British Commandos prepare to deploy to Afghanistan

3 Commando Brigade, supported by 7th Armoured Brigade prepare to take over operations in Afghanistan from 16 Air Assault Brigade in April 2011.

As the next brigade to take on the role of Task Force Helmand, personnel have been intensively training, preparing for the unique challenges that Afghanistan presents.

Training on Salisbury Plain is one of the final preparations that the force will make before deployment in April 2011. Training has been ongoing for some 18 months and has already involved troops undergoing specialist training in facilities as far and wide as Germany, Borneo, Canada, the USA and Kenya.

About 1,500 relatives and friends of Royal Marines from Plymouth-based 42 Commando were addressed this week by the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ewen Murchison, at the unit's base, Bickleigh Camp.

42 Commando are sending 650 personnel to Helmand in the next few weeks. They are just one element of 3 Commando Brigade which is deploying to Afghanistan for the third time.