§ Sir Nicholas BonsorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which major unit has been warned off to relieve 1st Battalion the Cheshire Regiment as part of UNPROFOR II; when that unit last undertook an emergency tour, and where; from which other units reinforcements to that battalion will be drawn; when they last completed an emergency tour and where; whether soldiers from reinforcing units are trained to operate with Warrior armoured vehicles; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton1 Prince of Wales Own Regiment from Osnabruck will replace I Cheshire Regiment, currently forming the basis of our battalion group in Bosnia, in May 1993. The Prince of Wales Own Regiment will be augmented by a platoon of Gordon Highlanders from Berlin; a platoon of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment from Berlin; and a platoon of 1 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders from Minden.
Other units of the present battalion group will be replaced by a squadron of Light Dragoons from Hohne —to replace the squadron from 9/12 Lancers—and elements of 21 Engineer Regiment from Nienburg—to replace elements of 35 Engineer Regiment. Soldiers from units deploying are trained to work with Warrior armoured vehicles.
It is not possible to say where the earmarked individuals and their sub-units undertook their last emergency tour, but the last emergency tour details of the regiments from which the units are drawn are as follows:
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Last emergency tour When
Regiment Where When 1 Prince of Wales Own Regiment Belfast November 1991—May 1992 Gordon Highlanders Northern Ireland January 1990—July 1990 Queen's Lancashire Regiment Northern Ireland February 1987—August 1987 1 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Northern Ireland March 1992—July 1992 Light Dragoons: 13/18th Hussars Cyprus August 1991—February 1992 15/19th Hussars UNFICYP Roulement Regiment December 1991—January 1992 21 Engineer Regiment Northern Ireland March 1992—September 1992