The first Romanian officer to undertake a secondment to the British Army since World War Two has begun his first ever overseas assignment. He's in Helmand, Afghanistan - serving with the Gurkhas.

Captain Catalin Ionita (35) is a graduate of Romania's Nicolae Balcescu Army Academy. He left his own Regiment in Bucharest in May, bound for 10 The Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, based in Aldershot, and subsequently deployed with them to Afghanistan in September.

He said: "I feel really proud to have been selected to represent my country and work with the British Army; it is a real honour.  Working with both the British and Gurkhas, I have learnt about two new cultures. It has been fascinating."

"The Gurkhas are fierce and brave warriors - I now know why the Taliban call them, 'Tigers'."

Captain Ionita is working as a Staff Officer in the Regimental Headquarters, where he is responsible for monitoring the minute-by-minute progress of the Regiment's logistic operations throughout Helmand.

He underwent four months of intense training with the Regiment. Looking back on it he said: "Some of the British Army's processes are different from back home.  But after a couple of exercises, I soon caught up.  The training in the UK is first class; it is very realistic and well resourced."

"I took part in a Combat Logistic Patrol exercise on Salisbury Plain, where we were simulating re-supplying a Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan.  It was amazing. We had Apache attack helicopters, external force protection, search dogs - you name it, it was there. I had never seen anything like it before."

"Although the safety measures were very strict, we had great fun and learnt loads. It was amazing, I got to fire the new combat shotgun and the grenade machine gun. They are awesome pieces of kit. We were also taught how to fire from moving vehicles, an essential part our role here in Afghanistan if we come under attack."

Captain Ionita was inspired by his grandfather to join the Army. He had served as a Sergeant in the Romanian Infantry during World War Two. He would tell his grandson about his adventures, fighting the Germans and Russians, as well as how he was later persecuted by the Communist regime.