A VALE RAF corporal, recognised in the Queen's birthday honours list while serving in the Gulf, believes improving Iraq's infrastructure is the 'biggest battle' now.

Greg Saunders, aged 29 from Evesham came home two weeks ago after spending four months working at the Shaibah airbase, around 20km from Basra. As part of the force movement control section, Mr Saunders arranged the leave for all troops working in the Gulf.

The former St Mary's Primary School pupil said: "There are 11,000 troops in the Gulf and none of them left without coming through our offices. I went to Baghdad for two days to run an office up there and that was an experience I am glad I had.

"The country's infrastructure is improving and the engineers are working very hard to improve the quality of life for locals. I think that is the biggest battle we have got to face so they feel everything was justified."

Mr Saunders added: "I think anyone in the military cannot avoid going to places like Iraq and it is certainly not something to be feared. It is an experience you can learn from - everyone was determined to make the best of it. There was a good spirit among the guys I was with and I was sad to leave."

Mr Saunders' return from the Gulf was a double celebration for his family after discovering he had been awarded the Commander-in-Chief Strike Command's Commendation. The honour is in recognition for his dedicated work with the Air Movement Squadron at Brize Norton.

He said: "The news came as an absolute bolt from the blue - they are not awards handed out very often. I feel like a bit of a fraud as I have just got it for turning up for work!"