Post by Salem6 on Dec 5, 2004 8:12:07 GMT
The 850-strong Black Watch battle group is settling back into its Basra base ahead of the troops' anticipated return to the UK in time for Christmas.
The convoy's two-day journey was completed in secret
The soldiers returned to southern Iraq on Saturday, ending a month-long mission supporting the US assault on Falluja and tackling insurgents.
Defence officials say the troops will fly home within a week, but other UK soldiers are on stand-by to go to Iraq.
Five soldiers from the Black Watch died during the controversial deployment.
Lt Col James Cowan, who led the mission, said: "Their deaths are something we will never forget.
"The happiness of our homecoming is marked by the thought that some of us are not coming back."
Three soldiers died in a suicide car bomb attack, along with an Iraqi translator, another soldier was killed in a roadside bombing and a fifth died in a road traffic accident.
The Black Watch troops are now expected to spend between five and seven days back at their base in Shaibah before flying home to the UK.
The battle group arrived there on Saturday after a two-day, 370-mile journey from Camp Dogwood, near Baghdad, carried out in secret amid a full media blackout to prevent attacks on the convoy.
Camp Dogwood is expected to be reinforced by US Marines, but with elections due to be held in Iraq in January, it is expected that the UK could soon be answering another call from the US to help maintain security.
BBC correspondent David Loyn, with the Black Watch, said the central Iraq area the group had been deployed to had become one of the key "command centres" of the insurgency in Iraq.
US Marines' Col Ron Johnson thanked the soldiers for their work
"A battalion is on stand-by in Britain to go out when the Americans next request help. That request could come sooner rather than later," he said.
Meanwhile, the UK soldiers preparing to return home are doing so amid reports suggesting the 254-year-old Black Watch may have undertaken its last mission ahead of a merger with other units to form a super regiment.
Former soldiers have been protesting against the move, but last month the Black Watch's commanding officer Lt Col James Cowan said they were allowing emotion to override reason.
The regiment, which traditionally recruits from the Scottish regions of Perthshire, Angus and Fife is based in Warminster, Wiltshire.
Lance Corporal Terry Ward, 23, from Rosyth, Fife, said: "We'll always be the Black Watch no matter what happens.
"Axing us would be the worst decision Tony Blair has ever made and I don't think he realises the history involved.
"We've set a good example out here and I think that should redeem us so we can stay as the Black Watch."
A Downing Street spokesman said: "The prime minister believes the country can be very proud of the job the Black Watch have done in difficult circumstances."
SOLDIERS LOST DURING MISSION
Private Kevin Thomas McHale, 27, Fife: road accident
Pte Pita Tukatukawaqa, 27, Fiji: roadside bomb attack
Sgt Stuart Grey, 31, Fife: suicide bomb attack
Pte Paul Lowe, 19, Fife: suicide bomb attack
Pte Scott McArdle, 22, Fife: suicide bomb attack
One of the soldiers delighted to be going home is Lance Corporal Thomas Rennie, who said: "I can't wait to get back to Scotland for Christmas and New Year and Hogmanay.
"It's going to be brilliant. I'm going to drink as much beer as possible and get the kilt on and get out on the town."
David Loyn said the US marines had called the contribution of the Black Watch to its operations in Falluja "awesome".
"There was a good reason for doing this and we have had some great results," said US Colonel Ron Johnson.
The battle group was made up of 550 men from the Black Watch, 115 from the Queen's Dragoon Guards and smaller contingents from the Royal Marines and Royal Engineers.
VIDEO
Watch the Black Watch troops leave Camp Dogwood
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4069615.stm#
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4069615.stm