THE Dukes are heading back to Iraq - with their future still hanging in the balance.

Hundreds of troops from the famous regiment, which recruits extensively in Huddersfield, are preparing for another tour of duty in the war-torn country.

And their return in the next few days comes at a time when the regiment's 300-year future is in doubt.

The 1st Battalion Duke of Wellington Regiment has been mustered from its base in Osnabruck, Germany, to fly out to Iraq.

Up to 650 troops will deploy for at least six months in the province, still torn apart by conflict.

Their headquarters is expected to be in Az Zubayr, south of Basra, a city that was won by Allied troops including the Dukes during the Gulf war.

But the regiment's main task during their tour will be to keep the peace during January's highly- charged elections - the first in Iraq since the conflict.

Their return comes amid renewed violence in Iraq.

A bomb exploded outside the complex of the British and American consulates in Basra yesterday.

There were no casualties reported, said Police Capt Mushtaq Taleb.

The bomb, planted in a bin about 30 yards outside the fence of the complex, blew up as a British convoy of three civilian cars drove out, he said.

Troops are now busy at their base at Osnabruck, preparing for the long journey.

The regiment were sent to Iraq at very short notice when war broke out, with units deployed on the ground within 24 hours.

Now they have a little more time, but still expect to be on patrol before the end of the month.

Regimental secretary Maj David Harrap said: "The whole battalion is being deployed and they are returning just 14 months after their last tour in Iraq.

"Some of the troops have also served in Kosovo since that time and it is indicative of the pressures the Army currently faces. The optimum lay-off between active deployments is usually 18 months to 24 months.

"The regiment are under pressure and it seems ironic that the politicians are considering taking forces away from the Army."

The Dukes' regiment is facing the axe under big defence cuts proposed by the Government.

Hundreds of Examiner readers backed the newspaper's campaign to save the famous old regiment, which has seen action in countless conflicts.