THE first big deployment of soldiers from the Tidworth area to Afghanistan took place this week when more than 200 members of the Ludgershall based 26 Regiment Royal Engineers flew out from RAF Brize Norton.

They are expected to spend four months in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

During their stay in the war ravaged country they will be based in Kabul and will co-ordinate the engineering effort to ISAF.

The soldiers, who are led by Canadian born Lt Col Jacques Lemay, will carry out a variety of works to provide the infrastructure for peacekeepers based in the city and may also help with some civilian projects.

"We could be helping with schools, roads, electricity supply or hospitals but until I get there I can't be sure what they will be," said Lt Col Lemay.

"But we know our area of responsibility will be around Kabul and we have been told to expect a stay of up to four months.

"We are looking forward to being in Kabul, are well prepared, eager and can't wait to go.

"I'm sure all those going will give a very good account of themselves.

"I am very grateful to the families of those going as their wives have been extremely supportive."

While in Afghanis-tan the sappers will be able to keep in regular contact with their families by phone and will have e-mail access.

Although the unit is overwhelmingly male, a handful of female soldiers will also be going. They will be expected to perform the same tasks as their male counterparts in this country where women have spent years hidden from view under the yoke of an extreme fundamentalist regime.

Lt Col Lemay, who is 43, has been the CO of 26 Engineers since it was reformed in Ludgershall in April 2000. Since then the soldiers have spent six months in Kosovo and took part in a big exercise in Canada last summer.

Fortunately for 26 Engineers they are heading for Kabul as the weather improves and Lt Col Lemay laughed when it was suggested that the past winter there had not been too severe.

"Temperatures have been getting down to minus 25 degrees C so you don't want to have to answer the call of nature and get up in the middle of the night," he said.