Around 150 British Army personnel left RAF Brize Norton this morning bound for Sierra Leone, to add to the significant efforts that the MoD has already made in tackling the Ebola crisis, Vigilance can report.
The soldiers, mostly medics from 35 Squadron, 5 Medical Regiment of the Royal Army Medical Corps are due to arrive later today in Freetown. They will run the Ebola Training Academy - teaching local healthcare workers and hygienists how to protect themselves from infection and how to prevent it in others. Also deploying today were soldiers from the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment and 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (1 SCOTS).
The departure is the latest deployment in a joint Defence operation to support the UK Aid mission. It follows the deployment of RFA Argus which sailed on Friday with personnel from all three services on board, while RAF personnel are based at Accra, Ghana, moving equipment and personnel, and in Sierra Leone supporting the international aid effort. Defence’s total contribution to the UK’s work to tackle Ebola in Sierra Leone will amount to around 750 personnel.
The soldiers met the International Development Secretary of State, Justine Greening, who joined the flight from Brize Norton to see first hand how UK Aid efforts are assisting the Government of Sierra Leone in helping to overcome the Ebola crisis.
Major General Tim Radford, the General Officer Commanding Force Troops Command - in charge of most of the deploying troops - was on hand in the early hours to wish his personnel well on their deployment.
Major General Tim Radford said: “This is the third group of soldiers who have deployed to Sierra Leone in support of the DfID operation to help tackle the crisis. They will join more than 300 soldiers who arrived over a month ago and have been instrumental in setting up infrastructure and treatment facilities across the west of the country."
Major General Radford added: “These troops will form part of the group undertaking vital work to train Sierra Leonians to conduct community care in their own neighbourhoods in up to 1,000 centres across the country. My personnel are confident, well-trained and now just want to get on with the job.”
Also seeing off the medics was Director General Army Medical Services, Major General Jeremy Rowan. He said: “I am immensely proud of what the Army Medical Services has achieved in such a short space of time. Within five weeks we have responded to an urgent operational requirement and deployed 200 medics with first class training. This demonstrates the versatility and commitment of the modern Army medic and the agility of the British Army to deploy to an area that desperately needs our help.
General Rowan assured: “My medics are well prepared for this mission and are relishing the challenge. They absolutely recognise the importance of supporting the people of Sierra Leone and bringing this devastating disease under control.”
Major Scott Hempsey, officer commanding, 35 Squadron of 5 Regiment will lead the latest contingent of personnel. He said: “All of my soldiers have volunteered for this mission. For a lot of them it is their first tour and they are raring to get stuck in and make a difference.”