise."

Ten-year-old Elliss Prinold, who is a Year 6 pupil at the school in Wellington Road, added: "It was exciting. I asked them how long they had been in the army and where they had been.

"They named countries like Egypt, Germany and Hong Kong."

In the letter penned by soldier Richard Haybery, in reply to Elliss, he told her he had been in the armed forces for 33 years.

He added: "The Army is brilliant at getting people to work in teams and training people to be leaders.

"I have also found it very satisfying to have served on operations in lots of trouble spots around the world, where along with my fellow soldiers, we have done our best to protect this country and make life better for some of the people caught up in the conflict and war."

Claire Rees, early years and key stage one manager at Moorfield Primary, said pupils were asked to write letters as part of a topic on learning about the armed forces.

She said: "We had a float in Newport Carnival and this year we decided it would have an armed forces theme.

"All the children wrote letters to soldiers and they were made into bunting that was put on the carnival lorry. We won the title of most original float."

She said one of the letters from each class had been chosen to be sent off to the military base.

"The children wrote about themselves and asked the soldiers questions," Ms Rees said.

"We got some really lovely letters back and they were read out in assembly.

"It's been really nice and the children have really enjoyed learning about it."