Black Watch troops delighted to be home

The mission included a controversial month-long deployment to Camp Dogwood, near Baghdad, to fill in behind United States troops. Five soldiers from the 850-strong regiment were killed during the deployment.

The first large group of around 200 soldiers flew into an undisclosed location early today, before being bused to their Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster, Wiltshire, where they arrived later this morning. The rest of the battalion is due home by Monday. Black Watch regimental secretary Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Lindsay said the soldiers were "absolutely delighted and immensely relieved" to be home in time for Christmas.

But there was sadness at the deaths of some of their comrades.

After arriving at their base, Lieutenant-Colonel James Cowan, who led the Black Watch mission, said: "During our deployment in Dogwood, sadly five soldiers were killed in action. There were also 20 roadside bombs and 120 serious incidents.

"It is a very poignant time for us. I would like to offer my respect to the soldiers for their hard work and in particular we are thinking about the families of the dead soldiers.

"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.

"Now we are back, we are glad to be here. It’s a very pressing time for us - we have been cut off, but yet actively in the news."

Tony Blair had faced criticism that the Camp Dogwood deployment was a political step to support US President George Bush, but the Prime Minister responded by promising the troops would be home for Christmas.

The Black Watch soldiers are now waiting to hear about their future following controversial plans to cut Scotland’s six single-battalion regiments to five and merge these into a super regiment.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon’s Commons announcement about the future of the Black Watch is due next week. The government wants to reduce the size of the Army by 2008.

The plans are widely opposed across Scotland, with fears the reform will lead to recruitment problems and a loss of local identity. The Edinburgh-based Royal Scots is one of the regiments facing the axe and a mass rally of protesters fighting to save Scotland’s historic infantry regiments will be staged in the Capital a week today. The march has been supported by Edinburgh-born movie legend Sir Sean Connery.

The amalgamation plans were going ahead throughout the month-long redeployment of the Black Watch from their Basra base to Camp Dogwood, in the so-called Sunni "Triangle of Death". The troops were sent there to fill in behind an American unit sent to fight in Falluja.

During the deployment the unit came under regular attack from roadside bombs, mortar fire, grenades and small arms.

Warrior driver Private Kevin McHale, 27, from Fife, died on October 29 when his vehicle overturned on the way to Camp Dogwood.

Sergeant Stuart Gray, 31, Private Paul Lowe, 19, and Private Scott McArdle, 22, all from Fife, were killed by a suicide bomber on November 4 - two days after the group arrived at its new base.

The group moved back to its Basra base last weekend, before the first small group of soldiers returned home on Thursday - around 20 "logisticians and enablers", including pipers.

Yesterday, a convoy of flatbed trucks carrying tanks, armoured vehicles, equipment and supplies had arrived in the port city of Umm Qasr, enabling the larger groups of soldiers to prepare for their return home.

Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond was among the first to send a "welcome back" message. He said: "We can all breathe a sigh of relief when the entire Black Watch Regiment are back safe and sound in the UK.

"But we must also remember the families of the young soldiers we lost in Iraq."

The soldiers were today expected to line up behind their commanding officer and march on to the base’s regimental square to greet their loved ones.

"The single boys will be going off for a large breakfast in the cook house," said spokeswoman Karen Moseley.

"The married ones will be free to go straight home."

The group’s official period of leave will begin on Wednesday, she explained, before they return to act as the demonstration battalion, which tests new equipment.