Scottish troops ‘excited’ to head out to Afghanistan

Yesterday (March 10th) marked the day that many members of the Edinburgh-based 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland have been anxiously waiting for.

The brave soldiers said goodbye to their devoted wives and children and flew out to Afghanistan to spend six months in the war zone, acting as mentors to the Afghan security forces, the Edinburgh Evening News reports.

Despite the goodbyes clearly being an emotional experience, many of the troops expressed their excitement at the task ahead.

Major Richard Forsyth, commanding officer of the C Company, 1 Scots, said: "It’s exciting … we’re all determined to get on with the job. They’ve had very thorough training for the last eight or nine months and we’re ready to go."

"They joined the army for excitement and adventure, and they’re going to get it."

Similarly, Lance Corporal Peter Paterson, a father-of-three, explained that although he is nervous, he is looking forward to embarking on the mission.

The Worcester News recently reported that despite losing an arm and both of his legs in the Afghanistan conflict, solider Tom Neathway is determined to complete his tour of duty in the country by returning to his post as a sniper in northern Helmand.

Posted by Trevor Smith