THE Duke of Edinburgh visited Bordon Garrison for the first time in 38 years last Friday, as local troops prepared to go to war. Prince Philip was there in his capacity as Colonel in Chief of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), which is based in the town. This short trip is expected to be his last as all but a handful of military personnel (involved in tank recovery training) will be relocating to a new training facility in Wales in four years' time. The visit was centred on his namesake at the heart of the local military community, Prince Philip Barracks, home to SEME (School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering), 4 Battalion REME Members of the Central Volunteer Headquarters based at Louisburg Barracks were also present. One of the Duke's most significant engagements was with 10 Close Support Company (10CS), which is due to begin leaving this week to provide logisitcal support to British troops in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. He also spent time with 1Close Support Company, an independent Company recently formed in Bordon which will follow 10CS later in the year. The visit started with a welcome by the Senior REME Officers in the Garrison Headquarters during which the Commandant, Colonel Geoff Brown, updated him on developments since his last visit to Bordon in 1969. Colonel Brown also outlined the future of REME units in Bordon, saying that plans for a transition period and a move to a new home in Wales were "gathering pace" as a result of the recent Defence Training Review. With the briefing over, the Duke was then shown various aspects of technical training throughout SEME ending with a look at some very high-tech, state-of-the-art equipment belong to the Royal Engineers. He was told that much of the equipment on show had only recently entered service and represented "the very latest British defence technology has to offer". Prince Philip was then invited to drive a Viking, a Royal Marine armoured vehicle originally designed for service in the Artic Circle, but currently being deployed in Afghanistan. He spent around 15 minutes putting the vehicle through its paces on the recovery square in the barracks' technical training area. Later on, he was invited to visit the Historic Vehicle Museum (part of the REME Corps Museum in Arborfield) which features British-made and foreign vehicles and equipment that both he and the Queen have used on various ceremonial occasions in the UK and abroad in the past. After leaving SEME, the Duke then moved on to 4 Battalion REME to meet the Acting Commanding Officer, Major Gary Crichard, and officers and men of 10CS, most of whom were in their desert equipment prior to deploying to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick. This was followed by a visit to 1 Close Support Company, who will also deploy later in the year. The itinerary at the main camp was concluded with a reception in the 4 Battalion Hanger for about 150 people drawn from a cross-section of the REME community within the garrison, who were addressed by the Duke. The whole "short but very successful" visit concluded with lunch in the Officers' Mess hosted by the Commandant, garrison senior officers and their wives, before the Duke returned to Windsor Castle. Roughly 110 soldiers from 10 Close Support Company, part of 4 Battalion REME, will be supporting the main force of 12 Mechanised Brigade in Helmand Province for six months. Their purpose will be to provide equipment support to the brigade by repairing and servicing equipment ranging from the latest protected vehicles, rifles, radios and other types of equipment. The soldiers have been training extensively for the task since the decision was made in December to send them, including physical, technical and military training to allow them to be the main support body for the brigade. They will be working in barren desert in the south of the province and steep, mountainous regions in the north, under weather conditions ranging from blistering heat during the day and freezing temperatures at night. Their commander, Major Neville Pattison, said: "Every single one of the guys wants to get on with the job. They have trained hard for it, seen the kit they will be working with and working on, and they want to get stuck into it. "It will be a challenge for us, and it will be a long six months. There is a lot of equipment for us to get up to speed with, but with our training it shouldn't be a drama." Bordon barracks press officer Captain Rob Shenton said: "We will have constant communication with the company when they are deployed and our welfare officer here will be on hand to give information to the families. "But at the moment our main concern is getting the company out there and established."