MARCH 6: RESERVISTS from RAF Lyneham were today in the Gulf preparing for possible operations in Iraq.

And should war break out, auxiliary airmen from Swindon will help evacuate military casualties back to the UK.

Among those in the Middle East are student nurse Laura Kirby, 26, of Gorse Hill, who will be acting as a flight nurse attendant, and computer engineer Nova Jack, 30, of Sparcells, who will be helping with medical administration.

Father-of-two Stephen Fisher, 45, of Haydon Wick, usually works for British Gas, but will specialise in aero-evacuation during his time in the Gulf.

Of the 130 members of 4626 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, called into full time service in support military action, 10 are doctors, 25 nurses and two are paramedics.

The remaining 93 are a mixture of medics, chefs, administration and training staff who are trained in their specialist areas to ensure the Squadron's motto 'Tute Domum' or 'Safely Home' is observed.

The squadron was called up in January and flew out to the Middle East this week as preparations for war continue.

Lyneham-based auxiliary staff nicknamed weekend warriors spend their spare time training as evacuation specialists ready to pull out military casualties anywhere in the world and ferry them back to the UK by air.

Normally using the Lyneham-based Hercules, the airmen also train on TriStar, VC10 and the recently commissioned C17 Globemaster aircraft.

Flt Lt Colin Mathieson said: "Despite many changes over many years 4626 Squadron, The Royal Auxiliary Air Force and ultimately the Royal Air Force have come to rely on the skills of its dedicated and highly enthusiastic members.

"Despite having full time, often demanding jobs of their own, members of the squadron give up at least one weekend each month and two weeks of their annual leave every year to train, exercise and to actively participate in the vital role of aeromedical ground handling and evacuation."

The squadron was last called up in 1991 prior to the Gulf conflict where it set up aeromedical facilities at Rjyadh, Al Jubayl and Dhahran in Saudi Arabia and Muharraq in Bahrain. Since then the squadron has exercised with counterparts in America, Germany and Cyprus.

Around 15 per cent almost 400 of RAF Lyneham's personnel including aircrews, medics and engineers, have been deployed to the Gulf.

The Military of Defence still has to decide whether the base has a future within its military transport strategy, but aircraft like the Hercules continue to play an important support and supply role 24-hours a day.

The RAF personnel will team up with Swindon's contingent of TA reservists who flew to the Gulf on Tuesday to prepare in their capacity as nuclear, chemical and biological decontamination specialists.