§ Mr. Gerald HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on what occasions in the past five years units have been detached from a battalion of the foot guards and attached to another battalion to bring that latter battalion up to strength for the purposes of operational deployment, giving in each case(a) the length of the period of detachment and (b) the date of the detached unit's return to its own battalion; [85229]
Battalion detached from Battalion detached to and reason Period of detachment 1 Grenadier Guards Detached 26 men to 1 Scots Guards for a Northern Ireland tour May 2001-November 2001 1 Coldstream Guards Detached 1 Platoon of 30 personnel to 1 Scots Guards for a Northern Ireland tour March 1998-October 1998 Detached 1 Platoon of 30 personnel to 1 Irish Guards for a tour in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia/Kosovo February 1999-September 1999 Detached 17 men to the Household Cavalry Regiment for a Bosnia tour May 1999-November 1999 Detached 26 men to 1 Grenadier Guards for a Northern Ireland tour June 1999-December 1999 Created a company to reinforce a resident Battalion in Northern Ireland October 2000- April 2002 1 Scots Guards In common with other Residential Battalions in Northern Ireland detached individual reinforcements to meet various operational commitments March 1998-April 2000 1 Irish Guards Have only detached personnel for routine procedures in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia/Kosovo. 1 Welsh Guards Detached 1 Platoon of 30 personnel to 1 Scots Guards for a Northern Ireland tour March 1998-October 1998 Detached 1 Company to 1 Devonshire and Dorset Regiment for a Northern Ireland tour October 2000-April 2001 Details of battalions of the Foot Guards which have, in the last five years, been deployed for operational purposes are show in the following table:
Battalion Period of operational deployment Area of operational deployment 1 Grenadier Guards March 1996-March 1998 As a residential battalion in Northern Ireland June 1999-December 1999 Northern Ireland November 2001-May 2002 Northern Ireland 1 Coldstream Guards September 1999-March 2000 Northern Ireland April 2000-now As a residential battalion in Northern Ireland 1 Scots Guards March 1998-April 2000 As a residential battalion in Northern Ireland June 2000-July 2000 Northern Ireland March 2001-November 2001 Northern Ireland 1 Irish Guards February 1999-September 1999 Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia/Kosovo 1 Welsh Guards October 2000-March 2001 Northern Ireland (one company only) March 2002-September 2002 Bosnia Details of Foot Guard battalions which have been brought up to strength for operational deployment by
414W(2) when in the past five years battalions of the foot guards have been deployed for operational purposes; [85227]
(3) on what occasions in the past five years battalions of the foot guards have been brought up to strength for operational deployment by the attachment of units from other battalions, identifying for each occasion (a) the deployed battalion and (b) the source and size of the attached unit. [85228]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 3 December 2001]Units which have, within the last five years, been detached from a battalion of the Foot Guards and attached to another battalion to bring mat battalion up to strength for the purposes of an operational deployment are detailed in the following table:
the attachment of units from other battalions, within the last five years, are shown in the following table.
415W
Deployed battalion Source and size of attached unit and deployment details 1 Grenadier Guards Received 13 personnel from The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, 26 personnel from 1 Coldstream Guards and 26 personnel from 1 Duke of Wellington's Regiment from June 1999 to December 1999 for a Northern Ireland tour 1 Irish Guards Received 30 personnel from 1 Coldstream Guards from February 1999 to September 1999 for a tour in Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia/Kosovo 1 Scots Guards Received 1 Platoon of 30 personnel from 1 Coldstream Guards and 1 Platoon of 30 personnel from 1 Welsh Guards from March 1998 to October 1998 for a Northern Ireland tour Received 26 personnel from 1 Grenadier Guards from May 2001 to November 2001 for a Northern Ireland tour 1 Welsh Guards While in Bosnia (March-September 2002), the battalion was reinforced by 84 reservists and Territorial Army personnel for Bosnia specific jobs. The battalion itself was at full strength