Chelsea cheese

The Ceremony of Christmas Cheeses at the Royal Hospital Chelsea saw Chelsea Pensioners standing shoulder-to-shoulder with troops bound for Afghanistan.

Among the Pensioners welcoming TA soldiers Lance Corporal George Anderson and Private Ben Gorringe to the hospital was 94-year-old World War II veteran Bill Moylon, who helped build the Bridge on the River Kwai while held a prisoner of war.

Every year British cheesemakers donate cheese to pensioners, a tradition that began in 1692 when the hospital asked a local cheesemonger to provide them with some as a Christmas treat.

This year, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Dairy Council supporting the ceremony, cheesemakers decided to pay tribute to the bravery of young men and women who continue to serve.

George Anderson, a 31-year-old estate agent said: "It makes you feel very proud to be doing your bit for your country when standing alongside brave and dignified Chelsea Pensioners, especially when you consider the conditions that they suffered and the length of their campaigns. We are on tour for six months whilst they were away and uncontactable for years."