A second Cyprus tab for SSAFA!

14 March 2023

Corporal James Kirby, currently based in Cyprus, of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment has completed his exhausting self-set challenge of a non-stop 154-mile tab* in 48 hours, and is en route to reaching his £6,000 target.

On this, his second tab for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity and in memory of his mum, Denise, James again carried a 59lb load the 154 miles.

The distance is a symbolic figure representing how far James had to travel from Catterick Garrison to his mum when she was in hospital before she died. The 48 hours represent the time James had to say farewell to his beloved mum before she passed, while his 59-lb load, too, had special meaning: each pound he carried represented a year of Denise’s life.

Reflecting on his arduous challenge, during which he was joined by other units based in Cyprus, James said: “Yeah, it was a hard tab, but I kept thinking of my mum, the great work SSAFA does for our Armed Forces past and present, and of my regimental motto, which is ‘Difficulties be Damned’, so I was never going to give up.

“I was helped a lot my others based here who joined me; they kept my spirits up and helped to keep me going, and now all I want to do is hit my £6,000 target. I’m nearly at £4,500, but I know I can reach it for my mum and for SSAFA.”