Thirty Bermuda Regiment soldiers returned from the Cayman Islands yesterday evening having spent up to a month helping citizens clear up massive destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan.

A significant number of the troops spent two weeks or a month living in spartan conditions and clearing up trash and rubble throughout some of the most hard hit areas in the low lying Islands.

Up to 50 Bermudian soldiers spent long, hot days, clearing some of the Island?s poorest areas of trash and refuse blown about in Ivan?s mighty winds in Operation Comeback Cayman.

The troops received words of congratulations for their hard work from Governor Sir John Vereker, Premier Alex Scott and Regiment Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Eddie Lamb.

?We are very proud of your accomplishments, you did Bermuda proud,? said Mr. Scott as he climbed aboard the Royal Air Force C-17 just after 5 p.m.

?Word was coming from the Caribbean that their help was very much appreciated.

?These young men made sacrifices, they left their jobs and their families, they didn?t grumble, they stuck to their work, they are a fine example to other young men of hard work and achievement.?

Mr. Scott said word of Bermuda?s hard work had spread to other areas of the Caribbean which have been hit by hurricanes such as Grenada where Prime Minister Keith Mitchell is also working to restore order to his country, parts of which are still recovering from a devastating hurricane season.

In early 2005, Mr. Scott said he is interested in sending troops to Grenada to help communities there with similar clean-up projects.

Most of the soldiers were eager to cross the road out of the Executive Jet landing area to greet family members who had lined up along Kindley stretch anticipating their arrival.

Pte. Wolette Darrell, one of several women soldiers who took part in the relief effort, said that although the days were long, hot and very challenging, the experience overall was very rewarding.

She travelled to the Prospect area to help homeowners make repairs and also spent a significant amount of time clearing trash and refuse.

Pte. Darrell said the base camp, located at a high school, did provide them with a decent place to sleep, electricity, and running water.

?We really had to help the residents get motivated to help themselves,? she added.

Colour Sgt. Devaska Lodge took a month off work to join the relief effort.

?Very interesting, a lot of hard work, some people were nice but some people were not nice. The most challenging part of the work was keeping people motivated,? said Colour Sgt. Lodge, who also worked to help homeowners make repairs.

Sir John said the troops had done a superb job and he had frequently heard about their hard work through Governor of the Cayman Islands Bruce Dinwiddy.

?They have been working in one of the most damaged and poorest areas of the Island. All of Bermuda should be proud of these volunteers and grateful. We?re glad to have them home and we?re sure they would benefit from the experience they have now had.?

Lt.. Col. Lamb also showered his praise on the troops and he hoped the experience would inspire others.

?We?re immensely proud of these young men and women. It hasn?t been an easy task ? some have even been there for a whole month.

?This is a testament to our abilities and how well the Bermuda Regiment does what it is committed to doing.

?These soldiers have come back as better Bermudians having seen the squalor that other people have had to live in.?