But Melanie, 47, also admitted she was worried about them all being in a battle zone together.

She said: “I want them to do their job and do their duty, but from a mum’s point of view it’s the last thing you would want.” 

Corporals John, 26, and Erik, 22, and Private David, 18, are all in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Anglians, currently stationed in Celle, Germany. 

They are embarking on a six-month tour of duty. John has previously served in Afghanistan and Erik in Iraq but for David, who left the Army Foundation College at Harrogate as a junior regimental sergeant major, it will be his first foreign service with the battalion. Their mother, sister Odette, 15, and brother William, 13, are already planning to send “comfort” parcels to Iraq. 

Melanie, from Horncastle in Lincolnshire, whose husband Johnny died a year ago of skin cancer, said: “I take some comfort from the fact they’ll be together and looking after each other. 

“They are very close, despite the age gaps. They work, rest and play together.

“The only advantage I can see of having three boys in Iraq is I’ll get three lots of emails and phone calls.

“I’m glad of modern technology because I won’t have to wait weeks for a letter.”