LIEUTENANT Ed Hodges, from Potterne near Devizes, has arrived in southern Iraq with the Kings Royal Hussars and is leading border patrols against insurgents.

Lt Hodges, 24, is one of the troop leaders responsible for carrying out patrols in stripped down Land Rovers, spending up to two days out at any one time.

He said: "Our job is to monitor and mentor Iraqi border police at 21 border forts. The area we cover has real desert, foothills and mountains and then, in the south, the marshes we get a complete variety of scenery.

"It is really fascinating and it's good to get out of the camp. Outside the urban areas the people are very friendly and the Marsh Arabs are amazing."

Over the next six months, around 400 soldiers from the cavalry regiment normally based in Tidworth will brave temperatures of over 50 degrees Celsius in the height of summer while they help the war-torn country on the long journey back to normality.

They are settling into a variety of buildings and tented accommodation in the provinces of Basra, Maysan and shortly Nasiriyah, which will be their homes and places of work for the duration of their tour.

Commanding 120 men in Al Amarah is A Squadron leader, Major Nick Hunter. The troops will provide protection to the local population, buildings and convoys, patrol borders and assist with building up the local infrastructure, severely damaged during the war two years ago.

The Army's priority is to train and support the Iraqi security forces such as the Iraqi Police Service, border guards and newly fledged Iraqi army, to become confident and capable enough to manage the country's security themselves.

The King's Royal Hussars arrived in Iraq in the middle of April. The soldiers are slowly getting used to the heat and dust, and living in eight-man tents or Corimec rooms with mosquito nets over their beds. Organised physical training takes place first thing in the morning to avoid the heat of the day.

Lt Hodges is based with A Squadron in the province of Maysan, supporting the 1st Battalion, the Staffordshire Regiment Battlegroup.

The KRH soldiers are based in Abu Naji camp near the town of Al Amarah, where there was an explosion of violence last summer. They are responsible for supporting Iraqi border guards along 250km of the border with Iran, and patrolling countryside ranging from mountains in the north to the Marsh Arab area in the south.

In their first three weeks there were five rocket attacks against Abu Naji camp as well as shootings and roadside bombs, one of which killed Guardsman Anthony Wakefield of the Coldstream Guards.

But despite the hardships, Maj Hunter says morale is still high. He said: "We are very happy to have such a diverse role in such a large area. The soldiers enjoy the interaction with the people. That's what British soldiers do best. Wherever we go, whatever we do, there is always a crowd of tiny children and teenagers, and there's always banter and the common language of football."

Trooper Phil Tollafield, 19, from Swindon, is on his first operational tour and is part of the Squadron leader's Rover group. This consists of four armoured Land Rovers with an opening in the roof for two soldiers to give cover to their colleagues.

Tpr Tollafield said: "We take the Snatch vehicles on roads first as they are heavy and cannot go too fast. Then we learn some cross-country driving and offensive positioning on the road.

"I've been driving for nearly two years and I will admit to being a little apprehensive as I've heard a lot of tales of the drivers out here. We'll see."