MAY 16: IRAQ AFTER THE WAR: The latest Gulf conflict is the third major military operation that Corporal Ian Parry has been involved in.

Corp Parry. who is stationed at RAF Lyneham with the UK Mobile Air Movements Squadron, also served in the first Gulf War and the Bosnian conflict.

At present Ian, who is a 33-year-old transport driver, is deployed at Basra International Airport in Iraq where several Lyneham personnel are helping to relaunch the airport.

Before moving to Basra he was in Kuwait from where the coalition launched its invasion of Kuwait.

And it's been non-stop working for him and other members of the MAMS team in Iraq.

His duties include driving the "bosses" around and providing them with armed personal protection.

When he's not doing this he is helping other members of the MAMS team shift equipment and getting airport vehicles and machinery from the Saddam era working again.

Said Ian: "When we got here we were given the job of assessing how much equipment we could salvage.

"So far we have got seven vehicles up and running and that includes two buses, an aircraft tug, some aircraft steps and baggage handling equipment.

"If we had not sorted out those steps Richard Branson's Virgin flight could not have come here with its cargo of aid."

In fact Ian, who is married to Heidi and has two children Aimee aged seven, and Thomas, four, played a major role in the safe arrival of the 747 jumbo jet. He spent 32 hours over four days driving a special sweeping vehicle cleaning up the runway so that the plane could land.

Said Ian: "There were bits of shrapnel left from the battle for the airport, pieces of old Iraqi tanks, loads of nuts and bolts and several spent rounds of ammunition. It was boiling hot in the cab well into the 40s centigrade and the lads had to keep bringing me out bottles of water because I was sweating so much.

"It is a challenge out here but one that I am enjoying. They are not ideal conditions but I have been in the RAF for 17 years and know what to expect."

His son Thomas is disabled and Ian was full of praise for the support being given to his wife by the people at Lyneham.

"While I have been away the squadron has been absolutely brilliant.

"But this is typical of UK MAMS we look after our own."

Ian is hoping to be back home around the middle of June, but asked the Evening Advertiser to send this message to his family.

"Tell them I love and miss them all and hopefully I will see them soon," he said.