DOZENS of paratroopers today flew out to Afghanistan, the first time they have been sent on a tour of duty to the county for seven years.

B Company, 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, will be guarding civilians and military advisors in Kabul for the next six months as part of a battle group built around 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles.

It is the first tour of duty for all the soldiers who have been training hard for the past year for the role.

Last time paratroopers were sent to the country in 2010, they were directly fighting the Taliban in Helmand Province.

This tour, however, will see them protecting those working in government ministries and UK advisors.

Major Dave Mans, the only man at today's departure to have served on Operation Herrick, said while the conditions and job would be different, the troops would have to be diligent at all times.

He said: “They will be working in a different part of Afghnistan. Kabul is like any typical south Asian city - a bustling part of the world. But there is always that risk. There are frequent attacks in Kabul still.

“I share the troops’ enthusiasm. I’m excited to be going back. It’s going to be great seeing these young soldiers doing their job in a real setting, which for most of them will be the first time.”

Major Mans knows only too well how different this tour will be compared with those 3 Para undertook in 2006, 2008 and 2010-11.

He was part of just 30 soldiers who fought off 400 Taliban insurgents in 2008 while serving with 2nd Battalion the Princess of Wales Regiment.

The troops were attacked for nine days by rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and AK47s. The soldiers suffered just one casualty from a shrapnel wound as they killed a quarter of the enemy.

In total, 26 Colchester-based soldiers lost their lives in the war for Afghanistan. Of those, six were from 3 Para.

In preparation for this tour, paras have been training with Foxhound protected patrol vehicles and working on close protection.

While none of yesterday’s soldiers have served in the country before, apart from Major Mans, the troops said they had been inspired by many of the soldiers who had toured there and still served in 16 Air Assault Brigade.

Lance Corporal Lee Rollinson, 28, has been waiting for his first tour for five years.

He said: “I have done lots of overseas exercises. I’ve been to America three times, Kenya, France and Germany.

“My reaction when we were told was: ‘It’s about time’. I felt pretty fortunate because only one company gets to go.

“There are a few people still in the company and they have talked about their past experiences but the job is going to be different this time.

“We set ourselves high standards and we will keep that up.”

The tour will last for six months, which means the troops will be away from their families for Christmas.

Major Mans, a father of three, the youngest being just two weeks old, said it was part of the job.

He said: “It will be the first time I have missed Christmas.

“But it’s part and parcel of the job. You can’t have the excitement of the deployment and not the reality.”

Altogether, 110 troops from B Coy will be deploying over the coming days for the six month tour.