GWENT soldiers who helped rescue two captured SAS men in a daring raid in Basra "saved their lives", their commanding officer said last night.

Speaking to the Argus from Shaiba military base, six miles outside the Iraqi city, Lieutenant Colonel Huw Lloyd-Jones described the actions of his troops as heroic.

Three soldiers from Gwent are in Charlie Company in the Royal Regiment of Wales.

Their company was involved in the dramatic rescue of the two soldiers on Monday.

British troops stormed the police station jail, demolishing much of it in the process, and later carried out a rescue at a nearby house.

The raid has been criticised by the Basra authorities. Five Iraqi civilians died in clashes surrounding the controversial operation.

Major Steve Mannings, 46, from Swansea, controlled the unit on the ground and told the Argus that the two soldiers would be dead if the rescue hadn't taken place.

The unit included Newport's Sergeant Andy Wood, along with Gwent soldiers Lance Corporal Graham Sims and Sergeant Bill Whyman.

Major Mannings said: "We got a phone call at lunchtime saying two of our guys had been taken. There was concern for their safety and we were asked to get to the Basra area as quickly as we could."

Within minutes the company had left their base in eight armoured Warrior vehicles. They thought their role would be to try and calm things down - but later found out the SAS men had been handed over to the Shi'ite militia.

Major Mannings said: "As the day progressed it became increasingly likely that the two guys had been handed over to the militia.

"Our role then changed. As soon as we were told to move we went in through the walls.

"We couldn't have got in any other way, the gates were blocked. We searched the building and established that the men had been passed to the militia."

He then received a message revealing that the men were being held at a nearby house.

He said: "We cut off the area with our vehicles to make it safe. We were about 750 metres away from the police station, at a private house.

"We got the two men out. They had indeed been held by militia.

"They were very relieved to see us. They had been beaten up and looked in a bad state but despite this were very calm and collected."

Without stopping the unit made the hazardous return to their base, arriving back at 2am.

Major Mannings was in one of the armoured vehicles controlling the unit, and said he had never been so proud of his men.

He said: "It was something we had never rehearsed or practised for. It was an extreme situation and we had to get in there as soon as possible.

"There is no doubt in my mind that two men would now be dead if we hadn't acted when we did."

He said he found it unbelievable that the army had been criticised by the Basra authorities for their actions - they say they will not co-operate with British troops until they get an apology.

He said: "If any of my men were in a similar situation then I wouldn't hesitate in doing the same thing again."

Lieutenant Colonel Lloyd-Jones agreed: "I find it surprising. The only thing I would say in response is that we saved two lives and that speaks for itself.

"I think it was probably the high point of my career. I have been in the army for 20 years and have never been so proud."

The Royal Regiment of Wales has been in Iraq since April and this is their second tour of duty in the country in the last two years.

They are kept on "high notice" and can be sent anywhere there is trouble.

They have been based in Shaiba, six miles outside Basra for the last couple of weeks.

The regiment is due to return to its base in Wiltshire at the end of October.