Sergeant Emmanuel Usiagwu, a Nigerian-born British Army soldier has visited his hometown of Lagos while on an overseas mission.
Sergeant Usiagwu, known as ‘Ice,’ serves in the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) with the 17 Port and Maritime Regiment, based at Marchwood Docks near Southampton.
His deployment aboard the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel, RFA Lyme Bay, unexpectedly brought him back to his birthplace, offering him a rare chance to reconnect with family after years away.
Reflecting on the experience, Ice shared, “It was an incredible opportunity to see my family, including two brothers and two sisters, after many years apart. My commitments in the Army and my own family in the UK make it difficult to return home often.
Being in British military uniform aboard a Royal Navy vessel in my hometown, 16 years after joining the Army, was something I never imagined.”
Born in Lagos in 1984, Ice grew up in a large family with six brothers and three sisters. After earning a National Diploma in Marketing at 18, he worked in estate security before visiting the UK in 2007.
Inspired by a British Army recruitment campaign, he pursued enlistment through the Commonwealth Soldier scheme and joined the RLC in 2008 as a Port Operator.
Since then, he has served in various deployments, including the Falklands, Op Olympic in 2012, and an operational tour aboard RFA Mounts Bay in the Caribbean in 2019.
Most recently, he joined RFA Lyme Bay in October 2024 during its stop in Cape Town for the West African phase of the Littoral Response Group (South) mission.
As Senior NCO on board, Ice leads a team of six RLC personnel responsible for securing vehicles and equipment while also assisting with crane operations.
His unit collaborates with Royal Marines, Royal Navy, and RFA personnel to provide port and maritime support for UK Defence.
RFA Lyme Bay has been engaged in joint training exercises with West African forces, focusing on maritime security, particularly anti-piracy and boarding operations.
The ship also participated in Exercise Grand African Nemo, a multinational initiative aimed at safeguarding the Gulf of Guinea, a vital trade route spanning from Senegal to Angola.
Now based in Southampton with his wife and three children, Ice balances military life with his passion for sports, playing football at the regimental level and representing the RLC in tennis.
His next assignment will see him take on the role of Admin Sergeant, overseeing troop management at Marchwood.
