WEARING a poppy and supporting troops young and old is a sign of respect that means the most to serving soldiers.

That is the message from Territorial Army soldiers based at Dorchester who will be turning out to parade on Remembrance Day to support their comrades fighting in Afghanistan and those who have died fighting for their country.

Dion Tantrum, 34, of Bovington, returned from a six-month tour in Afghanistan in April.

He was on a tour in which Corunna Company 6th Batallion Rifles lost one of their men – Serjeant Christopher John Reed, who was killed on duty on New Year’s Day.

Rifleman Tantrum said: “I told my daughter that the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance Sunday parade is to remember all those who have gone to war, returned from war and those who never got to come back. “It’s brilliant to see such support for us and for the guys that are in Afghanistan right now.

“To walk around and see everyone wearing a poppy is great.

“Even my little girl wants to wear one now.”

Colour Serjeant Clive Bryant, 49, of Weymouth, said: “For me it’s quite an important day in the calendar.

“It’s a formalised day for remembrance but also it means just as much to think of the guys that are out there in Afghanistan now.

“It’s more pertinent that this year the Remembrance Day will be specially looking at Afghanistan because it brings the ceremonies more up to date. I hope there will be a lot of people going to the parade this year.”

The number of British military personnel killed in Afghanistan since 2001 stands at 230 after five men were shot on Tuesday and one was killed in an explosion yesterday.

The Poppy Appeal collects for two weeks every year in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday on November 8.

All the money raised goes directly to the Royal British Legion.

In 2008, the RBL spent more than £88million supporting the serving and ex-service community.

The demand for their support continues as servicemen and women, young and old, call on them for emotional, financial and practical help. To donate contact www.poppy.org.uk