Basildon soldier, Craftsman Vincent Barnes, is vital to the peacekeeping mission in Yugoslavia - he helps keep the Army's vehicles on the road.

As the army's equivalent of an AA man, his unit are responsible for the recovery and repair of thousands of military vehicles in the Kosovo Peace Implementation Force.

KFOR has the delicate task of keeping the peace between two groups in the Serbian province - the majority ethnic Albanians who are returning to their homes and the Kosovan Serbs.

Traditional mutual suspicion between the two sides - exploited by Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic - has been heightened by the ethnic cleansing and genocide of ethnic Albanians by Serb paramilitaries and by the recent Nato bombing campaign, which caused many Serb civilian deaths.

Vincent, 22, is a recovery mechanic serving with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Electrical Engineers.

He said: "Out here in Kosovo I'm responsible for ensuring that vehicles get from one place to another. This means that our soldiers can carry out their duties.

"When I was in Macedonia I helped the refugees at Brazde Camp. The Macedonians didn't seem to know why we were there at first, but they were still very keen to help."

Vincent, who is single, attended Basildon College before joining the Army in 1995. He is now on a six-month tour of duty in the Balkans, though normally serves in Fallingbostel, Germany. He has also served in Poland, Bosnia and Canada.

He misses working out in the gym and playing rugby, his favourite sport. His parents, Edward and Angela Barnes, still live in Basildon.

Wave - Serbian paramilitaries pass a British Challenger tank on their way to the border

(Right) Mission - Vincent Barnes

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