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Minister meets Afghan tour troops Minister's 'thank you' to troops
(about 6 hours later)
About 100 soldiers from the 1st Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment will be officially welcomed back to their base after serving in Afghanistan. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment have been told they have served an important role in fighting the "evil" of terrorism.
Three of the regiment died during the three-month tour in which they battled Taliban fighters in Helmand province. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram delivered the message when he met about 100 troops who have returned from two and half months in Afghanistan.
Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram will be at Fort George barracks near Inverness to meet the soldiers. Three of the regiment died during the tour in which they battled Taliban fighters in Helmand province.
Mr Ingram met the regiment at Fort George barracks near Inverness.
The Royal Irish are based at the imposing fortress overlooking the Moray Firth.
There is a determination at the very heart of this Government that all the sacrifices and your commitment has not been in vain Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram
The minister walked under a picture of dictator Saddam Hussein - a souvenir from a previous tour of Iraq by the regiment - on his way into the sergeant's mess to address the troops.
Dressed in their desert fatigues, they listened as he told them: "The reason I wanted to come up was to say a very big thank you to each and every one of you."
Mr Ingram said the government and the country were proud and appreciated what the Royal Irish had done to resolve conflict and bring stability to Afghanistan.
He said: "There is a determination at the very heart of this government that all the sacrifices and your commitment has not been in vain."
The minister warned there would be dire consequences if regiments such as the Royal Irish were not sent to Afghanistan and Iraq.
"What will happen is the forces of evil in the shape of global terrorism will marshal their forces and attack us," he said.
Soldiers have been on a three-month tour in Helmand province
Lieutenant Colonel Mike McGovern said the soldiers had dealt admirably with the volatile situations they had faced.Lieutenant Colonel Mike McGovern said the soldiers had dealt admirably with the volatile situations they had faced.
Demanding outposts The battalion is part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, and the soldiers were attached to the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment Battle group.
The battalion is part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, and the soldiers were attached to the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment Battlegroup. They were based at two of the most demanding outposts in Afghanistan, Sangin and Musa Qala.
They have been based at two of the most demanding outposts in Afghanistan, Sangin and Musa Qala.
Lance Corporal Luke McCulloch, originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Lance Corporal Paul Muirhead, of Bearley, Warwickshire, and Ranger Anare Draiva, from Fiji, died during the tour.Lance Corporal Luke McCulloch, originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Lance Corporal Paul Muirhead, of Bearley, Warwickshire, and Ranger Anare Draiva, from Fiji, died during the tour.