IT will be their longest day.

After saying their goodbyes and making their last phone calls home, soldiers from across Hampshire were starting to fly out to Iraq today.

The first troops of the First Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment - known as the Tigers - were set to be deployed from their German base as dawn broke.

About 60 soldiers will make the journey today, travelling from their base in Paderborn to nearby Hanover airport.

Exactly where they will fly out to is being kept secret for safety and tactical reasons, but it is understood they will touch down in a nearby country before flying to Iraq.

Throughout the week the remaining soldiers who make up the 600-strong Tigers contingent will follow.

Once they have all arrived next weekend they will spend a week settling into the base in the desert south of Basra that will become their home for the next six months.

In that time they will go through a hand-over process with the Desert Rats, who have been in theatre for the past six months.

They will also use the time to acclimatise to the excruciating daytime heat where temperatures are almost 40 degrees.

Since the start of the year the troops have been put through rigorous training to prepare them for any eventuality while on the tour - known as Operation Telic 8.

On a German-owned training camp called Sennelager, near Paderborn, they learned how to cope with petrol bombs, mortar attacks, civil unrest and responding to "enemy" fire.

Their role until October will be to provide assistance at short notice in any area of southern Iraq and could also involve providing intense training for the police and border enforcement agency.

They could also be called upon to assist the Iraqi force on anti-smuggling operations in areas where there are still landmines that have not been cleared.

Capt Mike Reid, speaking from Paderborn last night, said the Tigers were prepared and eager to get out there.

He said that since the soldiers returned from three weeks' pre-tour leave they had spent time making their final preparations as well as relaxing by playing sport.

"We've had a few sports days and spent time with the families and there have been no dramas - everybody is back and ready.

It's been a case of dotting the Is and crossing the Ts.

"The guys have also been practising their skills and drills through a computer simulator which is very useful."

Officials have also been back in the UK to brief the families of those going to Iraq this week and give them details of a hi-tech Internet facility which will enable the soldiers to send regular e-mails from the base.

Capt Reid added: "Everybody is really looking forward to going now.

"You spend so much time getting ready and preparing that it almost comes as a relief to finally be going.

"The mood is generally fairly calm. I don't think there's been any engagements out there yet, certainly not anything significant that we have heard about, but then we won't find out exactly what's going on until we arrive."