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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Minister's 'thank you' to troops | Minister's 'thank you' to troops |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Soldiers from the 1st Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment have been told they have served an important role in fighting the "evil" of terrorism. | Soldiers from the 1st Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment have been told they have served an important role in fighting the "evil" of terrorism. |
| 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 delivered the message when he met about 100 troops who have returned from two and half months in Afghanistan. |
| Three of the regiment died during the tour in which they battled Taleban fighters in Helmand province. | |
| Mr Ingram met the regiment at Fort George barracks near Inverness. | Mr Ingram met the regiment at Fort George barracks near Inverness. |
| The Royal Irish are based at the imposing fortress overlooking the Moray Firth. | 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 Adam IngramArmed Forces Minister | |
| 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. | 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." | 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 UK 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." | 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. | 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. | "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 | 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. |
| The battalion is part of 16 Air Assault Brigade and the soldiers were attached to the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment Battle group. | |
| They were 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, from Bearley, Warwickshire, and Ranger Anare Draiva, from Fiji, died during the tour. |