Shropshire-based Royal Irish Regiment returns home from Afghan tour

But unlike previous visits to the country, this was not a combat tour for the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, and fortunately it did not suffer any casualties.

Lieutenant Colonel Graham Shannon, Commanding Officer of the regiment, which is based at Clive Barracks near Market Drayton, said: "It must be the luck of the Irish."

The regiment has been part of the international Kabul Protection Unit providing transport and security in its Foxhound armoured vehicles.

It is part of NATO's Op Resolute Support which has remained in Afghanistan to train, advise and assist.

About 450 soldiers from the regiment took part in the tour – some of which stayed out there for about four months, and some for the full eight months.

Lt Col Shannon said: "It was a challenging but thoroughly enjoyable tour.

"Kabul is a volatile city and it is going through a lot of changes. But there are a lot of really good people working to make it better.

"We have a lot of young soldiers and for many this was their first time their.

"The soldiers were brilliant. They were given a lot of responsibility, including protecting senior people and making life and death decisions about them."

There remains a real and present danger in Kabul. A high-profile city of five million people, it is a constant target for the Taliban and in more recent times so-called Islamic State.

Suicide bombers and vehicle borne IED's are just two of the daily threats in the capital.

The regiment has assisted the Afghan National Defence an Security Forces three times this tour. In May it helped with medical evacuations after a huge truck bomb hit, killing 150 people.

"There were 120 incidents in Kabul and we had to deploy our forces on numerous occasions," Lt Col Shannon said.

"The Taliban do not care about civilian casualties. On one occasion we had to evacuate casualties from the German embassy."

The regiment also supported the development of Afghan institutions and provided a control of movements of NATO forces.

It was based around three main places – the airport, centre of Kabul and in the national army academy, which has been described as the "the jewel in the crown" for delivering training for the Afghan army.

The regiment also worked very closely with companies from other countries, including the 101st Airborne Division and the 82nd Airborne Division from the US.

Before it left Afghanistan the Royal Irish Regiment was presented by the Americans part of a flag which had been flying above the New Kabul Compound.

Another challenge faced by the regiment while it was out there was the climate.

Lt Col Shannon said: "We deployed in December so we had to face snow and freezing conditions to start with.

"When it became warmer it reached the high 30s – it was was extremely hot. When we were in the vehicles temperatures reached the 40s."

The Royal Irish Regiment finished its tour after handing over to the Yorkshire Regiment.

But it expects to return to Afghanistan in 2019, ready to assist the Afghan Forces if needed.

Until 2014 the regiment mainly roped or dropped into action from helicopters, but then officially changed its designation to a light-armoured vehicle based group.

The changes were part of the ongoing UK-wide restructuring plan known as Army 2020.

Since 2014 the regiment has been known as a light protected mobility battalion operating from a range of new vehicles, including the Foxhound.

The soldiers who have been on the tour will now get a deserved four or five week break.

Lt Col Shannon added: "I am looking forward to spending some time with my wife and children, and getting some rest."