Homecoming For Soldiers Who Trained Iraqi Security Forces

A homecoming parade has been held for soldiers who have been in Iraq training local security forces. 

The band and bugles of 3 RIFLES led the soldiers onto the parade ground in the sunshine at Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh.

The battalion spent the first half of the year deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Shader.

They trained up the Peshmerga - the military forces in the Kurdistan region of the country, to aid in their fight against insurgents threatening stability.

Captain Rhys Evans said: "Certainly in Kurdistan they're incredibly keen for us to be in that area and helping them - they value the training that they receive massively and it's something that they want to continue going forward."

The deployment saw 3 RIFLES troops train thousands of Iraqis at eight different training bases.

Lieutenant Colonel Gary Sawyer, Commanding Officer of 3 RIFLES, said: "It's very important to recognise what the soldiers have done.

"They've been away for six months on operational deployment and their families have made huge sacrifices whilst they're away and we need to recognise their contribution to peace and stability in Iraq.

"For many of the soldiers it's their first medal so a real moment of pride for them and a real moment of pride for us as a battalion to deliver them on operations."

British forces have been involved in Operation Shader for nearly five years now, with the British Army deployed continuously to enhance security in Iraq.

After their six-month stint, the Riflemen were awarded their service medals, along with one Canadian soldier attached to the unit.

Captain Lex Luciak, from the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, said: "These guys have been great hosts overall, I couldn't ask for anything more from a hosting unit.

"It feels like I'm just at home, so they were very welcoming and I was just glad to be part of this experience."