 In 1999 he was selected to join the Close Reconnaissance Platoon (Recce Platoon), over the next 9 years Sgt Sutcliffe served with the Battalion in Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan.In spring 2006 2 R ANGLIAN deployed to Iraq as part of OP TELIC 8 forming Basra City South Battle group.On 18 July 2006, the Recce Platoon were conducting offensive operations around the area of Al-Hadi and 5-mile market within the city confines of Basra.