Ready to go

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Sunday 9th Feb 2003.

TROOPS SPECIAL REPORT: HUNDREDS of Wiltshire-based soldiers are preparing for a conflict in the Middle East. Soldiers and engineers from Warminster, Corsham, Chippenham and Colerne could be away from their families for up to six months if they are called into action.

The Land Warfare Centre in Warminster is a major training facility for the MoD whose activities have been disrupted by call ups.

An Army spokesman said: "Around a dozen people have gone to the Middle East. A regiment, which specialises in nuclear, biological and chemical warfare protection was recalled from the area a couple of weeks ago."

Soldiers use the training facilities on nearby Salisbury Plain and practise tactics in mock villages at Imber and Copehill Down.

The spokesman said: "Fighting in such environments is a world of difference to open countryside. NATO armies as well as the British Army use the facilities."

Mobilisation is a difficult time for families because it could mean a long period of separation, but a support network is in place.

Equipment and vehicles are being shipped from the 21st Signal Regiment's base at Colerne to the Gulf.

Troops from the villages' Azimghur Barracks will be travelling to the Middle East over the next couple of weeks and will provide air support and communications technology.

Engineers from the Defence Communication Services Agency at Corsham will be called into action if they are needed to help maintain communication links.

Nobody from the area has left for Iraq yet, but they are on 24-hour call to support forces worldwide.

Lt Cmdr Susie Thomson said: "We do not have any fighting role. We are here to offer support to all forces and are ready to be called up at any time."

Soldiers from the 9 Supply Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, based at Hullavington near Chippenham, are ready to respond.

Personnel at RAF Lyneham are stepping up operations to transport British troops and provisions to the Middle East.

The biggest deployment in Wiltshire will be from the 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery, based at Larkhill, near Salisbury. Hundreds of soldiers are currently on stand-by.

Reports suggest a war against Iraq could begin in mid-March, despite little enthusiasm from the UN and European countries such as France and Germany.

There is little evidence that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction, but this week inspectors found a case of a small rocket and missile parts at a factory south of Baghdad. Washington plans to strengthen the case for war by revealing satellite photographs of Iraqis hiding what appear to be mobile biological weapon laboratories.

During his State of the Nation address American President George Bush vowed to take action against Iraq even if he does not receive the backing of the UN.

Although conflict is not inevitable, all troops will be acclimatising, preparing and training for war over the coming weeks.

Fact file

More than 1.2 million civilians in Iraq have died since the start of the Gulf War.

Gulf War air strikes started on January 16 1991.

Iraqi leaders formally accepted ceasefire terms on March 3 1991.

An estimated 100,000 Iraqi soldiers died during Operation Desert Storm.

Oil provides up to 95 per cent of Iraq's foreign exchange earnings.

Iraq's economy has suffered a $100 billion loss.

The US had more than 500,000 troops in the Gulf War.

There were 24 British casualties in the Gulf War.

Ten British soldiers were wounded in action. Seventy-five coalition aircraft were destroyed.

There are more than 100,000 US troops and 31,000 British troops in the Gulf.

Archive Home