Iraq war hero quits the Army

Colonel Tim Collins believes the Army is in danger of being "a glorified Home Guard" because of underfunding and bureaucracy he told the Mail on Sunday.   Belfast-born Col Collins was widely praised when he told his soldiers: "If you are ferocious in battle remember to be magnanimous in victory."

The Ministry of Defence would not confirm what was a "private matter".

Col Collins was recently awarded an OBE, after being cleared of alleged war crimes committed during the conflict. His accuser was an American military officer, who was motivated by revenge.  Army Major Re Biastre, a reservist who is a high school guidance counsellor and part-time policeman, filed the charges after an altercation with Col Collins.

Col Collins strenuously denied the charges throughout. He admitted to shooting out the tires of looters' vehicles to stop them making off with essential supplies, and shooting into the kitchen floor of a senior Ba'ath party member to jog his memory about where he had hidden his weaponry. All part of a robust approach, Collins says, to imposing psychological as well as physical dominance of the enemy. He categorically denies charges of pistol whipping or beating prisoners Biastre had not actually witnessed the incidents, and it now appears was merely passing on allegations made by the Ba'ath party member (who did, it must be recorded, miraculously remember the whereabouts of his AK47 as a result of Collins's actions). During the investigation it emerged that Biastre, a social worker in civilian life, had earlier been publicly dressed down by Col Collins for distributing sweets to Iraqis during active operations. 

'Cottage industry'

The Mail on Sunday says the 43-year-old tendered his resignation this week and is expected to be out of the Army by the summer, after 22 years' service.   His wife, Caroline, told the paper: "Tim is no longer convinced that the Army reflects the country with the fourth largest economy in the world, He fears it is becoming a cottage industry."    Mrs Collins also said her husband was concerned by political correctness in the Army and "the refusal of politicians who send British soldiers to war to give them enough money to do their job".

'Fresh challenge'

Mrs Collins also told the newspaper a major factor in her husband's decision to resign was what he saw as the Army's failure to support him when he was wrongly accused of war crimes.

He was investigated by the MoD after allegations were made by an American officer about his treatment of Iraqi civilians and prisoners of war.  At the time of the conflict he was a Lieutenant Colonel, but has since been promoted.

Mrs Collins added: "The height of his ambition was to command The Royal Irish Regiment on operations, something he achieved during the Iraq campaign.   "It's time for a fresh challenge."   The paper said the father of five was thought to be considering a civilian career in leadership and management.

Profile of: Colonel Tim Collins

Colonel Tim Collins' rousing speech to British soldiers hours before they entered into battle in Iraq ensured he made headlines around the world.

In an inspirational address to the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, he said: "If you are ferocious in battle remember to be magnanimous in victory."

He urged his troops to wrap their fallen comrades in a sleeping bag, fight on and grieve for them after the heat of battle.

But poignantly he also warned the 600 soldiers poised in the Iraqi border, that some of them may not return to their families.

The colonel's speech won high praise in a personal letter from Prince Charles, while President George W Bush is understood to have requested a copy for the wall of the Oval Office.

Ambition

The 43-year-old colonel's rise through the ranks has not surprised his military peers. One former colleague described him as a very professional soldier who was highly regarded by everyone who served with him.

To his men he is known as "Nails", (as hard as) a reflection of his strong character and unflinching determination.  The colonel's upbringing in Northern Ireland, where he was born in April 1960, played a central part in forming his future ambitions.   As a young schoolboy in Belfast he witnessed at close hand the terrible violence.

But from an early age he told his mother, Mary, that he wanted to be "a great soldier". Mrs Collins, told the Mail on Sunday in the days before the start of the war in Iraq that when her young son came in from school, he would swap his uniform for a camouflage suit. "There was a field of army huts nearby and soldiers there and that's where Timothy would play.  He recruited all the young boys in the neighbourhood into his army and he was the commanding officer," she told the paper.

Schoolboy

Classmate Jack Moffatt said the future Royal Irish commander was a crack shot in rifle competitions as a young cadet. "He was never terribly sporty but certainly at school his ambition was to join the Army.   He was a fairly regular, decent bloke, a good lad but obviously focused on what he wanted to do."

Col Collins decided on higher education before entering the military for a 22 year career. He was a pupil at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution where he left with A-Levels in English, history and art.  Michael Ridley, principal of his old school, said recently the school was proud of what he had achieved.  "Everybody who knew him was impressed with him and saw him as a very enthusiastic person."

He went on to Queen's University, Belfast, graduating with a degree in social sciences, before being accepted at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst.   There he was commissioned into the Royal Signals, transferring to the Royal Irish Rangers 27th (Inniskilling ) 83rd & 87th in 1982.

He served in Germany, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar, and completed two tours of duty on home soil in South Armagh and East Tyrone.

Profile of: Colonel Tim Collins.

Born in Belfast in 1960.

He had ambitions to be a "great soldier" from an early age

Studied at Queen's University, Belfast.

Trained at Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.

Married with four sons and a daughter.

Tranferred to the Royal Irish Rangers in 1982.

Intellectual pursuits

He was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment.  Throughout his career he has stretched himself both physically and intellectually, combining demanding physical training courses with spells of further education.

In 1994, he graduated as a Master of Arts after attending the Army Command and Staff College at Camberley.   He is married to Caroline, and has four sons and a daughter.

Outside of 'office hours', Col Collins is known to prefer more low key pursuits.   The enigmatic leader - who was often seen smoking a cigar and wearing designer sunglasses during the conflict - likes fly fishing and playing a round of golf.

Mr Collins, who was promoted to colonel after the war, has now left the regiment for a new posting.