The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment has returned from Kosovo, not very happy that instead of leave over Christmas it could be fighting fires.

They've had over six months of peacekeeping duties in Pristina, the commanding officer, James Cameron, pointed out.

"When you do tours as long as we have, you repay the soldiers with some good family time, particularly over Christmas. My battalion was to get the whole of Christmas. Because it was in the school holidays, we planned to have a serious good time. I will give the soldiers leave when the strike is over but that's not much good because the kids will be at school."

The lieutenant-colonel was speaking at a reception given for the 1st Battalion by the Lord Lieutenant, Mary Fagan, who also invited mayors and mayoresses from various parts of Hampshire to Serle's House, Winchester. She also had a word of thanks for the county council under its leader, Ken Thornber. The council bought Serle's House, home of the Royal Hampshire Regiment, which had been in danger of being sold for development.

The Hampshires were incorporated into the Queen's Regiment to become the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, which still recruits in the county. And the 1st Battalion is based at Tidworth.

"We are proud that we are Hampshire's infantry battalion," the CO said. "And we really feel that we have moved Pristina forward, that what was a district of ethnic cleansing is now a more peaceful place."

The regiment has been at the heart of attempts to bring Serbs and Moslems together. It has promoted moves to peace. The soldiers were candid with the local population in their demand for law-abiding behaviour. They did car searches for drugs, weapons and other contraband; supported forces from France and Germany during elections in areas for which they were responsible and the regiment's specialist surveillance troop created the conditions for the arrest of some of Kosovo's most wanted criminals.

British forces would depart Kosovo soon, the CO said.

Andy Flay, adjutant to the commanding officer, spoke about the peacekeeping role.

"It was about providing a safe and secure environment for people on both sides of the divide," said Andy (30). "The first tour we did was in 2000 and when we went back there this year, in May, we found that we still had a kinship with the people, that they remembered us. This peacekeeping job is difficult. It requires patience. You have to be very determined to do what you can to bring the two sides together and show that this co-operation has benefits.

"You can overcome suspicions by being open and honest with each other. So we are there to encourage and support. There are Serb and Albanian policemen alongside us and that helps. We work together."

The British Army is respected by people in this and other places of conflict because of its firmness and professionalism, Andy agreed.

So, was it a help to have worked in Northern Ireland?

He said: "I was in there in 1997 but I think it is wrong to compare it with Kosovo. One is a United Nations operation, the other is about internal security. But there are skills you can employ. It helps if you understand the religious divide."