Generals from the UK and United States have given the Island’s defence force their seal of approval.

Major General Edward Smyth-Osbourne, from the British Army, and US Army Brigadier General James Taylor arrived in Bermuda on Tuesday for a two-day visit.

Regiment Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Foster-Brown, said the visit heralded a new era of cooperation between the three countries as well as increased opportunities for Regiment soldiers to train overseas.

Maj Gen Smyth-Osbourne, who commands the British Army’s London District and the Household Division, which is tasked with protecting the Royal Family, praised the Regiment soldiers.

He revealed that the Regiment would liaise directly with his command on areas of joint concern, which is the first time a formal relationship with a divisional command in the UK has been set up.

He said: “This visit is to cement the relationship between the British Army and the Bermuda Regiment, reinforcing the ties it already has with the Royal Anglians and to look for further opportunities for mutual benefit.

“First and foremost, we will provide one point of contact for the Bermuda Regiment and for the Governor, so there will be clarity and continuity.

“Secondly, we will look for opportunities for relatively small numbers of people to develop their soldiering skills alongside the British Armed Forces.”

Maj Gen Smyth-Osbourne’s visit to Bermuda coincided with a similar trip by Brig Gen Taylor.

Brig Gen Taylor, Deputy Director for Strategy, Policy and Plans at the North American Aerospace Defence Command and US Northern Command, said his command’s experience in security support for major US events, such as the Superbowl, could be useful to Bermuda as the Island prepares to host the America’s Cup.

“Bermuda’s soldiers are very impressive, very professional — they shared the after-action report on the hurricanes last year and it was a phenomenal job they did,” he added.

“This Regiment has a great history and heritage and it’s something people can be very proud of. I listened to its mission and its organisation and it struck me how similar it is to our National Guard.

“The National Guard could benefit from the experiences the Regiment has had and vice versa.”

Col Foster-Brown said: “The visit has gone very well — it’s a scoping opportunity with a view to expanding even more what we already do with the UK and US military.

“These visits open up a lot more opportunities, not just for individual soldiers in terms of places to go and things to do, but for the island as a whole.

“This is potentially a way to secure valuable support in the event of a major emergency.”