A NORTH Berwick army chaplain has revealed he was given just 24-hours’ notice before being deployed on his first operational tour of duty to Ebola-stricken Sierra Leone.

The Rev Chris Kellock, chaplain to the First Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, spent more than 100 days supporting military, medical and support staff as well as relatives of people struck down by the deadly disease at a British Army field hospital in the West African country.

The experience tested the 44-year-old former North Berwick High School pupil to the limit, but he describes his time at the 22 Field Hospital near Kerrytown, 30 miles from Freetown, as a “tremendous challenge and a great privilege”.

He said: “I’m glad I went and I would do it again. If you read through the history of military chaplains, that is where the essence and heart of what we do is crystallised – supporting spiritually, morally and pastorally the men and women who are at the sharp edge.”

Mr Kellock, who has been in his post since July 2014, spent nearly three weeks undergoing specialised training near York before being deployed in September 2014.

The Sierra Leone medical facility was established to treat people employed by charities and also healthcare workers who had contracted Ebola. He said he was never really seriously worried about catching the virus due to rigorous procedures at the hospital, but admits there were a few stressful moments.

Mr Kellock, the eldest son of North Berwick Community Council chairman David Kellock, is married to Nic and lives with his family near Salisbury.

He added: “Ebola is a violent disease, which at that point, was not stopped by any medical intervention. In September 2014 there was a real fear that the numbers infected was going to go through the roof.

A family of someone in the unit came in and the mother, who was in the clean area, was distraught.

“So I did what was natural and I put my arm around her and walked with her. I was not wearing a protective suit and it was only afterwards that I thought ‘crikey I just put my arm round somebody who has a relative with Ebola.”

A typical day for him was walking around departments and visiting people suspected of having the virus – while wearing full protective clothing. p.

Mr Kellock, who has also been an RAF chaplain, has been a padre for 11 years and a padre for 11 years and prior to joining the army was a locum minister at Penicuik North Church for six months.

He said: “One of the joys was that people did come through our unit and survived and we gave them a survivors’ welcome.

“We would get all the staff together and as they came out it was quite tearful – there would be dancing and clapping and the United Nations gave them money to replace things that were infected. They would get food parcels and a certificate to say they are Ebola free which was important when they went back to their villages.”