Love on the front line
When teen soldier Eva Bird, 28, from Wirral, went to serve in Iraq, she didn't know what to expect…
As one of just three girls among 100 lads, I got attention!
Mum was clearly shocked and repeated what I’d just told her, ‘You’re going to be a soldier?!’ I nodded, smiling. No wonder my mum Tina, 47, was surprised. Just 16, I was a girly girl – never went out without my mascara on.
Truth was, a comment from someone at school that I’d ‘never amount to anything’ had really stuck in my craw.
I’ll show you, I’d thought. I’d always been sporty and loved a challenge.
Once my family knew I was serious, I had their support.
‘You’ll be like Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin,’ Mum teased. ‘Tottering around in heels and make-up.’
But it wasn’t quite like that... During training, make-up was banned, my blonde hair was scraped back, and I wore combats and heavy boots.
But, one of three girls among 100 lads, I still got attention!
Soon, not worrying about hair and make-up was liberating.
Of course, the officers didn’t go easy just because I was a girl.
‘Move it!’ they’d bellow, as I embarked on another long run. It was really hard.
But, if I ever felt like quitting, I’d just remember those words, ‘You’ll never amount to anything,’ and be spurred on.
In time, I found my role in the Army, working in HR. But it was no cushy office job.
In 2008, aged 18, I set off on a tour of Iraq.
The first few months in Basra were pretty quiet.
My biggest problem was the heat, weighed down with body armour and a rifle.
But, when air raids started and rockets and bombs were flying, I was grateful for them. It was terrifying, but I was lucky – many weren’t. And people often died during raids, even people I’d worked with… Heartbreaking. I had to go out to meet the infantry, see they were OK.
I worked with another woman, and the lads would try so hard to impress us.
One time, a tall, sandyhaired soldier with hazel eyes sauntered over.
He plonked a can of Coke on my desk and grinned.
Fizzy drinks were like gold dust, but it wouldn’t have been professional to take it. ‘No, thanks,’ I smiled. His face dropped as the other lads sniggered.
Then, in January 2009, I was put on night-guard duty with the same soldier.
Even in the pitch black, as we stood guarding the camp gates with our guns, I could see how handsome he was. ‘I’m Nathan,’ he smiled.
At 5ft 11in, Nathan, 24, towered over 5ft 2in me.
We were soon chatting about missing England and our family and friends.
He seemed nervous and shy, but there was no mistaking the connection between us.
After our shift, Nathan walked me back to my tent.
I longed for him to kiss me. But it was against Army rules.
‘I’ll add you on Facebook,’ he said, walking away.
We only got an hour online each week but, next morning, Nathan appeared.
I’m being sent to another camp for a bit, he told me. Stay safe, I replied, gutted. Smitten, I couldn’t wait to see him again. But, for two months, messages had to do.
Finally, in March 2009,
It wasn’t a traditional wedding, but neither was our love story
Nathan came back to camp.
In the IT bunker, I messaged him on Facebook.
When will I see you? I typed. Then I heard a familiar voice behind me.
‘I’m right here!’
I spun round to see Nathan! After that, we spent every free evening walking around the camp together.
‘You two again!’ the lads joked, when we strolled around the same tents yet again.
Finally, in April, we had a secret first kiss behind a wall.
It was against the rules – yes – but so romantic!
As the weeks went on, we snatched all the brief moments we could and, in May, we returned to the UK on leave.
After just two days, I travelled from Manchester to Crawley to see Nathan. We couldn’t bear to be apart. But Army life isn’t easy on relationships. We were posted to separate locations in Germany, then Nathan did two months in Canada.
In September 2010, I picked Nathan up from the airport and was speechless when he got down on one knee in front of the entire regiment.
‘Will you marry me?’ he asked, handing me a beautiful, sparkling diamond ring.
‘Yes!’ I whooped, as everyone cheered.
We started saving for a deposit to buy a place and, in January 2011, we handed in our year’s notice with the Army.
It was a wrench to leave but, in February 2012, we moved into a three-bed house near my parents in Wirral.
Fitting back into civilian life was a lot harder than we’d expected. We had to settle into new jobs
– me as a facilities manager, Nathan as a car salesman.
And so much needed doing on our new home that we were always tired or broke – or both!
Then, in October 2015, I discovered I was pregnant.
‘I’m more scared about being a parent than being in a war zone,’ Nathan joked.
‘Me, too!’ I admitted.
But we managed to get through that together, and we’d get through this, too.
It did mean that the wedding had to go on the back burner.
By the time our beautiful daughter Sophia was born in July 2016, we’d still not set a date to tie the knot.
The following summer my cousin Kate, 35, tagged me in a post on Facebook.
Isn’t it about time you and Nathan got married? she wrote alongside a link to TV show, Wedding Day Winners.
Couples had to take part in challenges to try to win a wedding.
Well, I’ve always liked a challenge!
So, for a laugh, I decided to enter. A few weeks later, in May last year, I got a call from the Casting Manager.
To my amazement, we’d beaten more than 16,000 other applicants to get ourselves a place on the show!
With the help of 60 family and friends we sang, ran, and danced our way through the game show until, incredibly, we discovered that we’d won!
I had just a few minutes to run back to the dressing room and get in my wedding dress before we were married live on telly at Pinewood Studios.
It certainly wasn’t a very traditional wedding day, but then mine and Nathan’s love story wasn’t particularly traditional, either!
It was brilliant to do something so different.
Wearing a lace wedding dress with sequins and ribbons, I felt a world away from the laddish girl in the combats that I’d once been.
Our prize also included a two-week holiday to the Caribbean but, before we could jet off, I fell pregnant again.
This July, I gave birth to our second daughter Alicia.
Nathan and I have been on an incredible journey to get to where we are today.
Joining the Army was the best thing that I ever did.
It’s taught me so much and made me toughen up, plus I met the love of my life!