Riflemen receive Kosovo medals on Salamanca Day
23 Jul 08
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Rifles based at Ballykinler in Northern Ireland were presented with their Kosovo medals yesterday, Tuesday 22 July 2008.
L-R: Lance Corporal Mubarik Alin, Rifleman Waga Kaboa, Lance Corporal Poasa Koro and Lance Corporal Wayne Cox (kneeling) of 2 Rifles, proudly display their Kosovo medals
[Picture: Sergeant Will Craig]
2 Rifles spent a month in the Balkans on peacekeeping duties - the first direct deployment of troops from Northern Ireland to an overseas operation. Now, following a spell as spearhead battalion on short notice to move worldwide on operations 2 Rifles will begin training for deployment to Afghanistan.
The Kosovo medals were presented to the 2 Rifles soldiers by Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant for County Down, William Hall, Colonel Sir Dennis Faulkner and Councillor Desmond Patterson.
Commanding Officer of 2 Rifles, Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson, said:
"We are delighted to be able to mark our Regimental Day with a Medals Parade for Kosovo. My Riflemen did a tremendous job in Kosovo and provided reassurance and deterrence wherever they operated.
"Although it was a short deployment, I believe we made a significant contribution to maintaining the safe and secure environment in Kosovo which has bought some political space for the politicians to move forward. And we remain very proud of this on our ninth successive year on operations."
Colonel Sir Dennis Faulkner presents Soldiers from 2 Rifles with their Kosovo medals
[Picture: Sergeant Will Craig]
The 2 Rifles deployment to Kosovo was part of the UK commitment to the NATO/EU shared pan-Balkans Operational Reserve Force (ORF), announced to Parliament by Defence Secretary Des Browne in April 2008.
The Battle Group's short 30 day deployment provided KFOR Commanders with extra flexibility to reinforce anywhere in Kosovo to ensure a safe and secure environment ahead of the country becoming a constitutional state.
Historic day
22 July is one of the most auspicious days in the 2 Rifles regimental calendar - Salamanca Day - which recalls an historic battle in Spain during the Peninsular War nearly two hundred years ago. On 22 July 1812 the Regiment went into battle with 27 officers and 420 men. At the end of the battle 24 officers and 342 men had either been killed or wounded.
The Rifles continue the tradition of remembering the Battle of Salamanca, in which their predecessors, the 61st Foot, the Gloucestershire Regiment, played a crucial part. The Duke of Wellington described it as the battle of the Peninsular War of which he was most proud.