The TA soldiers will provide security and protection to British forces

About 120 men and women from Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire were starting training on Monday.

The force, due to fly out to Iraq in May, is being provided by the region's two TA infantry battalions.

About 10% of British forces in Iraq are provided by the TA, whose part-time soldiers support regular army units.

The TA's two North West infantry battalions fall under the command of the Army's 42 (North West) Brigade.

Close protection

Brigadier Jonathan Powe, commander of the brigade, said: "This is a tremendous opportunity for soldiers from the two TA infantry battalions in this region to perform a significant role in the peace support operation in Iraq.

"This is one of a small number of opportunities for an all-TA company to deploy as a formed unit, under our own territorial commanders."

The force will be a Force Protection Company, with the title "Normandy Company".

They will provide local security and protection to British forces in Basra. They will also escort convoys, mount quick reaction patrols and act as close protection to medical reaction teams.

Since 2003, more than 1,200 TA officers and soldiers from the North West have served on Operation Telic, the name given to the UK's deployment of 8,000 personnel in Iraq.