Andrew Glen from County Antrim is reunited with daughter Victoria, 3.
|
Territorial Army soldiers who served in the Gulf have made an emotional return to Northern Ireland.
Thirty-three soldiers from the Royal Irish Rangers who guarded 16 Air Assault
Brigade headquarters during the Gulf conflict flew into RAF Aldergrove near Belfast on Friday.
Family and friends were there to greet the troops, whose headquarters are at Portadown, County Armagh.
During the war they had earned huge respect from the Regular Army for the vital security work they carried out.
Professionalism
Lieutenant Colonel Andrew McCord, commanding officer of the Royal Irish
Rangers, said officers had been unable to distinguish between full-time and TA
soldiers during the war.
In a tribute, he said: "I have received numerous correspondences
from those that came in contact with my soldiers during the war and everyone of
these praised them for their performance.
"I think these comments show the professionalism, ability and character of
our TA soldiers, who in very difficult circumstances have proven themselves more
than capable.
"The defence platoon have demonstrated that TA soldiers can be used to
reinforce the Regular Army and that their standard of training allows them to do
that job well."