Corporal's major clear up task (From Warrington Guardian)

Corporal's major clear up task

11:53am Thursday 2nd July 2009

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A NEWLY-ENGAGED military policeman from Callands who met his fiancée after breaking up a street fight is helping The Army bring home its combat equipment from Iraq.

Corporal Greg Hewines, aged 27, is currently serving in Kuwait with 174 Provost Company Royal Military Police, based in Telford.

Greg was on a joint patrol with police in Staffordshire one evening six months ago when he met 20-year-old Zoe Benton..

He said: “Zoe came out of a local club and we got chatting. Then a fight broke out and I had to run off and arrest someone!

“When it had finished, I went back and gave her my phone number.”

The couple got engaged soon afterwards but since May, Greg has been working in Kuwait.

The former Penketh High School pupil says separation from his fiancée has been made easier by the welfare package available at his camp.

He said: “It’s quite easy to keep in contact. I’m speaking to Zoe most days although the hardest part is not having the cuddles.

“Zoe’s parents are ex-RAF so she understands what it’s all about, me being away. Her mum has been able to give her some guidance on what to expect.”

Greg joined the RMP in 2003 and he is on his first operational tour.

His unit is responsible for checking all military vehicles passing through Shuaiba Port in Kuwait on their way back to the UK, to ensure they are free of unauthorised kit.

So far his unit has searched through more than 1,000 vehicles, from quad bikes to Challenger Two main battle tanks, and checked 800 containers.

He is part of the huge operation to bring back the UK’s kit from Basra in the best condition possible so that it can be refurbished quickly and made available for reuse.

The British Army hopes to be out of Iraq by the end of July.

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