TERRITORIAL Army soldiers have been receiving some final training before being sent to Iraq at the end of the month.
Members of 201 Northern Field Hospital, from York, are part of a 200-strong group of volunteers who are flying out to run the Multi National (South-East) Field Hospital, just outside Basra.
The UK team is made up of experienced doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and administration staff, most of whom have put permanent jobs at home on hold.
In the run-up to deployment, the soldiers have been undergoing training at Strensall, in York. Exercise Martinett Drill is designed to give an accurate idea of field hospital conditions, and the challenges medics may have to face over the next few months.
Commanding Officer, Colonel Cliff Godby, is looking forward to the challenge. He said: "Our major task is to provide first-class medical support to troops in theatre and to help with the rebuilding of the health infrastructure in Iraq.
"The hospital has the capacity to run 200 beds and is as well equipped as any NHS hospital. I'm very much looking forward to the challenge - as is everybody else."
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