Prince Charles' troops visit

Feb 2, 2010, 12:02 GMT

Britain's Prince Charles visited Afghan-bound troops yesterday (01.02.10).

The Prince of Wales - who met with members of the 1st Battalion, the Mercian Regiment in Cheshire as they took part in exercises on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire - offered his support to their cause.

Charles also visited a mock forward operating base, which is a camp set up to imitate conditions in Afghanistan, as well as meeting soldiers and officers who are known as The Black Rats.

Sgt. Mark Lomas - who has been in the Army for 20 years - told the BBC he had been left with a "warm feeling" from the prince's visit.

He said: "For someone of his stature to come and visit us is quite a warm feeling. It makes you realise the people of the UK are looking at us as well."

Charles had previously met one soldier from the regiment, 31-year-old Sgt Andy Hawkins in 2000.

The royal had sent him a bottle of whiskey to aid his recovery from a car accident during a posting to Cyprus, and then later met up with him.

Sgt Hawkins said: "He remembered me and I spoke about the whiskey. It was good to see him. It's a good feeling knowing we are going to Afghanistan with the backing of the prince and the country."