RIR Soldier Wounded In Suicide Bomb Attack

Just over two months after deployment, a soldier from the Royal Irish Regiment has been injured in an attempted suicide attack on a military convoy in southern Afghanistan.

The convoy had just left Camp Bastion, the main British military base in Helmand province, when it was approached by a vehicle carrying a bomb - which then exploded prematurely - before reaching the military convoy.

Therefore, it is understood the unnamed soldier received only minor blast injuries in the explosion on Saturday and is recovering in the field hospital at Camp Bastion.

More than 500 Royal Irish Regiment soldiers - many of whom come from Northern Ireland - deployed for a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan on – appropriately – St Patrick's Day.

Both regular and TA soldiers from the Province left Tern Hill Barracks in Shropshire where the regular soldiers are based, but first marked St Patrick's Day in desert fatigues prior to leaving for Helmand province.

Speaking at the time, a spokesman said that no-one was under any illusions about what lay ahead in Afghanistan.

In fact, many of the regular soldiers of 1 Royal Irish were going on their second tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, despite such practical realities as suicide bombers, Britain's Armed Forces have come joint second in a survey of 1,000 workers who were asked how satisfied they are with their current choice of employment.

According to the fifth annual City & Guilds Happiness Index published recently, financial rewards are not the answer to job satisfaction.

Instead, having an interest in what you do for a living is the number one factor for ensuring on-the-job contentment, with 'happiness levels' remaining constant regardless of salary.

While beauty therapists came out on top - brushing hairdressers off the top spot in the 2008 Happiness Index - and at the other end of the scale builders and bankers were the least happy with their working lives - army, navy and air force personnel are joint second in the happy poll.

According to Air Commodore Tim Winstanley, Director Training and Education within the Ministry of Defence, said: "The evidence we gather indicates that it is the variety, the job satisfaction and excitement of military service that provides overall contentment with the roles they perform.

"What comes through very clearly is that they are proud of what they do, with 91% of our most recent survey indicating a belief that the UK Armed Forces are the best in the world."

(BMcC)