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HRH visits 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment on exercise on Salisbury Plain

25th November 2008

The Prince of Wales met two wounded Iraq veterans today as he visited 3rd battalion, The Mercian Regiment at a training village in the heart of the English countryside.

In his role as Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment and dressed in full uniform and beret, The Prince was given a tour of Copehill Down, in Wiltshire.

The 70 houses, shops and schools were built to simulate urban fighting and to train the Armed Forces.

During his tour of the village, The Prince met greeted Corporal Michael Pickering, 28, and Colour Sergeant Gary Pemberton, 34, who both cheated death in Basra and returned to action.

Cpl Pickering, from Stafford, suffered a collapsed lung when he was shot in the shoulder in February last year.

He said: "It was about 8am. The traffic was heavy and we started to get sniper fire for a few hours. We identified the firing positions but they started firing mortars so we took cover inside the vehicle.

"They started creeping up on the vehicle. I opened the hatch and was shot in the shoulder."

After seven months of rehabilitation including a trip to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court, Cpl Pickering is back at work. He said he had no concerns about returning to the job he was paid to do.

Sgt Pemberton was wounded in the stomach on a separate occasion on a mobile patrol.

Earlier The Prince climbed inside a Warrior armoured fighting vehicle and shared a cup of tea with soldiers.

The claustrophobic two-by-one metre living space can accommodate up to seven soldiers who can live securely inside the tiny compartment for up to 72 hours, with food, water, weapons and a chemical toilet.

At the start of the tour The Prince saw a £40,000 Javelin "fire and forget" laser guided missile system in action, when it simulated shooting a tank.

The Prince laughed when he was warned by Sgt "Dinger" Bell that he might hear a "loud simulated noise".

He joked: "Are you going to make the loud simulated noise?"

The village, near Chitterne, on Salisbury Plain was built during the Cold War and modelled on a North German town. These days its mock-ups prepare troops for war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Later the 3rd Battalion (Staffords) were due to defend a position against an attack by the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards. The hard fought exercise, named Wessex Warrior, could last late into the night.

The Prince also presented Long Service Good Conduct (LSGC) Medals and Royal Warrants to four members of the Battalion.

Major Graham Crowe said of The Prince's visit: "He's very hands on, very approachable and very friendly. He enjoys coming out here and spending time with soldiers.

“He likes to see soldiers because he's our figurehead."