British Prime Minister Tony Blair will today honour a military unit that defused thousands of bombs over three decades in Northern Ireland.
He is to present a letter of tribute to officers from the 321 Explosive Ordnance Squadron at Downing Street.
Even though there have never been more than 100 soldiers in its ranks, it is the most decorated peacetime unit in the army.
Since 1969, the 321 Squadron has responded to 55,000 call-outs and neutralised 6,000 live devices. A total of 200 tonnes of explosives have been recovered safely during operations averaging one every six hours.
Twenty of the unit's operators have been killed and 24 seriously injured.
Today's recognition comes after relatives of a fallen serviceman lobbied their MP for such a tribute.
PA