British Troops Under Fire In Iraq

The final convoy of the Black Watch battle group have arrived at their central Iraqi base, Camp Dogwood.

They had travelled along the approach route noted for deadly bomb attacks by insurgents.

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In a similar vein, the first vehicles in the battle group convoy, which arrived last week, were hampered by several explosive devices planted by rebels along the camp's approach road.

It is the presence of such bombs that most worries the 850 soldiers being re-deployed, according to Adjutant Capt Neil Tomlin of the Black Watch battle group.

"We are having to be very careful about driving, what sort of vehicles we move around in and how many vehicles we move around with," he said.

Trooper Tim Clews, of the Queen's Dragoon Guards, drove the 360-mile journey from Basra in an open-topped Land Rover across some of the most dangerous territory in Iraq.

The 21-year-old father-of-one from Swansea, who manned an SA-80 rifle on the Land Rover's roof on the lookout for snipers, condemned the decision to redeploy British troops.

Concerned relatives

Trooper Clews said: "If Tony Blair is so keen to be here, he should send his son over.

"To be honest I can't understand what it is we are supposed to be doing here.

"Iraqis don't want to kill each other, they only want to kill us."

But anger was mellowed by thoughts of loved ones at home among others.

L/Cpl Chris Jones, 22, said: "I told my parents but they haven't said too much to me about what I'm going to be doing and where I'm going.

"I think it's because they don't want me to know how worried they are."

And 26-year-old L/Cpl Paul Owen admitted that his parents are so concerned that he had not told them of his re-deployment.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3979669.stm