Homecoming medal parade for British soldiers who played their part in Kosovo's Op Elgin

A homecoming medal ceremony celebrated hundreds of British Army personnel who were deployed to Kosovo on a Nato peacekeeping mission.

The soldiers from 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (1 PWRR) were on parade at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, south London, in front of their friends and family.

At the request of Nato's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, a 200-strong deployment of British soldiers was in Kosovo to reinforce Nato's Kosovo Force (KFOR) peacekeeping mission.

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Operation Elgin – the UK operational name for the deployment – was in response to an attack on the Kosovo Police on 24 September 2023 and increased tensions in the region.

Under Nato command, the forces were available to conduct operations in accordance with KFOR's mandate to maintain a safe and secure environment and ensure freedom of movement for all people in Kosovo.

'Done us proud'

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps presented the medals and praised the hundreds of UK troops for their contribution to the important Nato peacekeeping effort in Kosovo.

Mr Shapps said: "Our brave men and women of the 1st Battalion Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment have done us proud, and it was a great privilege for me to present them with a medal for their role in this crucial Nato peacekeeping mission.

"The UK continues to be a leading member of the alliance, and 2024 is an important year.

"We mark 75 years of Nato, prepare for the largest exercise in decades – Steadfast Defender – and it is the 25th anniversary of Nato peacekeeping in Kosovo.

"And by deploying last year to boost the Nato Kosovo Force, our world-class Armed Forces have shown once more their readiness to provide support wherever it is needed."

The parade and medals presentation marks the end of a demanding but successful deployment as part of the Nato task force to Kosovo (KFOR) for 1 PWRR, with this year marking the 25th anniversary of Nato peacekeeping operations in the country.

Almost 400 soldiers from 1 PWRR, nicknamed 'the Tigers', from the historic Bengal tiger insignia worn on their right arm, formed up for the parade to receive their medal for supporting Op Elgin.