"The Territorial Army units are a bloody good training ground and I am proud of them," said Lieutenant Colonel Tony Cave.

Just hours before, the 41-year-old was on a baking parade ground at the Sennelager Training Centre, east of Germany's industrial Ruhr, breaking the news to North-East soldiers from 168 Pioneer Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (Volunteers) that they were being sent to Iraq.

Now, in shirt-sleeves before leading the officers to dinner, there was time to examine the reasons.

He said: "We have so many troops that are deployed on operations around the world at the moment that the British Army's manpower is stretched.

"The reservists have always been there to serve alongside their regular counterparts but, with the number of full-time units shrinking, there are a growing number of opportunities for the TA to become involved and, as a result we can expect to see them mobilised more frequently.

"Today, the TA has become part of the British Army - it really is as simple as that.

"We are here to train for support operations and, when we deploy, no unit will be more or less important than another."

Pioneers, such as 104 Squadron based in Middlesbrough, are the Army's Jack-of-all trades. Training in joinery, carpentry, construction and a host of other skills in Germany at the moment, they nevertheless know how to fight, and can just as easily pick up a rifle.

But it is their versatility which is their strength -one of the reasons that some have been chosen to help this month in Umm Qasr, in southern Iraq, and Camp Centurion, in Northern Kuwait, where living conditions for Allied troops remain basic.

Lt Col Cave said: "Although we could help the civilian population if required, we are trying to allow the Iraqis to rebuild their own country, so our work is more likely to focus on barracks, as well as force protection work, sentry duty and patrols."

However, a growing role for the TA abroad will have a knock-on effect at home, where businesses will have to come to terms with the loss of valuable members of staff - possibly for up to six months at a time.

Indeed, there have already been reports of some companies digging their heels in.

But Colonel Arthur W Charlton, who co-ordinates the North-East TA's Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers (Sabre) network, said the majority of the region's industry leaders are aware of the benefits of having a reservist on their team.

He said: "They are mostly fitter, more flexible and adaptable, while additional skills may include first-aid, an HGV driver's licence or a proficiency in IT."

Col Charlton said, however, that firms which were still concerned that TA soldiers on their books could be gone a lot longer do have the right of appeal.

He said: "There is a limit on how much a reservist can do within a certain amount of time, and help and advice is available to companies who face hardship, particularly small firms where one person can make a big difference.

"Companies can also apply for the Standard Award Package to help with the costs of an agency, or with recruiting someone to stand in temporarily for a missing TA member."

* More information on employing a reservist, and the help available, can be found at www.sabre.mod.uk, or by calling 0800 389 5459.