ROYAL Navy sailor Gemma Raybould is just one of many armed service personnel who will not be home for Christmas this year.
The 28-year-old from Millbrook, Southampton, pictured, will be spending Christmas with her 259 shipmates on board HMS Edinburgh.
It is the first time that Gemma will not be with fiancé Richie Kitson, 39, and children James, 7, and Casey, 4. Gemma is on a six-month deployment in the South Atlantic on the last of the Royal Navy’s Type 42 destroyers fighting the war on drugs.
The sailors are still determined to enjoy themselves despite being away on Christmas Day, and there will be role reversal as the officers serve Christmas dinner to the crew.
Gemma said: “It will be good fun and as we’re all away from our families we’re in the same boat and we’ll do our best to get some Christmas cheer going.”
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