40 Commando RM

Exciting Times

by Lt Cot C K Messenger OBE, CO

 

It was a sombre yet determined 40 Commando that sat in the Kuwaiti desert on the night of 20 March, waiting expectantly to participate in the aviation assault that was to be the first conventional operation of the war. Little did we know then what was to unfold over the coming days. If, however, we had been asked at that stage to write the script, it would have gone something like this 

 

Alpha Coy

by 2Lt Buczkiewicz

 

The day before H hour had been a long and frustrating one. The combination of Scud launches, the heat and an increasing anxiousness to get on with the task led to a strange feeling around the camp. We watched as the other companies began to file past our positions and out to the helos, counting down the minutes until it would be our turn. Then as Alpha Coy sat in darkness waiting as timings almost inevitably slipped right, the first buzzes started to ripple along the lines. The reality of the situation was brought home to many with news that Charlie Coy and MSG were in contact on the Manifold Metering Station (MMS) and by the time our call came everyone was raring to go. After a helo ride which seemed to last forever we landed on the MMS and walked straight into a change of plan. A tragic accident had left 42 Cdo unable to put in a screen to the north and Alpha Coy had to protect this flank of the MMS. The three troops moved to clear the area where MSG had been in contact the night before. It soon became clear that after the AC-130 Spectre gunships had worked their magic; all that was left to do was to take prisoners and pick up the pieces of bodies shattered by the aerial bombardment. Later on that day we moved South of Al Faw town and set up blocking positions to prevent enemy movement but it was the next day that things got really interesting for the Company.

As Commando reserve, Alpha had been given a long list of ‘be prepared to...' tasks and after the war was over the CO was to reveal that the last thing he expected us to carry out, was a clearance of Al Paw. Needless to say, that is what he asked us to do on the second day. After a night spent in a mosquito-infested bog everyone was glad to be moving again. The plan was to seize the Ba’ath party headquarters, the heart of the resistance we were experiencing on the peninsula. Two troops began to move through Al Paw and, on the right hand flank sandwiched between the town and the Shatt Al Arab waterway, One Troop made their way up to a holding area. The friendly smiling faces of the locals began to give way to a more sinister and agitated crowd and it was no surprise when the first shots rang out as we crossed a patch of waste ground. We had been caught in a crude ambush laid by an enemy who were now wearing civvies as opposed to uniform and using street corners and houses as cover rather than bunkers and trenches.

 

The enemy fire was fairly wild but it was almost impossible to pin them down as they darted around changing their positions. That was until one bold Iraqi strolled around a corner and started firing only six feet from the lead section. Luckily the shots Cpl Bowgen was able to fire before his rifle stopped were enough to silence the man. Soon afterwards a pang of guilt ran through the troop as a horse which one of the Iraqis had been using for cover, rolled over with its legs in the air after being hit by a volley. By now our fire was suppressing the enemy and it was time to leave the relative safety of the road’s kerbing, which was probably all of six inches tall though it felt a lot more substantial at the time. The 51mm mortar was put to great effect with Mne Weclawek firing several HE rounds into buildings being used as firing points and covering our withdrawal with smoke. With enemy small arms tire from our left and a machine gun directly to our front the last thing we needed or expected, was for Iran to open up on us from across the water. It may have only been potshots from a bored sentry but it was another problem which had to be dealt with. After 50 minutes we broke contact after withdrawing 500 metres down the road. The final action had been Cpl Storey killing a sniper on the roof of a building at over 600 metres. Later that night the decision was taken to attack the target building using another troop.

 

The loud explosions caused by the AEs charges going off signalled the start of Two Troop’s attack. A heavy weight of fire and several LAW accompanied the assaulting sections entering the building and the pair of USMC Cobras circling overhead added to this cacophony of sound. The assault was going like clockwork with room after room being cleared by grenades and small arms but disaster was just around the corner. Whilst clearing the last room there was an explosion caused by the building’s gas supply. Several Marines were caught up in the blast and they ran from the entrance with their clothing on fire. We were later to learn that the press thought the pictures of the assault were fantastic and they were shown over and over again on the news, but the images of casualties caused much consternation amongst relatives back home who were left wondering whether it was their Sons.

 

After a cold and uncomfortable night spent in a palatial amphitheatre devoted to Saddain, the Company continued the clearance of the town at first light. There was a completely different atmosphere and within a few minutes a local man of some standing came to plead for a ceasefire. It seems that a combination of the seven enemy killed in the ambush the day before and the impact of the firepower used in Two Troop’s assault had caused the resistance to flee. We patrolled through the town and were led to a massive arms cache, it was the last thing we did before moving back to the MMS in order to support the clearance of the West bank of the Shatt Al Arab.

 

Two days passed before we were moved north to set up an anti-armour ambush. After digging in to the soft clay we began to settle in to our new surroundings, but this relative comfort was to be shattered by a storm the following night. The wind picked up and the rain began to hammer down, soon our shell scrapes were full of water and people were huddled under whatever overhead cover they could find. At its worst the storm managed to pick up a six tonne truck loaded with our bergens and deposit it on the other side of the road. Day broke on a scene from the battlefields of the First World War. Chemical suits had been used for warmers and mud clung to the boots of anyone who left their trenches. There were still smiles on the mud-splattered faces of the lads, and these spread to broad grins when we moved further north into another position, which apart from being easier to defend was also largely dry. The anticipated enemy armoured counter attack did not materialise over the next few days but that didn’t stop a Corporal in MSG dubbing our position Custer’s last stand’ in deference to the fact that everyone else was in vehicles and could withdraw, whereas A Coy were on foot.

 

Despite a long build-up, the final timings for Op James caught everyone by surprise and after a rushed set of orders I sat back to consider the plan. Alpha Coy had been told to clear the town of Abu Al Khasib with two troops advancing to contact while I Troop raced up in support of four tanks of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. I couldn’t help but conjure up images of the troops advancing behind tanks in a scene from ‘Full Metal Jacket’ and when I spoke to the tank commander later on it turned out this was exactly what he wanted us to do. We moved to the LD under the cover of darkness but things did not go smoothly as an accident with a four-tonner left 3 Troop bereft of a Troop Sergeant, sniper, mortar man and a Minimi gunner. As we yomped up to the LD a message was passed through the troop that a recce element had spotted numerous enemy up in front. In fact, the information should have been that there were no enemy but it added extra spice to the move. As we crossed the LD a tank round flattened a building 50m to our front and although it gave the point section a shock it gave us early insight into the effect the tanks would have on the enemy. During the 3km move into the town the Challenger 2s destroyed several tanks, APCs and other military vehicles.

 

Working alongside the tanks was fraught with its own dangers as if you weren’t having to double to keep up with them you were avoiding being crushed as they manoeuvred around or were dodging rounds, as they cooked-­off in the burning tank hulks strewn along the road. While this was going on the other troops were taking prisoners all around us with 2 Troop even picking up a Major and a Lieutenant Colonel. As we entered the town, leaving behind the smouldering rubble of an Iraqi sentry post (I’d only asked the AEs to collapse the roof, instead they levelled it!) the RPG attacks became more numerous. A pair of Iraqis using a donkey and cart perpetrated one such attack: needless to say their getaway vehicle was not as quick as the tanks that were chasing them. The tanks saw a large contingent of armed men leaving a military barracks near the centre of town and fleeing West and this was no doubt the last of the organised resistance as we encountered only sporadic small arms fire after that. The Company later occupied these barracks and began planning to dominate the local area.

 

Over the next few weeks Alpha Coy remained in Abu Al Khasib and carried out a number of different and varied tasks. Reacting to intelligence from informers, 1 Troop took a tank out to snatch a local who was said to be planning attacks on our location. The plan to surround the building with Marines and then threaten to destroy the house if the suspect didn’t surrender fell flat on its face as when we got there the man was sat outside his home along with his wives and children. Although in this situation the man proved to be friendly and helpful there were several raids which proved much more successful. I Troop stopped a car travelling through town at night carrying 10 assorted weapons and a house raid by 2 Troop gleaned a weapon and British DPMs~ During our stay in the town our positions were shaken by a couple of attacks. One night an IED was thrown into One Troop’s compound and although at first it looked like a fag butt to Mne Kay who was on duty at the time; the ensuing explosion blew all the windows out along one wall. A suicide bomber with grenades strapped to his body turned himself in on another day having seemingly had a change of heart. All this activity took place as a backdrop to a very successful civil restructuring effort in the town. By the time we left, Abu Al Khasib had a newly elected council, a police force and over 50 firemen, none of whom were striking.

 

On 22 May, Alpha Coy finally left Abu Al Khasib. What proved to be a long and tortuous move back to Britain was made a little less painful by recalling and sharing our experiences over a couple of beers. During our time in Iraq we had achieved a great deal and we had much to be proud of.

 

Securing The MMS - Al Faw

by Mne D Martin RM, C Company

 

Charlie Company had been tasked to secure an important part of the oil infrastructure in Southern Iraq; it was vital that a Manifold and Metering Station (MMS), located on the Al Paw Peninsula, be kept intact. One of the coalition’s main efforts was to keep the oil infrastructure undamaged for the people of post-war Iraq. the Op sounded pretty simple on paper, all we had to do was land a few helos,’ toppers with Bootnecks, right in the middle of the MMS - fairly easy, apart from the enemy positions, some company-strength, with armoured vehicles.

 

The task was to be carried out jointly with US Navy SEALs who had undergone specialist training to operate and shut down specific areas of the MMS. C Company had several objectives to clear and secure, including buildings and areas of land with codenames such as Plymouth. Taunton and Arbroath, each troop concentrating on a different objective. Satellite imagery and intelligence had been put to good use, as we now knew where every window and door of each building was located and most of the enemy positions and strengths were also known.

 

We then moved to a desert environment to run through the endless rehearsals with imaginary buildings; models of the objectives we were to secure. Finally we got the call after days of being sandblasted at TAA Viking. As H-hour drew nearer aerial photographs were scanned for the last time and final SOPs were talked through. We heaved on our day-sacks weighed down with enough ammunition to sink a ship; plenty of jokes and maybe a bit of nervous laughter were exchanged, as we stood ready to hoard the helos.

 

A painful helo ride followed, laden with kit and CBA with very little room to move and stretch. Anti aircraft fire or even a few stray AK 47 rounds were on everyone’s mind as we flew into Iraq’s airspace. Standing on the Chinook’s ramp as we passed over our objective, the view quickly converted all the rehearsals to reality. It was a relief to hit the ground with a thump; we were quickly left to our task, as the pilots had no intention of hanging around. It was a bizarre feeling seeing the buildings and land we had studied in the photographs and realising that we knew exactly where we were. We made our way through ankle deep mud to link up with the Navy SEALs, once their objective was secure we moved to the first building, our eyes searching for snipers, mines and tripwires.

 

None of us were prepared for the huge weight of fire support from the US Abs and AC13Os curling above, it was reassuring to have friendly aviation hammering anything that moved near our perimeter. Everybody was tense not knowing what we would find behind the doors we kicked open at the first building of Taunton’. 6 Troop were in the middle of a noisy contact not far away at Arbroath and enemy movement was spotted in one of 7 Troop’s buildings, grenades were posted and the assault team swept through and secured the building. The raid was a success, it took around five hours from H hour until the area was deemed secure, no friendly casualties were sustained and several POWs were captured. We then had a sleepless night in defensive positions fully aware of the enemy threat that still existed.

 

Operation James - a B Coy Account

by Mne Moore and Mne Howarth

 

B Coy is a stand-off Company. It consists of one close combat Tp (4 Tp) and Fire Support Tp (FST). 4 Tp is the same as an old rifle Tp. but FST is slightly different. It can either be two separate Tps (Anti-tanks and HMG) or it can be split down into three combat teams with each team having two Milan posts and two OSs. EST worked in combat teams for the whole of the war, where the different weapon systems complemented each other perfectly. For Op James, 5 Tp, C Coy was attached.

 

It was just before nightfall on 30 March and we had just relieved UMST 42 Commando at objective Blenheim, where we set up our MMG and Milan positions. It was at this point that we had an hours notice to move. It was then that a quick set of battle orders were given; no maps only traces. Oh yeah, and we have no vehicles!

 

We were to take part in a Commando attack, a 14 km yomp to the LD for a 0200 H hour, this turned out to be an epic. We had quads that could just about take the weight on a normal road let alone on a cuffed route with mud up to our knees. After stopping, we donned Combat Body Armour (CRA) and helmets, which proved lifesaving. It was l00m short of the LD when tragedy struck. Artillery rounds were suddenly flying our way from our own 105mm guns to clear the LD for the Scots Dragoon Guards (SDG) Challengers we just happened to be there as it was also our LD. A barrage of airburst and HE came in from two batteries of eight guns, 16 barrels facing our way with a call for two minutes fire for effect. The rounds were spot on, and landed directly on top of our advance to the LD. Luckily Mne Mash’s quad had broken down, holding EST back. It was members of 4 Tp and 5 Tp C Coy that were the unlucky few.

 

The shout for stretchers came down the line, it was at this point that MA Sumner excelled as he ran forward to assess the damage. Eight casualties lay before him, and he had the unenviable task of treating the men, some with potentially life threatening injuries, A hasty triage was made, two x P1s, one x P2 and five x P3s. MA Sumner stabilised the two P1s, Cpl Wall with a punctured lung and Mne Leverrit who had his left tricep ripped out. They are only still alive today due to the fact that they were wearing their CBA and helmets. No excuses now fellas!

 

It was ironic that the FOO team, who were at the front of the advance, were almost wiped out by their own guns. The 4 Tp lads played no small part in helping the doc treat the wounded; orders were shouted out and promptly obeyed by the closest men at hand. It was during this confusing and nerve racking time that Mne Homer’ Fell managed to administer morphine into his own thumb - he seemed to have a different bounce about him after that! Unfortunately for Cpl Wall no-one had time to get a hold of his camera so that he could have his wounded in action’ phot taken. Sorry mate, maybe next time eh? After all the men were successfully treated, the ambulances came and whisked the lads off - the attack was still a go.

 

4 Tp’s first objective was ‘Dalmatian’, the first main bridge into the outskirts of Abu Al Khasib. Due to the fact that there were no maps, the true scale of the B Coy AOR was a lot larger than anticipated. As the men moved down the road towards the outskirts, a cry of ‘mines!’ was heard; to the left of the road the wasteland was littered with them. Anti-tank mines on the edge of the road led to the lads having to stick to the hard standing. A short distance down the road, 4 Tp along with combat team two, came across a couple of suspect buildings and with enemy confirmed present, a LAW 94mm went flying into it followed by the 0.5 of Mne Wheldon’s gun. Two’s-up being anyone in that house. The advance continued.

 

4 Tp moved off to secure the bridge with combat team two in close support. Once there, the bridge was secured and the first objective complete. Cpl Beswick’s gun was now deployed on top of a roof covering subsequent objectives. Combat team three along with 5 Tp came across to join the rest of the Company from the west, while combat team 1 came in from the east. Both held in reserve, winner! Along with all this activity, the occasional ringing of a 120mm shell from nearby Challenger 2s could be heard waking the Iraqi tank crews - not leaving much for the tankies of B Coy

With the whole company back together we moved forward. Not far up the road, the point section led by Cpl Green, came upon some barbed wire across the road, and with the words, something a bit iffy here’, they passed over it only to come under contact from a building up front. With deadly professionalism the lads opened fire, rounds went winging towards the enemy position from the section, including GPMG and Minimi. While I section homed in on the suppressing fire, 2 section led by Cpl Adams, moved across the road, quickly cleared a nearby building and occupied its roof for added fire support. Mne Cragie soon fired in a LAW 94 from one section that smashed into the side of the enemy building.

 

The assault began! 3 section moved towards the bridge under Cpl Pearce. Whilst in full sprint Taff Pearce slung his weapon, reached for a grenade and threw it into a top floor window. With suppressing tire still coming in they jumped over a wall and Mne Laycock, heating voices from inside, threw two grenades into the building followed by a burst of automatic fire, Tall and his men then rushed in. There was the sound of women and kids screaming in nearby buildings but no sign of the enemy, its lucky for them that they had. Due to the high professionalism, no civvies were hurt and they were taken to safety. The section moved back and the Troop re-orged.

 

From the bridge, Cpl Taylor’s Milan detachment moved forward to the front, to cover the advance. This was when Mne McGregor with the eyes of a ‘bat ray’ spotted an Iraqi soldier on his hike with an AK slung round his body. The unfortunate man was oblivious to the advancing troops. Cpl Green tried to halt his advance orally but to no avail, the soldier went for his rifle - a fatal mistake! It was at this point that the Coy was split, 4 Tp and combat team three moved across the bridge to the adjacent road. The advance continued on two fronts, 4 Tp leading one, 5 Tp the other with combat team one and two in the rear. This was when Sgt Donaghey of combat team two spotted two men who seemed to be overlooking the company advance. They were extremely lucky that 5 Tp hadn’t spotted them, but with a closer look he made out that one had an AK and the other an RPG. With a target indication screaming through the air he engaged the enemy, followed within seconds by the ‘crack —bang’ of 0.5 hammering down on the position from Cpl Beswick’s gun, fired by Mne Moran. A quick sweep through the position from Cpl Wood and a section of 5 Tp found two AK 47s and an .RPG along with eight rounds.

 

5 Tp moved off covering all arcs ready for anything, anything was about to happen! As the Charlie team of the point section had just crossed over yet another bridge they were suddenly opened up on from an enemy building across the river within the date palms. This isolated them from their Delta team. The Delta team, swinging their weapons round and firing, hit the deck to give covering fire. It was like something out of the movies’, recalls Cpl Taylor of combat team two. The D team managed to get a heavy weight of fire down while the C team popped smoke and peeled back over the bridge and rejoining the rest of the section. A target indication was given which almost ended up taking out 4 Tp and combat team three on the adjacent road, a potential blue on blue was avoided due to instinctively quick thinking on comms. In the following lull, enemy fire was pinged coming from further up river and the big gun came off the back of the By. Under fire and with no cover Mne Wheldon and Mne Brennan got the gun up and running with Mne Forman and Mne Cameron acting resupply It was stoppage heaven! But slick drills got them through and with everything ‘as sweet as a nut’ the 0.5 kicked in! The ‘one shot, one kill’ asset was then called for; Mne Cullen sprinted forward with the .338 with Mne Scorah as his spotter A quick heads up from the 5 Tp boss, 2Lt Coryton, and the pair quickly assumed a position across the road and behind a tree whilst coming under enemy fire! 3-5 pax at a range of 285-30Cm, Mne Cullen set his scope and sent a shot down whilst receiving a heavy weight of fire back in his direction; he got his head down unable to see the fall of shot - he fired again. This time just missing but close enough for the enemy to be on their toes, three go left and one goes right across the bridge. By the time the Iraqis had decided on which way to inn, the .338 had been cocked and was sending another ‘lead hello’ in their direction. No missing this time as the right hand soldier fell to the floor with a shot to the chest. Mne Cullen then made 5 Tp aware that the other three enemies had entered the date palms. This was the chance Mne Grant (5 Tp C Coy) had been waiting for as he brought his UGL (under slung grenade launcher) into action. Round upon round landed in the date palms, sending mud and debris up into the air. As the area cleared there were no enemy to be seen and it was time to move up towards the bridge. Still unaware of the enemy state, 5 Tp sent a LAW flying into the bunker previously occupied by the Iraqis whilst 0.5 was hammering into the building behind it.

 

When combat team two reached the bridge they headed east for about 200m and went firm. Combat team one then passed through and headed towards the eastern edge of the town to link up with Brigade Recce Force (BRE). On patrolling along this road it was suddenly apparent that the locals were adopting a welcoming attitude as they came out of their houses to greet us. They cried on through the waves and smiles and reached BRE, who had initially been contacted. An RPG round had just missed one Scimitar but its 30mm cannon didn’t have a problem as they overran the position, later finding out that it was a high-ranking officers house. It was then decided that from here we needed to find a patrol base for the whole company. Concurrently, 4 Tp along with combat team three were conducting a clearance of the western edge of the AOR.

 

So with the building secure, sentry up and running and patrols out on foot it was time to reflect on the historic day in which B Coy had taken part in the biggest commando attack since the Falklands involving a 25km yomp over a 36 hour engagement with Iraqi forces. A 13-hour contact, which left no friendly casualties from enemy fire, will be one for the history books. Try to black cat that 45 - another job well done by the mighty B Coy, 40’s finest!

 

Die Another Mothers Day

by 2Lt Eldridge OCMST D Coy

 

30 March (30/3103) will be a day that will forever be remembered by the men of Delta Company group. The day started with the artillery of 29 Commando firing on likely enemy positions, followed by the whole unit moving forward to clear their various objectives. For D Company this was Objective Blofeld; a sprawling, former University complex. Things were going nice and smoothly when enemy were suddenly spotted moving to the rear of the complex, the silence was soon drowned out by the noise of .50 cals firing

 

As tracer winged out towards our unlucky foe our oppos from 8 Tp with the assistance of Cpl Hines and his engineers formed up and assaulted through the position. That was the day off to a successful start.

It was now my turn to lead the men of Combat team 2 (Y20) off to clear Objective Dalton, a small village that led to visions of ‘Black Hawk down’ and the Mog. We were all a little apprehensive to say the least when the news came that three Challenger 2s from the Scots Dragoon Guards had been tasked to lend us a helping hand. Cpl Roe (combat clerk returning to his preferred role of anti-tank section commander) and his section, minus ear defenders received a bit of a shock as the tank they were escorting opened up with its main armament. The objective was cleared with no further enemy encountered; just a good haul of AKs.

 

The rest of the day continued with the Company group clearing through small villages and date palms, unfortunately without the tanks as they were re-tasked elsewhere. Our footbourne call-sign 8 Tp were having a hard day of it in the searing temperatures laden as they were with ammo, water and NBC kit. The date palms were not what we pictured when entering Iraq; it was more like the jungle than the desert.

 

The Company’s final objective was reached and cleared finding nothing further of interest, when the call came to assist MSG with the clearing of their area of operations, ‘Galore’, as they were having a rough time of it. Sgt Capewell with Combat team one (Y1O) was tasked to push to the west to lead the Company move to clear the next objective. Meanwhile the remainder of the Company conducted VCPs just waiting for the order to be given to move off; when the radio burst into life with the echo of Y1O. ‘Contact, wait out!’ They had been ambushed.

 

RPGs were volley-fired at their Pinzgauers and, although two of the wagons were struck repeatedly, everyone managed to debus from their wagons before the missiles went off. Cpl Blackman can list the contents of his daysack as its remains passed by his head. Fedayeen machine guns and even more RPGs harassed the withdrawal of Sgt Capewell’s callsign whose performance, to a man, was exemplary with individual acts of courage by the likes of Mne Thomas and co epitomising everything that is great about the Royal Marines. All of Y10 made their way back to the relative safety of their comrades of Y20’s position who had moved at the rush to the scene of the contact to assist. Unbelievably we had not suffered a single casualty; only two Pinzgauers.

 

It. was now our turn to hit back at them, and our MEC Cpl Willis and the FOO party from 148 Bty led by Sgt Godley began to call in a world of hurt onto our black pyjama­ wearing foe; giving us the time to re-org and start pushing down to reclaim or destroy what kit could not be recovered, The enemy had by this stage started to try and surround our callsigns and so it was a welcome sight when our footborne friends from 8 Tp arrived in the nick of time to assist in beating off their attack.

 

We now pushed forward to reclaim our equipment, Y20 on the left, Y1O on the right and 8 Tp remained in the rear providing covering fire from rooftops and preventing the enemy surrounding us. Y2O moved first climbing walls and moving though buildings clearing as we went, all of which

 

was made more difficult by having a respirator strapped to the thigh. Eventually we reached the first Pinzgauer and prepared to retrieve it; LCpI Thompson volunteered to drive the vehicle. After the preparation of LAWs and a good old fashioned count to three, covering fire was put down, first the LAW under the cover of Cpl Attard and his section on the roofs then the remainder after they had recovered from the LAW blast. LCpl Thompson then leapt into the driving seat and sped it back to the relative safety of Company Tac who had also had enemy engage them whilst carrying white flags and machine guns. The call then came over the net that B42. the TQ’s callsign, had been involved in a contact and we were to pull back to go and assist.

 

After a head count and a quick brief we moved off towards 1142’s location, who it turns out had successfully thwarted an ambush attempt (even A echelon were getting in on the action). As fast as our heavy legs would carry us we continued to move back as ordered to RV with Lima Company from 42 Cdo, who were a most welcome sight through our weary eyes, to go firm for the night.

 

When all was said and done, we had only lost two Pinzgauers and a quad and the Company had given a good account of itself against a large number of enemy. Someone was definitely watching our backs that day, and a few lives may have been taken away from the nine.

 

Objective Pussy

by 2Lt Archer OCR Tp, DCoy

 

Following our clearance through Objective Galore - the site of the ambush the day before - D Coy moved on to Objective Pussy, a y-shaped road junction 71cm short of the Palace in Basra. As we arrived, 3 Section of 8 Tp engaged an approaching saloon containing Fedaycen with AK-47s, which very quickly disappeared in the opposite direction. We were to establish a blocking position and patrol base for an unknown period since at that time Baghdad was only an objective, and as far as we knew Basra was to be left until Baghdad had fallen - which could have been weeks rather than days. The final approach was strangely conducted while a funeral parade passed nearby, following the previous day’s handiwork.

 

The position itself was easier to secure than at first anticipated and of the four .50 cals, three had arcs down the main routes and one down a track from the south. In this close environment MIRA was not effective, so having placed out claymores and trip-flares to our south and west along likely approaches, A-Tk Tp and 8 Tp were able to perform the close security and patrol tasks. We were helped a great deal by the proximity of the Shatt Al Arab, with many large irrigation canals off it, closing down approach routes to the Fedayeen. We also had a sniper section attached from Reece Tp. and in order to improve their arcs Cpl Hines engineers blew a tree down with just enough PB to do the job!

 

Over the next few days we established a routine with our opponents; during the daylight hours we saw little but residents keen to return (which we could not allow). or fleeting glimpses of furtive movement. It was apparent that they were waiting for darkness, as they clearly felt it offered them more protection than was the case. On the first night, they attacked with RPGs and small arms, which were, at best in our general direction. Our MFCA put ilium into the sky which set off fresh bursts of fire, and then brought an EPE to within 150 metres of the position. It was incredibly noisy, very impressive, and extremely reassuring to know that they were now not likely to be foolish enough to want to test our resolve too fully. Earlier on in the evening, a trip had been set off by a dog that had then received the benefit of two claymores, but somehow survived! The message was very clear - it was not worth their while to tangle with us.

 

They were not totally put off however. For the remainder of our time there, the Fedaycen would threaten from a distance, launching speculative RPG and mortar fire at our position. Coupled with various reports of more substantial enemy formations approaching, it meant that we would spend most of the night either standing-to or in a 50150 routine - and certainly nowhere near to our beloved bags.

 

Despite being in a static position, our re-supply was interrupted on one occasion due to problems affecting the rest of the Commando; it proved to be a blessing in disguise, as the Company sought out rice, potatoes, onions, cabbage, garlic, chickens and at least one duck from the local area —some even baking bread. The USMC Staff-Sergeant could only comment that ‘if that had been us, we’d just have starved, man!’

 

We spent, in all, four relatively edgy days at the forward line. Much of the enemy threat (which on one night had been assessed as 2,500 troops only miles away) never materialised. Although they never allowed us to relax, even on our last night before being relieved by B Coy an RPG went off within 50 metres of one of our VCPs. In the face of our willingness to engage them when we had identified them, and when they probed during darkness, the Fedayecn certainly seemed to lack the will to put a more concerted effort into the fight - it never pays to be half-hearted, and I’m certain that no Bootneck will ever be accused of that!

 

Recce Troop

by Mne Rowe

 

The Troop joined BRF and MSG in a joint two-day clearance north of the east side of the Al Paw Peninsula. After several mobile clearance operations with D Company in support; the Troop went static for a couple of days in a forward position with BRE, 15km short of Basra. After several daring night raids with WMIKs firing at possible enemy positions along the edge of the date palms the Troop prepared for Op James. At 2359Z on the night of Op James the Troop secured an objective due east of an enemy naval base. Sgt Trev Houghton’s recce team secured a series of cranes allowing Cpl Jack Broughton to position the Troop’s sniper section precariously on the crane 60 foot up and 95Cm from the enemy naval base. Over a three-hour period after several well-coordinated sniper shots from Mnes Tony Bewick and Hugh Markham three enemy were confirmed dead and many others injured. Sgt Houghton’s team simultaneously engaged an enemy patrol boat, which was being used to smuggle weapons, while Cpl Jim Twycross (attached MFC) accurately engaged the whole compound with mortars. The patrol boat was finally destroyed when Capt Paul Boschi coordinated two Lynx TOW missiles into its side.

 

40 Commando RM had secured its several objectives during an RPG-ridden 24 hours and Recce Troop were pushed west to protect the Unit’s flank from Fedaycen Militia ambushes and attacks. The Troop began a six-day period of aggressive mobile patrolling to find enemy dispositions and to take the fight back to the enemy on the outskirts of Basra. Sgt Trev Houghton’s team had located an enemy position protecting a bridge and a three-hour contact ensued. The Troop had at last been given the opportunity to take the figh to the enemy and Sgt Houghton was quick to react and gain the initiative by using accurate indirect fire and deploying the mobile QRF Within the space of one hour the whole Troop was at the contact location aggressively pursuing the enemy west to the edge of our AO, only to be halted by the fall of darkness. Subsequently, three enemy were confirmed dead and six PoWs were escorted to Commando HQ for interrogation, where two were confirmed Cat A prisoners. During the three-hour contact, Mne Dave Atkinson was injured in the leg by shrapnel from friendly force mortar fire. He continued to fire his GPMG and man his radio throughout the whole contact before eventually being evacuated to the RAP

 

Several days of brave patrolling later Sgt Dave Cockeroft probed further west on vehicles, clearing towards a likely enemy occupied village. He noticed several suspicious characters observing his patrol and dismounted his team from their vehicles and proceeded cautiously towards what looked like an enemy occupied building. Mne Leo King was quickly spun to the ground as an RPG round flew inches away from his chest and continued behind him. Mne Sam McCormick quickly returned fire with a heavy barrage of GPMG fire allowing the forward men to extract on foot and move WMIKs forward in support. Sgt Cockcroft extracted his patrol under fire whilst destroying the enemy with deadly accurate airburst artillery. The next few days of patrolling saw the fall of Basra and the disappearance of the enemy in our AO.

Recce Troop continued to patrol allowing one team to rotate through B echelon enjoying a refurbishment period where the Troop experienced showers, fresh food and a cot bed for the first time in four weeks. The Troop subsequently were involved in boat patrols with 539 ASRM and foot patrolling with D Company before being pulled out onto HMS Ocean to the welcome sound of beer cans popping open.