MARCH 18: As the threat of an Iraqi conflict looms, GILES SHELDRICK and MARTIN VINCENT take a look at how people in the Swindon area feel about it and how war will affect them.

THE Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry has a proud history - having first been raised to counter the threat of a Napoleonic invasion in 1794.

Their deployment to the Gulf as front line soldiers in an attack on Iraq is the first time the regiment - the Territorial Army equivalent of the cavalry - has been deployed for military action since World War Two and the unit is currently the largest single collection of TA soldiers to be compulsorily mobilised in support of the regular army.

For the 106 Swindon soldiers of A Squadron, based at the TA Centre in Church Place, their deployment to the Middle East two weeks ago gave a clear indication that war was imminent.

And they will be at the forefront of the conflict providing specialist decontamination assistance to the regular army.

The low-level training the regiment conducted on Salisbury Plain during the weeks before their call up will be a million miles away from the searing heat of the desert where they will perform their vital duties in temperatures rising above 40C (104F) without any shade during the day while dipping to a chilly 4C (39F) at night.

The soldiers are all decontamination experts trained in nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) defence and as such will be acting in support of the joint NBC defence regiment.

A Squadron is one of the Royal Yeomanry's two NBC regiments and pioneered many of the British Army's chemical detection techniques.

Some of the soldiers who helped pioneer early developments of chemical detection tactics still serve with the regiment today, making the squadron one of the most experienced in the army.

They have trained to provide vitally important decontamination skills and reinforcement for chemical and nuclear reconnaissance.

The soldiers regularly practise a wide range of skills, from driver training to specialist detection tasks on stripped down Land Rovers.

The Yeomanry has served in both world wars and used a plethora of vehicles. Members of Swindon's TA, who all hold down full-time professional vocations, usually train every Wednesday night at their headquarters and at weekends take part in training sessions all over the UK.

Most recently Swindon TA soldiers took part in Operation Bright Star in Egypt with a multi-nation force of more than 50,000.

In addition to practising all aspects of chemical detection the soldiers are fully trained in fieldcraft tactics, rifle firing, signals and first aid and to the same standard as their regular army counterparts.