North Yorkshire-based soldiers protect village in Afghanistan (From York Press)

Royal Dragoon Guards from Catterick Garrison protect Gorup-e Shesh Kalay in Afghanistan

9:32am Tuesday 1st June 2010 in News

BRITISH soldiers based in North Yorkshire have been rebuilding and protecting a village in Afghanistan.

Royal Dragoon Guards from Catterick Garrison, including soldiers from York and North Yorkshire, have arrived in Helmand Province.

The cavalry soldiers, who are used to moving around the battlefield in armoured reconnaissance vehicles, are carrying out a dismounted infantry role during their six-month tour of Afghanistan.

The area around the village of Gorup-e Shesh Kalay, where they will be based, was cleared of Taliban insurgents earlier this year.

The mission of the junior officer in charge Lieutenant Nick Landon, said: “We have currently got a cash-for-works project ongoing just outside the patrol base to clear some irrigation ditches, allowing better irrigation for farmers’ crops and improving the quality of the road surface just out to the west.”

Although fighting has reduced, soldiers say they are still aware of the dangers of carrying out redevelopment work on the frontline.