The Telegraph has reported that ‘Lt Colonel Tim Purbrick, who took part in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 as a 26-year-old subaltern, has just taken up command of the newly-created Cultural Property Protection Unit.
So far he is commander of one soldier – himself – but has identified a number of specialists, including an Arabic-speaking archaeologist and an underwater archaeologist, and will start interviewing potential recruits next week.
The new unit will draw on members of the Army, Navy, RAF and Royal Marines. Civilians who want to join will have to enlist in the Army Reserves’.