IPSWICH-based financial advisor Gary Bunkell is likely to be out of the office for a few weeks – he's been called up in the face of the threat of war in the gulf.

IPSWICH-based financial advisor Gary Bunkell is likely to be out of the office for a few weeks – he's been called up in the face of the threat of war in the gulf.

Mr Bunkell is a senior officer in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force – and from today he's reverted to being Wing Commander Bunkell, officer commanding 2620 Squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk.

His squadron's role is to protect RAF units from the threat of chemical and biological warfare.

But he doesn't know whether he will be going to the Gulf himself.

"The nature of the squadron is that small groups are likely to be sent to separate airfields in the area.

"I am very keen to go out there myself, but there is a possibility that I will be left in Britain while the rest of the squadron is distributed throughout the area."

Most of Wing Cdr Bunkell's RAAF colleagues come from Norfolk, but he lives at Capel St Mary and runs his own company in Soane Street, Ipswich.

"There will be quite a lot of disruption for them and their employers – the government has been in touch to try to ease the impact on these employers," he said.

Wing Cdr Bunkell is 48 and a former pupil of Northgate High School in Ipswich.

He joined the RAAF in 1984 and became a corporal before being commissioned in 1988.

He became commander of his squadron in 1997 when he was promoted to Squadron Leader.

In October last year be received a new promotion, to Wing Commander, although he retains command of his squadron until the end of this month.

Last June he was awarded the Queen's Volunteer Reserve Medal in the Birthday Honour's List and recently met the Queen at a special event for the RAAF at Sandringham.