SAS rescues aid worker from hell of Albania By Michael Smith

SAS soldiers in civilian clothes rescued a British aid worker trapped in southern Albania as armed gangs roamed the countryside.

The SAS squad brought together to ensure the safety of the British ambassador and his embassy staff, were sent into Albania on Monday to "extract" Robert Welch. The 39-year-old base worker for the Bedworth Christian Centre, a Warwickshire charity which has an aid centre in the Albanian village of Borsh, had been trapped there since rebels looted an arms depot three weeks ago.

The Rev Gary Simpson, who heads the centre, said they had been in contact with the Foreign Office about Mr Welch's situation but had no idea that such a mission was planned. "We had a phone call from someone who said they were 'special forces'," The Rev Simpson said. "I thought it was someone playing a joke at first but I soon realised that they were deadly serious."

The "special forces" asked him if they could contact Mr Welch. "I explained that he had a mobile phone that worked on the Greek digital network. But he had either to go up a mountain or down on to the beach to make it work so we had special set times to get messages through to him." Yesterday Mr Welch told how he received a call from the SAS headquarters at Hereford at the prearranged time on Sunday.

"I was told that a decision had been taken and they had received instructions to come and get me the following morning. I had to describe the terrain to them and what the area was like and I was told that I would have to go and pick up another English aid worker who was working in another village."

They arranged to meet the following morning at a bridge suggested by Mr Welch between Borsh, which is just north of the Greek island of Corfu. The four-man SAS team arrived in two Land Rovers, Mr Welch said. "We drove five miles to the coast through roadblocks then suddenly two helicopters came down. They came out of nowhere and landed. Then about 25 soldiers leapt out in full combat gear and took up positions while we were driven straight on to one of the Chinooks."

The uniformed soldiers, believed to be from the standby "Spearhead Battalion", at present the 1st Bn, The Prince of Wales Royal Regiment, based in Canterbury, Kent, fanned out to defend them as they drove into the Chinooks.

"Then we took off to fly towards Tirana," Mr Welch said. "It was like a rollercoaster ride, really fast. We were apparently flying at just 50 feet to avoid being shot."

After refuelling on board the aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Adriatic, the Chinooks flew to a Nato base at Bari in Italy from where Mr Welch was flown back to Britain.

"The soldiers were very self-effacing and very modest," he said. "To them it was just another day's work. But they thanked me because they were glad to see some action and said they had enjoyed coming to get me." Mr Welch had been based in Borsh for 18 months for the Bedworth Christian Centre, which last year sent out 100 young people to Albania to help to renovate a school and a hospital. He described being woken by gunfire on the morning that the arms depot at nearby Paralemo was looted. "I thought they might be coming for me because I was the only foreigner.

"But my next door neighbour said to go back to bed because it was machine-guns being fired only in bravado and not in anger against foreigners. In fact, the local community closed ranks around me. After a few days, it became commonplace and though bullets were whisking past my ears, I knew that the guns were just being discharged rather than being fired recklessly. The whole village suddenly seemed to be armed with anti-tank missiles, guns, rifles and machine guns. It was mayhem. Little boys were walking around and playing with loaded guns with live ammunition stuffed in their pockets."

Nevertheless, he said was determined to return as soon as possible. "I came away with mixed emotions," he said. "I feel a bit low at the moment because I'm not there. I feel guilty. I would have brought all the people I left behind in Borsh out with me if I could. But we had to get out. I feel very sad about leaving the children behind, but I'll return one day."

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.