For Tracy and Rodney Holkham, when news of another British fatality in Afghanistan comes through, it is even more nerve-racking.

This is because the Holkhams’ three sons are all serving with 3rd Battalion the Rifles.

The Rifles is the regiment which has the highest death toll of any – 33.

Matthew, 20, Daniel, 19, and Andrew, 18, are out in Helmand on a six-month tour.

The three brothers, who went to Eastchurch Primary, St George’s Middle School and Minster College, all went straight into Army training when they left school.

They went through the selection process and got into Harrogate Military College in North Yorkshire where they did further education and military training.

Once they had passed out from there they all went on to be based in Edinburgh.

Speaking from the family home in St James Close, Warden Bay, Rodney, 43, said because of their ages they watched their sons go through training three years in a row.

He said he and Tracy, also 43, were surprised when Matthew said he wanted to join the Army, because it had always been Daniel who wanted to follow that path.

Rodney said: “Matthew was the first one to make the jump because of his age.

“It was a surprise more than anything, but I wouldn’t say we were shocked.

“Then when the youngest said he wanted to as well, that was more of a shock.

“They are three close brothers and I think Andrew wanted to because the others did.”

The Holkham boys flew out to Afghanistan between September 26 and October 4 last year and are due back at the end of March or beginning of April.

Thamesteel worker Rodney explained that, because it is a battle group regiment, it is frontline all the time, which does make it more dangerous. He said: “It’s very difficult. My wife struggles, we both do, but Tracy does very much. We miss them.”

Facebook, he says, has really helped, but one of the worse things is when they come home to find a missed call where one of their sons has tried to phone – but there is no way of returning the call.

He said: “I can’t imagine it being any worse for someone with three children out there than someone with their only child out there.

“Whether it’s your son, daughter, husband – it’s a nightmare being at home for a family.

“God forbid if anything bad happened – all our boys are out there. But it’s not going to happen – we have to tell ourselves that.”

Matthew and Daniel are in the same base so see each other on a regular basis.

But the youngest, Andrew, is based about 6km away and has only seen his brothers once since he has been out there.

With the toll of British troops killed in Afghanistan now more than 200, it is a constant worry for families around the whole country.

Rodney said it is devastating for them every time they hear of another death and they feel for everyone who has family out there fighting.

He said there are mixed emotions when they watch stories of fatalities.

“You feel relief and guilt when you hear that next of kin have been informed – it’s not easy.

“I can’t imagine what its like to have that knock on the door,” he said.

Although the Holkhams’ first Christmas and New Year without their boys was not an easy one, they are looking forward to when they return in a few months time.

But Rodney said they are not planning anything because they don’t know what their sons will want to do.

He added: “I have heard of other families with three children out there, but I haven’t heard of them that close together, in the same regiment and in the same place, which I think is more unusual.

“They have all lost people they know and have worked with and are witnessing things that youngsters don’t need to witness, but they do their job.

“We feel an amazing amount of pride.”

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Tracy and Rodney recently found out their eldest boy Matthew had a very close shave.

He had been out working with engineers and, when they stopped for a break, Matthew put his backpack down and sat on top of it.

After a few minutes it exploded and it emerged he had put it on a roadside bomb which went off underneath him.

Fortunately the bag took the full force of the explosion and he wasn’t hurt.

Rodney said: “He was very lucky. It’s hard to explain how I felt when I heard that – it’s too close. It could have been quite nasty.

“He made light of it – he wasn’t going to tell us because he didn’t want to worry us. ”