COL Tim Collins, who led his troops into the Iraq War from Canterbury's Howe Barracks, has been recognised with an OBE.

The then Lt Col made the national headlines overnight when he gave a powerful oration to his troops on the eve of battle.

The speech, in which he called on his men to be 'magnanimous in victory', won him admiration from the Prince of Wales and US President George Bush.

On the return of his 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment to Canterbury, the charismatic commanding officer was rewarded with a promotion to the rank of Colonel, but was then falsely accused of war crimes against prisoners. A Ministry of Defence investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing in September.

The 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment left Howe Barracks in September and is now based at Inverness. Col Collins is currently involved in establishing a peace support training centre in Sarajevo.