WELSH ROYAL ENGINEER VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS RETURN FROM THE GULF

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Serial number 1131 Released on Thursday 22nd January 2004

WELSH ROYAL ENGINEER VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS RETURN FROM THE GULF

FACILTY NOTE

WELSH ROYAL ENGINEER VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS RETURN FROM THE GULF

Volunteer soldiers serving with the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) are scheduled to return home to Wales this weekend.

Some 124 soldiers from across the regiment were mobilised in May 2003 in support of OPERATION TELIC duty in Iraq. The volunteers deployed as a composite sub unit under the title of 100 Field Squadron Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia), which is the title of the squadron based at the Territorial Army Centre in Cwmbran. 51 Territorial Army soldiers serving with 75 Engineer Regiment from the North West of England were also mobilised to form part of the squadron. The deployment of 100 Field Squadron was the biggest deployment of a formed Territorial Army unit since the Second World War.

The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) has its headquarters at The Castle in Monmouth and squadrons located at Monmouth, Swansea, Cwmbran and Oldbury in the West Midlands.

During their successful six-month tour of duty the volunteer soldiers have been busily employed on general engineer support tasks, including construction and maintenance of the local infrastructure within their area of responsibility and in particular in the Basrah area. Main tasks involved the supply of electricity, bridge building and repair, protection works for vital installations such as the UN HQ in Basrah, provision of drinking water, sewerage improvements and other vital engineer tasks such as community relations projects and rebuilding schools, hospitals and health centres.

The Regiment itself has a proud history going back many years. It is the oldest and most senior regiment of the Reserve Forces in the UK, being able to trace its existence back to the Muster Roll of 1539.

Volunteer soldiers serving with the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) are scheduled to return home to Wales this weekend.

Some 124 soldiers from across the regiment were mobilised in May 2003 in support of OPERATION TELIC duty in Iraq. The volunteers deployed as a composite sub unit under the title of 100 Field Squadron Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia), which is the title of the squadron based at the Territorial Army Centre in Cwmbran.

...During their successful six-month tour of duty the volunteer soldiers have been busily employed on general engineer support tasks, including construction and maintenance of the local infrastructure within their area of responsibility and in particular in the Basrah area.

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Operation Telic, UK allied, NON-UN-lateral, ping!

UK military press honors their fallen troops:

Rifleman Vincent Calvin Windsor

Rifleman Vincent Windsor
(Click here for hi-res photo)

It is with very deep regret that the Ministry of Defence has to confirm that Rifleman Vincent Calvin Windsor was killed in a road traffic accident on 21 January 2004 in Al Amarah. Aged 23, he came from Oxfordshire and was a member of 2nd Battalion The Royal Green Jackets, serving attached to 1st Battalion The Light Infantry in southern Iraq.

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Emck, the Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets, said:

"Rifleman Vincent Windsor joined A Company of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Green Jackets in 1999. During his time with the Regiment, he served in Germany and Bosnia, and deployed on exercise to Poland. He was detached for duty with the 1st Battalion The Light Infantry in September 2002 when they replaced the Royal Green Jackets in Paderborn, so that he could remain close to his German fiancee. Rifleman Windsor served with 1LI to Iraq during the initial period of combat operations in March and April of 2003, and was on a second tour with the Battalion in Iraq when he was killed.
"Vincent was enormously popular and likeable, very down to earth, and with a great sense of humour. He will be sadly missed by all his colleagues and comrades in the 2nd Battalion The Royal Green Jackets."

The media are strongly urged to respect the family's privacy. Our thoughts are very much with his family, fiancee and friends at this very difficult time.

http://www.operations.mod.uk/telic/windsor.htm

A bit more from our Brit allies in Iraq:

CPA South Press Release

Handing over of Keys of Ministry of Youth and Sport in Basrah

Keys to the renovated offices of the Ministry of Youth and Sport in Basra were officially handed over today (Thursday, 22 January) in a ceremony on the site of the former International Olympic Committee building.

The $76,000 reconstruction by Basra-based firm, Al Manssory General Contracts, was the latest government building to have been renovated under the CPA’s current building programme.

Around 60 local tradesmen and labourers were employed during the work on the Ministry’s premises, which will provide modern office accommodation for staff from the Ministry, the Olympic Committee and several sports federations.

Reconstruction work included replacing looted windows, doors and electrical fittings, the supply and installation of air conditioners, and a new plumbing and sewerage system.

Sir Hilary Synnott, Regional Co-ordinator for CPA South, said at the handover ceremony: “Re-opening this beautifully refurbished building is proof of CPA South’s commitment to helping government employees return to work, providing better public services and real benefits for young people and sports organisations.

“In Southern Iraq, a total of 46 buildings are being refurbished under 42 separate contracts using Iraqi contractors. So far, a total of 21 buildings have been completed and handed back to their original ministries and departments.

“In the Basrah area alone, contracts are currently being completed to renovate buildings such as the Boy’s Orphanage and street cleansing offices, as well as University faculties and hospitals.”

A total of £5 million ($8.6 million) has been committed in the programme to refurbish government buildings. Funding is provided by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), with project management by Halcrow Recovery and Infrastructure Group (RIG).

http://www.cpa-iraq.org/pressreleases/20040122_youth_basrah.htm

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