Prince Harry's £200 a week danger money for flying Apache helicopters in war zone... but he'll have to wait until January to get it

Weekly bonus will be added to the captain's £38,931 salary
Referred to as Captain Wales by colleagues
Prince not expected to return home until January

PUBLISHED: 16:03 EST, 8 September 2012 | UPDATED: 20:47 EST, 8 September 2012

Prince Harry spent yesterday signing forms to ensure he receives a £200-a-week bonus for flying combat missions against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The tax-free gratuity – awarded to all troops in the war zone – will be added to the £38,931 captain’s salary the Prince receives for piloting an Apache helicopter gunship.

But there is little chance that Harry will be able to spend the extra cash on Christmas presents – the bonus is paid at the end of a tour of duty, and the Prince is not expected to return home until January.

Britain's Prince Harry inspects the weaponry he will be using to shoot Taliban insurgents with from the powerful Apache helicopter

Back in action: Prince Harry is shown the inside of an Apache by a member of his squadron at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan

Concentration: Harry will be operating as a co-pilot gunner while part of the 100-strong 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps

The so-called Operational Allowance is paid at a rate of £29.02 for every day served in the war zone.

Harry, 27 – known as Captain Wales to his colleagues – arrived in Afghanistan on Thursday night as part of the 100-strong 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps.

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Another Apache pilot said: ‘Each time we serve in Afghanistan, it is for four months – and no holidays in Britain, or Las Vegas, while we’re there. We get a lot of stick from the soldiers on the ground because their tours last six months rather than four, but our jobs are more mentally demanding. Harry has the backing of everyone in the Army Air Corps. He performed very well in training and was too good in the Apache to be ordered to “fly a desk’’ – what we call office duties.

Prince Harry expressing his enthusiasm at being back in Afghanistan to serve as a military helicopter pilot four years after his previous deployment there had to be cut short

Harry examines the 30mm cannon of an Apache helicopter with the 16 Air Assault Brigade

‘He’ll fly his first operational sorties with a pilot from the outgoing squadron, probably at the end of this week. 662 Squadron are taking over from 664 Squadron who have been in Helmand province since May.’

Harry is said to be popular with his colleagues – who were quick to test his sense of humour. He was mocked after winning an award for his skills on a course in Arizona.

The pilot added: ‘Before his training out there, nobody had heard of an award for best gunner. So the joke ran that it was made up by the Americans just for him.’

Last night, Harry was completing his RSOI (Reception, Staging, Onward-Movement and Integration) training at Camp Bastion – the main British base in Helmand Province. Demonstrations included what to do if he finds a suspect package and if Bastion comes under rocket attack.

Fun times: Prince Harry along with friends and females partied in an exclusive, heavily guarded, VIP Bungalow at Wet Republic in Las Vegas

Anyone who sees a suspicious object is responsible for establishing a cordon and alerting the camp guards. Concerns that explosives will be smuggled into Bastion have triggered a security upgrade. More than 100 troops are on permanent guard, with military police and dogs on standby. To enhance Harry’s security, he will also be shadowed by close protection officers.

They will eat in the same canteen and share the Prince’s accommodation. To guard against a terrorist attack by a Taliban undercover agent, Afghan troops are not allowed near him.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said that a threat assessment had been undertaken prior to Harry’s deployment – to ensure his presence in Helmand would not put him or his colleagues at greater risk.

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Clever PR stunt Harry compared to your Vegas disaster. Sincere hope that all servicemen get to be with their families as soon as possible at least for Christmas, never mind Vegas!

- Me , Sin City, 09/9/2012 08:28

Click to rate Rating 35

I would far sooner see Harry get this money than see many of our 'honourable?' MP's get expenses money!

- Mr Blobby , Southampton, United Kingdom, 09/9/2012 08:23

Click to rate Rating 117

Danger money my backside.....he'll be surrounded by SAS every step he takes!!!

- Penitantman , Preston, 09/9/2012 08:18

Click to rate Rating 43

Pathetic. I have friends over there at the moment, and the Â£200 a week just seems offensively small to me. Not to mention, Harry's presence there is treated differently - with operation minimise being put in place when he arrived etc.

- Tony , Bristol, UK, 09/9/2012 08:17

Click to rate Rating 35

So he gets an extra £200 while the taxpayer pays for the extra security to protect him putting more of our armed forces at risk. Foolish to allow to go and play with the big toys and endanger others lives,

- Bertie7798 , Fleet, 09/9/2012 08:17

Click to rate Rating 32

I thought you had to pay to attend a turkey shoot, not get paid.

- Kerry Livermore , London, United Kingdom, 09/9/2012 08:16

Click to rate Rating 54

it'll take months to save for another Vegas trip

- Si , Abertawe, 09/9/2012 08:13

Click to rate Rating 19

I am convinced that the population of GB would be delighted to know Captain Wales is receiving this rather than the expenses our snout in the trough MP's will be claiming in the next few months. - mecmac , dunedin, 09/9/2012 01:45 ========================================================================================= The unelected self-appointed Windsor freeloaders dip their hands into taxpayers' pockets for £200m a year: that's a vastly higher amount than any MP receives!

- StuartT , Plymouth, United Kingdom, 09/9/2012 07:54

Click to rate Rating 30

Really not needed is it? And I suspect he is guarded at all times - Jane , Staffordshire, 09/9/2012 02:33 ========================================================================================= It's a fair bet that quite a number of personnel have been diverted from frontline duties to protect 'Capt Wales' while this ludicrous PR stunt is played out for the benefit of the media and feeble-minded sycophants. What's also worrying, is that Harry receives £38K of taxpayers money as a salary for a 'job' he hasn't bothered to attend for most of the year.

- StuartT , Plymouth, United Kingdom, 09/9/2012 07:50

Click to rate Rating 13

This is a non-story. It even says the money goes to all of them, not just Harry. My friend's partner goes next week, I will be thinking of ALL of them. Good luck and God bless x

- Laura , Bingley, 09/9/2012 07:43

Click to rate Rating 93

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