Tigers glad to be back home from Iraq

FOR several years they have been so busy that they have barely been able to stop and draw breath.

With two major operational tours in Iraq in the past three years and a number of arduous training exercises squeezed in between, the Tigers have had little time to rest.

Now, as the entire 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales Royal Regiment begin their well-earned leave and return to their families they are already looking ahead.

The good news is that, for now, the soldiers will not be returning to the front line.

After two weeks rest and recuperation they will all return to Barker Barracks, their German home, to receive their kit including the Warrior armoured vehicles which are currently being shipped back from Iraq.

After cleaning, tidying and repairing their stock they will be allowed back home again for Christmas. But as 2007 begins the Tigers will start facing a whole new set of challenges, including the introduction of modern new kit for which training and installation will involve every single serving soldier.

Major Joe Carnegie, officer in charge of the battalion's specialist weapons teams, said it would be the time to officially put this year's seven-month stint in the war-ravaged country behind them.

"There's no doubt that the last seven months on tour have been massively successful. As the reserve unit for the division we didn't know what we were going to be doing out there from one day to the next. As a unit we were busy from the start, getting involved when the Lynx helicopter crashed in Basra - it was about day five for us then.

"That was a real eye opener," said 35-year-old Maj Carnegie. "It was obviously very sad and for the guys who had just arrived - many who had not been out before - it was hard, but just a case of going in, with no time to think. But the boys went in and they did a good job.

"The regiment stationed in Shaibah before 1PWRR arrived there back in April to replace them had only been occupied for 35 per cent of their tour.

When the Tigers arrived the situation changed - and the troops found themselves in the thick of action for 85 per cent of their stay.

But with so many operations, which always carry a risk that there will be casualties, it was quite miraculous that this week every single member of 1PWRR was back home safely.

"Our biggest success is that we brought everyone back alive, especially given the complexity of a lot of what we did and the risks that come with it.

"There were casualties, but they are all alive and they have all come back to us and that is the main thing," said Maj Carnegie.

"The brigade as a whole unfortunately had quite a high casualty rate. It was because of the tempo of the operations we were doing - the terrorists were more experienced and they have greater weapons.

"We are very aware of our fellow units in 20 brigade that did lose people and we are very sympathetic."