Military style for soldier's big day

A soldier from the Black Country who has served in Iraq tied the knot in style – complete with a military guard of honour.

Lance Bombardier Arron Small and sweetheart Charlotte Pratt married at The Mount Hotel in Wolverhampton, flanked by Arron's comrades from The 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery in Wiltshire.

As the happy couple emerged from the Tettenhall Wood venue's grand hall on Saturday, four soldiers held aloft their ceremonial swords in salute.

L/Bdr Small, aged 24, of Crankhall Lane, Wednesbury, carried a cane belonging to Charlotte's great-grandfather William Pratt who had been issued with it when he fought in the First World War.

Sign language translator Charlotte's marriage to the soldier continues a proud tradition of military history for her family.

The 27-year-old's grandfather Ralph Redvers Pratt was a private with The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and served in Burma in the Second World War, while great-grandfather William Pratt was a teenage recruit to The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and fought at the Somme.

He survived the First World War, despite serving in a battle which saw one million casualties.

Miss Pratt's father Tony, aged 54, said he was honoured that his new son-in-law wanted to carry the silver-topped cane.

The computer-aided designer, who lives with wife Pauline, aged 53, in Langmead Close, Willenhall, said: "I wasn't sure if I was breaking military etiquette by offering him the cane because Arron is in a different regiment to my grandfather."

L/Bdr Small has completed two six-month tours of duty in Iraq since 2004 and is preparing to be sent to Kenya when he returns to his barracks in Tidworth at the end of January.

He has recently returned from a stint in Basra and Tallil, where he suggested to his fiancee that they tie the knot close to Christmas. He said: "The idea behind the guard of honour was to show a different side of the Army to our families.

"It's not often that people get to see the smart uniforms or the traditions."

The happy couple are now honeymooning in Cuba.