THE FIRST Battalion Welsh Guards, based at Hounslow's Cavalry Barracks, this month assumed responsibility for training and supporting police in Afghanistan's notorious Helmand province.

In the first of a series of regular updates exclusively for the Chronicle, commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Dino Bossi describes how the area has changed three years after they were last there - on a demanding tour of duty in which six soldiers were killed.

IN 2009 the Welsh Guards were involved in sustained and ferocious fighting in and around Helmand province, the area we now occupy as police mentors.

Over the next seven months the battalion, part of 12th Mechanized Brigade, will look to build upon the achievements of their predecessors, the 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales Royal Regiment.

For the Hounslow-based men of the Welsh Guards, first impressions are good. The freedom of movement and security afforded to patrols in and around Lashkar Gar is vastly improved.

The development of the Afghan Police capability is a real success story; the streets are no longer awash with the khaki uniforms of Afghan Army soldiers but instead are regularly and professionally patrolled by the Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP).

The Welsh Guards are also responsible for the development of the Lashkar Gar Police Training Centre (LTC), which provides extensive training to all levels of new and current police personnel.

Many of the senior instructors now working at the training centre were Guardsman when the Welsh Guards first deployed to Afghanistan in the summer of 2009.

The Welsh Guards have a long tour ahead of them and they appreciate the support of their friends back in Hounslow.

Guardsman Siviter, from Caernarfon, part of the Commanding Officers Rover Group: "This tour is proving to be a very different challenge. On our last tour we were going out of the gate expecting to be contacted by insurgents every day. This time we are finding attacks are much less frequent and our job has changed, we are now helping the Afghans keep their communities safe."

Sergeant Lewis, from Port Talbot, said: "The security situation here has improved a lot. In 2009 it was very kinetic; we were constantly finding improvised explosive devices and getting engaged in fire fights.

"We are simply not seeing that here any more and I am convinced this is down to the increased ANP presence."