So much for irish neutrality

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday March 20, 2003 22:46 by robby

Irelands troops on front line

AROUND 1,000 of the 40,000 British service personnel in Kuwait are from regiments that have direct links to Northern Ireland.
More than half of the 650-strong first battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, which is part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, come from the province.
Around 80 of the battalion's soldiers are from the Republic.
The brigade also contains around 80 Royal Irish Rangers (Territorial Army) volunteers from Northern Ireland.
And approximately 300 troops from the Irish Guards are serving with part of 7 Armoured Brigade.
Both brigades come within 1 (UK) Armoured Division.
An unknown number of Ulster folk are serving with other branches of the armed forces, including the RAF, the Royal Navy, the Parachute Regiment and the Royal Marines.