The Ministry of Defence today announced that troops from Shropshire will be heading out to join the fighting in Afghanistan.

Soldiers from the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards (QDG), the Cavalry Regiment of Wales and the Border Counties, will be sent to the area of Garmsir, southern Helmand Province, in October.

The regiment recruits from Shropshire, Herefordshire, Cheshire and Wales.

It is currently based in Sennelager, northern Germany, as part of the British Army’s 20th Armoured Brigade.

During their six-month tour they will take over responsibility for security as the Battle Group South of 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, defence secretary Des Browne has confirmed.

Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Alan Richmond said: “I think everyone is eager to get out to Afghanistan and get stuck in, to really get to grips with the unique challenges that Afghanistan presents and do our part in bringing that campaign towards a successful conclusion.

“We have a real opportunity here, a really cracking, exciting role as a ground-holding battle group and for it to be the first time that it’s not an infantry unit in such a role is quite a thing.

“It’s fair to say the regiment is extremely excited about this deployment. Having completed three tours of Iraq, the prospect of going to a different theatre offers everybody a fresh challenge.”

The troops are conducting Mission Rehearsal Exercise alongside the Royal Marines in Salisbury Plain this week.

They are joined by other units based in Germany who are also to deploy to Afghanistan with the QDG Battle Group, including soldiers from B Company The 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (1PWRR), 3 Battalion REME, 32 Engineer Regiment and 26th Regiment Royal Artillery.

The 1st QDS last served in Afghanistan in 1919.

By Andrew Rogers