The Duke of Kent visited British troops in Iraq during a two-day tour of British military bases in the southern provinces of the country.
His Royal Highness's first visit was to the Old State Building in Basra where the Z Company of the 1st Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, is currently based. He had lunch with troops before being taken to Shaibah logistics base where he toured the regiment's facilities.
Whilst in Shaibah, the Duke watched soldiers being given training in search and arrest techniques, and learning basic Arabic phrases to help them communicate with the local population. He had the opportunity to take part in some of the training exercises by driving a 30-ton Warrior tank through a desert driver circuit and taking part in firing range practices.
His Royal Highness later visited the British Hospital at Shaibah where he spoke to hospital staff before having dinner with the officers of the 1st Battalion.
Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Nanson commented on the importance of the Duke's visit for morale:
"The fusiliers were delighted to welcome their Colonel in Chief. It means an enormous amount to them that he came to visit."
The Duke of Kent's second day in Iraq was spent with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards; he was once Squadron Leader of C Squadron. In Umm Qasr he toured the facilities on the base before meeting soldiers recently involved in flood relief efforts in nearby Safwan. Major Barty Bartholomew, the current C Squadron Leader, said of His Royal Highness's visit:
"The Duke of Kent very much enjoyed the chance to speak with the soldiers of C Squadron and showed genuine concern for their welfare."
The Duke's final visit in Iraq was to Camp Abu Naji in Maysan, where he had lunch with members of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and met 'Ben', the camp goat who has been adopted by the regiment.
During his tour of the camp, His Royal Highness saw some familiar faces, as he had previously met some of the personnel during his visit to the regiment's pre-deployment training in Germany in September 2005.
Corporal Paddy Kelly said:
"The Duke of Kent remembered meeting me before and was very interested in the work we are doing. In particular, he asked me whether the training we had completed before deploying was right. Having been out on patrol almost every day, I was able to assure him that we had been trained to deal with everything we have come across so far in Maysan."
The Duke of Kent flew back to Brize Norton from Basrah Air Station the following day.
The Duke's visit was one of several made by members of the Royal Family during to the Gulf in recent years. The Duke of York visited British troops in Iraq in August 2005, while The Prince of Wales visited in February 2004. |
