Press News

How Nestlé TA man put his life at risk in Afghan front line

By Mike Laycock

7:57am Saturday 28th January 2012

HE is normally busy making wafers for KitKats at Nestlé’s factory – but Robert Scott has told how, for six extraordinary months, he swapped the production line in York for the front line in Afghanistan.

As a member of the Territorial Army, the father-of-two from Stamford Bridge went out on convoys from Camp Bastion which regularly came under attack from roadside bombs and small arms fire.

Lance Corporal Scott and his wife, Susan, have spoken for the first time of their experiences when he left home for the war zone in 2009 – revealing frankly how the pressures of his absence almost cost them their marriage.

The couple said they were speaking out because they wanted to show their support for a pop-up shop tombola which The Press is running today to raise funds for the City of York Afghanistan Commemorative Appeal.

The appeal aims to fund a new permanent monument in the city centre, which will highlight regiments associated with York whose members have fought in Afghanistan and also list the names of the York servicemen who have died there.

Mrs Scott, 45, said she had been round shops in Pocklington to ask for prizes and returned with a bagful of items including boxes of biscuits, wine and bird feeders.

“It’s great that something is finally being done to recognise the efforts of people like Robert, who have put their lives on the line by going out there,” she said.

“It almost cost us our marriage. Robert was away for three months in training and then in Afghanistan for six months, while our son John was preparing for his GCSEs.

“I was furious with him at the time for volunteering, although I am proud of him now.”

Lance Corporal Scott, 44, who serves in the Royal Logistics Corps, said of his time in Afghanistan: “It was different. I am used to loud bangs at work but not like that. The convoys I was on came under IED (improvised explosive device) attack four times and small arms fire four times.

“Some of the vehicles in my convoys were hit, and one guy was badly injured, although he’s recovering now.

“It’s hot at work working near the ovens at Nestlé but out there it was 40C and you were wearing heavy armour weighing a stone, so you sweated a bit.”

John, now 18, is studying uniformed services at York College and hopes to join the RAF, while the couple’s daughter Mary, 16, is also at the college, doing a national diploma in art and design.

• Our pop-up shop tombola will be running from 10am to 4pm today in Silver Street, just off York Market, with the chance to win scores of prizes.

What you can win for £1

• Four tickets for the Dean Court Hotel’s Valentine Sunday Champagne Afternoon Tea

• Two County Stand badges for York Racecourse

• Set of lead crystal Riedel Bordeaux wine glasses worth £160 from Mulberry Hall

• Four VIP passes offering free entry to many York tourist attractions

• Five £10 gift vouchers from Browns department store

• Giant 3kg KitKat – and scores of four-finger KitKats

• Year’s supply of Yorkshire Tea

• Carriage clock worth £140 from R A Braithwaite jewellers

• Video camera

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