PART-TIME soldiers from South Cheshire have jetted to Iraq this week to take on the task of peace-keeping in the city of Basra.

More than 100 members of the Territorial Army, including 17 from the King's and Cheshire D Company based in Crewe and Northwich, will serve in the country after they were mobilised in January.

They will be supporting the hundreds of soldiers already serving from the 1st Battalion 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment in Operation Telic Four after spending a week acclimatising to conditions in Kuwait.

Captain John Tyson, of Myrtle Street TA, served for 22 years in the Army, including postings in Northern Ireland and Germany.

He explained what the men could expect to find in Basra - the Southern Iraq city which British troops have been responsible for securing since conflict in 2003.

He said: 'It's over 40 degrees out there now and it's not even summer - it will be extremely hot.

'They will be wearing a helmet and body armour. It will be pretty arduous.'

But one of the most important jobs of the troops will be to befriend the population.

Added Captain Tyson: 'They will be training the Iraqi army and the police to bring them back on-side.

'They will be trying to get support, finding out what they can do and who the main players are and talking to them.'

It is similar to tactics employed by Capt Tyson in Northern Ireland but for many recruits it will be their first taste of real military situations.

He said: 'The youngest person we have going is 18 as that's how old they have to be before they can go. We have got people who came in as a basic recruit last year, finished their training just before Christmas and they are over there as a proper soldier.

'The TA are not really seen as different. They do the same job as a regular soldier. There's no segregation and they are fully integrated with the soldiers.'

Back home, families and friends of the deployed soldiers will meet up with TA officers to be debriefed on their loved ones' progress in Iraq.

Capt Tyson added: 'We do feel the need to get people together so they can swap stories.'

Captain Joff Daintry is the adjutant for the group working as the right-hand man to the commanding officer. He thinks the team from D Company has enough knowhow to help the rebuilding of Iraq.

'Some of the guys have ample qualifications in their civilian life. One guy is a barrister and is going over there as a private.'

He explained that soldiers, including those from the TA, will work in teams of four people, headed by lance corporals or a corporal, with three privates.

Each team is supported by a multiple, a collection of three teams and two multiples make a platoon with a platoon commander and sergeant, making it 26-strong in total.

Capt Daintry added: 'The teams will patrol the area and then a second platoon acts as a satellite around that group to give defence in depth.'