Their courage under fire, discipline and dedication to duty are qualities we can all be proud of. But we must not become complacent.

The latest report into morale and wellbeing in the Army makes alarming reading. The investigation reveals that thousands of soldiers are living near the official poverty line. Some are returning to civilian life because their pay is too low for them to start a family.

Most worrying is the news that some areas have started “hungry soldier schemes”. These are for soldiers who are so hard up at the end of the month they can’t pay for their meals and are given loans against their next wages to cover their costs.

This is a shocking state of affairs. For the past five years the Army has been operating at full stretch. Fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq they have done a wonderful job without complaint. If we want them to carry on giving such exceptional service we must make sure that the men in uniform don’t go short. Our soldiers must get fair pay for the work they do so well.