42 Commando RM

‘The Road To Success’

by Lt Roger Green RN

 

From the moment 42 Cdo Gp arrived in Kuwait, the Unit’s Commando Planning Gp (CPG) knew that a heliborne assault onto the Al Faw Peninsula (APP) was to be theirs, and one of the campaign’s first objectives in the liberation of Iraq. With major oil pipelines extending out from the Southern tip of Iraq into the Persian Gulf, the potential for Saddam Hussein to cause an environmental disaster was a very real concern. The essential job of securing these pipelines was therefore entrusted to 40 and 42 Cdo. 42 Cdo Gp’s mission was to block enemy reinforcement, allowing 40 Cdo Gp to secure the AFP oil infrastructure. Preparations and helicopter rehearsals with the USMC and UK Joint Helicopter Force (JHF) were rigorous and demanding.

 

The final seven weeks of intense training came to fruition on the night of 20 March. The Cdo Gp moved in the dead of night to a landing site adjacent to its dusty desert camp to launch the attack. L hour, the time when the first elements were to land on the AFP, was set for 2350z but within minutes of the first wave launching, one USMC Sea Knight helicopter crashed over northern Kuwait, killing all eight 42 Cdo Gp and four USMC aircrew. Of the many enduring memories of success and triumph, the loss of our eight brothers-in-arms will be something none of us will ever forget. It was  undoubtedly the point where the whole focus of the Commando changed.

 

This was for real and no longer an exercise. Due to a multitude of factors, the helicopter lift was hastily rewritten with more UK JHF aircraft being brought on stream to enable the move. Prom 0800z the operation was re­launched and the Cdo Gp was complete on the APP before last light. L Coy had a number of contacts as it moved into its blocking position and the rear area, which included the medical staff of the Regimental Aid Post (RAP), came under artillery fire. Nevertheless, the blocking positions were complete by midnight on 21 March. A number of further minor contacts occurred over the following 48 hours, but the block was not penetrated, allowing 40 Cdo Gp the freedom to secure the AFP and its important oil infrastructure. Several enemy were killed and up to 40 enemy Prisoners of War taken. The operation to seize the AFP was a complete success and dictated the tempo that the Cdo would continue for the rest of the campaign.

 

Late on 22 March K Coy, with C Sqn Queens Dragoon Guards (QDG) in support, who entered the Cdo Gp AO from 0mm Qasr in the west, cleared the north bank of the KAA, thereby helping mine clearance operations to the south along the KAA waterway This stretch of water was seen as crucial as it allowed humanitarian shipping to enter Iraq and unload food and water, which was to he distributed to the Iraqi people. To facilitate this operation it was necessary to secure the strategically important town of Umm Qasr with its deep-water port. Early on 24 March the Cdo Gp deployed from AFP by helicopters and by road to Umm Qasr in order to relieve 15 Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) who had been tasked to secure the town. On arrival, the Cdo Gp occupied the deserted UN compound, which had been partially destroyed and ransacked following the Bangladeshi Battalions departure a week before. Almost immediately, M Coy deployed into the town to conduct overt reassurance and deterrence patrolling. The two-week operation in Umm Qasr was an important element of the war, as it showed to the Iraqi people that we were there to help, not conquer. Over this period, the focus was on continued patrolling, arrest operations, the prevention of looting and water distribution. It was therefore a success for the Cdo Gp when the town was declared secure at the end of March.

 

In addition to the UmmQasr operations, the Cdo Gp was tasked to secure the water treatment plant at Umm Khayyal, a further 15km north. The securing of water distribution was seen as a crucial element in the hearts and minds’ campaign. Water treatment plants were therefore identified as high value assets, and as such, needed to be secured quickly. K Coy entered the town early on 27 March and reported several contacts but light resistance. Later in the day, Cdo Tac HQ and L Coy arrived to support K Coy and the town was secured by last light. The following day, the Cdo Gp facilitated the distribution of thousands of gallons of water to the local populace that had just been off-loaded from the LSL, Sir Galahad. Under J Coy water aid, arrest operations and local patrolling continued in an increasingly benign environment at Umm Khayyal until they finally departed for further operations on 5 April. The Cdo Gp operations in Umm Qasr and Umm Khayyal demonstrated the versatility of the Corps, moving quickly from war fighting, to public order activities, to humanitarian operations in a matter of hours.

 

While the Cdo Gp was based at Umm Qasr, its AO expanded progressively and with it the level of tasking. Elements of K Coy and later UMST secured a river crossing point over the Khawr Az Zubayr (KAZ) river north west of Umm Khayyal. This resulted in K Coy Op’s P50 engaging an enemy patrol craft on 1 April, after elements of 539 Asslt Sqn came under enemy fire. Rural patrols, both vehicle and heliborne, were conducted to clear key industrial infrastructure sites and identify Sites of Specific Examination (SSE) throughout the AO. Also, several cross-unit boundary coordination points were secured and riverine operations to clear enemy from the KAZ were conducted. In a further tasking. L Coy were chopped to 40 Cdo Gp for three days to support offensive operations in the area of Abu Al Khasib (AAK) east of Basra. The close country of AAK, which is within the date palm region, allowed pockets of resistance to conceal themselves from air attack. L Coy were therefore tasked to clear this area, which resulted in them coming up against stiff resistance from militia loyal to Saddam Hussein. After a successful operation. L Coy returned to 42 Cdo Gp on 2 April with thankfully, no casualties, but with the best dits’ of the campaign.

 

The sweep northwards from the AEP continued, and on 5 April, the Cdo Gp deployed by road and helicopter to a forward assembly area to the east of Basra on the edge of the date palm fringe of the Shatt Al Arab (SAA) waterway. It was clear to many in the Cdo Gp that this was likely to be a decisive moment in the campaign. As the second city of Iraq, and with its extensive suburbs, the move on Basra could entail intense street-to-street fighting, with its attendant risk of casualties. At 1230z on 6 April. after 24 hours of battle procedure, the (Cdo Gp, with C Sqn QDG and F Sqn 2 RTR under command, conducted an advance to contact to secure key bridges in the eastern part of Basra suburbs, a water treatment plant and the Presidential Palace, both of which were on the banks of the SAA. In what can only be described as a bold and decisive move, 42 Cdo Gp, with elements 7 Armd Bde, entered Basra from the south and east! with this swift advance to contact encountering little resistance. It appeared that the enemy had recently fled and only M Coy Gp had a minor contact. The local people were overjoyed at their liberation, although some were rightly apprehensive of our presence. However, this joy started to turn into criminal activity. With Saddam Hussein’s forces leaving, the rule of law and order had broken down leading to mass looting. After L Coy had secured the Palace where the Cdo Gp was to be based, K and M Coy deployed quickly throughout the AO to deter looters and stabilise the suburbs. At the same time L Coy started to conduct riverine patrols on the SAA.

 

There was no risk of the Commando getting used to the life of luxury, as within a few days the Palace was handed over to HQ 7 Armd Bde and the Cdo Gp AO to C Coy 40 Cdo Gp. It was at this point that 42 Cdo Gp said a fond farewell to 29 Cdo Regt Tac parties and F Sqn 2 RTR. 29 Cdo Regt Tac parties, which included a USMC detachment, had been with the Cdo since January, and so it was sad to see them go as they had built up a strong relationship with the Unit. By midday on 12 April. the Cdo Gp had left the Presidential Palace and had relieved elements of 16 Air Asslt Bde in place at key Gas Oil Separation Plants (GOSPs) in the Rumayla Oilfields 50km to the west of Basra. All Coys were tasked with key point defence of (GOSPs) infrastructure, with L Coy Gp also patrolling the town of Rumayla in order to ease the return to normality The key requirements throughout the new AO were to demonstrate a presence in order to deter sabotage and to encourage the regeneration of the vital Rumayla oil industry. Although not the most exciting task, it has enabled the Cdo to look back on an unforgettable month. As Easter Sunday came, Rev Ian Wheatley RN. who is due to leave the Cdo shortly, reflected back on what the Unit had done, expressing the fact that all will have changed in some way He, himself, certainly knows now what it is like to come under fire from artillery, the experience, he said, was very real, and has certainly changed him.

 

42 Cdo Gp now looks forward to returning home, and seeing the friends and loved ones who have sustained them throughout. Undoubtedly, many will be thinking about those that won’t be coming back, especially our eight colleagues and friends who were lost in the first few hours of the offensive. We know that their lives were not lost in vain, and that what we have achieved out here will be their enduring memorial, offering the Iraqi people the chance to look forward to a brighter future.

 

Saddam Hussein

- My Part in his Downfall

by Cpl Sheraton, 3 Troop, J Company

 

After seven weeks in the Kuwaiti desert, operations came not a day too soon and on 20 March we moved to the pick-up point, anticipating our forthcoming flight. American CH46s, CH53s, Heuys and Cobra gunships occupied the area. We waited for a guide to lead us to the aircraft, ours being a ‘53’. The Troop sat under the dim green light, each man contemplating the events to come and checking kit and equipment. The light was turned off and the huge rotors started to turn, making the aircraft shudder as it generated enough power to lift off. After sitting and going nowhere for an age, the light came back on and the ‘Boss’ signalled that the mission had been aborted. Nobody could believe it, months of training and waiting seemed wasted just minutes from H-hour. The aircraft shut down and the troop got out, only for a US pilot to inform us that one of the smaller CH46 helicopters had crashed. Nobody said a word initially; we all had friends onboard the other helos. All thoughts of the mission abort had been temporarily suspended as we contemplated the tragedy and made our way back to the admin area. Few people slept that night The war had begun.

 

At first light the following morning we received news that the RAF were to supply eight Chinooks for the insertion onto the Al Paw Peninsula. The events of the previous night meant that every one of us was up for a fight. The Troop was divided with myself (whilst probably not the hardest man in 3 Commando Brigade, but I like to think in the top five), being chosen to fly in independently and lead my section to a pre-determined Troop RV. At the Landing site, we trudged through knee-high mud each man carrying his house on his back. We moved to the co-ordination point for our pre­arranged link up with 40 Commando who had flown in the previous night with the US Navy SEALs and secured the immediate area. We relieved ourselves of our bergens and cleared the area down to our section standing patrol position. On route we had taken some twenty or so prisoners including a variety of enemy weapons.

 

We also took the opportunity of seizing a very valuable troop asset, transport. Now a Nissan Sunny may not be every military commander’s idea of an ideal vehicle, but it certainly made the collection and carriage of kit a lot less painful. The vehicle then became useful as a QRF wagon, although the owner’s taste of music left something to be desired! Many PoWs were taken throughout the period we occupied the Al Faw Peninsula and the blocking force we provided in support of 40 Commando was a complete success. The only loss in the opening days of the war was a broken leg for one of the lads de-busing from an Iraqi four-tonne truck we had commandeered. Job done, we moved again by RAF Chinooks to concentration area ‘Viking’ for a short stand-down period. The stand down was in fact so short that few of us had even realised we’d had it, although it did give us the opportunity to receive some mail, have a shower and backload some kit not needed for the next phase of the operation.

 

As it transpired, the USMC were having trouble cleaning up the mean streets of Umm Qasr. Cue 42 Commando, we conducted a road move through the (formerly) Demilitarised Zone and into the partly destroyed UN Compound. A couple of hours later, a couple of ex-electricians in the troop had electricity on, air conditioning running and we were micro­waving our ration pack meals. We even had a rather nice patio area. What more could we ask for, but the call to pack your kit, we’re off!

 

The Troop was tasked to move further north to ‘Crossing Point Anna, an Engineer ferry site, to secure it alongside 539 Asslt Sqn and the Royal Engineers, allowing movement of armour towards Basra. The first night was uneventful despite a rather large tank battle to the north. That is unless you count the hour I spent on sentry during a torrential downpour as a major event - I certainly did! The second night saw our troop, who were attached to K Coy, assault and secure key objectives in the area of Umm Khayyal.

 

We moved cautiously through the streets trying to locate our target building, first light was upon us and it had not yet been identified. Hardly surprising as all the houses looked the same. As our troop commander, George, confirmed the objective with the observing snipers, I took the opportunity to change my CWS for my SUSAT. As I did so I thought to myself, ‘what a quiet, peaceful town’, whereupon there was a storm of firing with red tracer screaming overhead from a roof-top 300 metres away. As the CWS went one way, I went the other over a conveniently nearby bund-line. I peered from the relative safety of the sand and a fire control order followed. By this time Cpl Sims’ section had joined the fight and were putting fire down as I prepared for the assault. Being approximately 200 metres from the target. George informed me that he was about to call for a fire mission and that I may want to withdraw further into cover. Now I’m well aware that a Mortar Fire Controller (MFC) prefers a 250-metre safely distance, but with Abdul and his friends firing from the roof­top felt we were fine where we were. The first round landed: I immediately realised why the MFCs prefer 250m. George, being concerned about my welfare as a good Troop Commander asked, ‘Oscar three-three, are you okay?’ We were shaken, not stirred. I recommended a correction of 50 metres right. Knowing a ‘good deal’ when he hears one, George accepted the recommendation and brought the remainder of the rounds crashing down onto ‘Abdul’ and his cronies.

 

Just on the off-chance that there was a company of Special Republican Guard waiting patiently in the basement! George repeated the fire mission. With that over, we prepared for the assault. Moving along the wall of the adjacent power station and under covering fire from one section, we placed an explosive charge on the perimeter wall surrounding the building. With an entry point established, smoke was thrown, followed by the first assault pair. As we prepared to clear the building, I informed God that whilst he is probably excellent company at dinner with some cracking dits to spin, I would prefer to postpone our meeting for the time being. At this point, George, having had the benefit of a university education, observed that enemy movement around the building had ceased and we were therefore to enter the place green’, meaning without actually firing unless fired upon. Having done so, we captured two prisoners, both with gunshot wounds. George, being an officer in the Royal Marines, spoke excellent English! albeit with a slight impediment. The prisoners, being as they were Iraqi, spoke excellent Arabic. Other than being fluent in their own languages, the two had very little else in common, so hand gestures, grunting and a shrug of the shoulders were the order of the day. Tactical questioning proved ineffective. The final section battle drill beckoned so without further ado we re-org'd.

 

With prisoners processed and dispatched the triumphant warriors moved back to Company Tac for re-tasking, where we were told of a crowd gathering in the centre of town. After dispersing them, we were to liaise with a K-company call sign at Objective Silver, which turned out to be an old barracks. Whilst George was busy on the ‘net’ we heard the tell-tale crack of automatic fire, followed by thumps and whizzes all around us. Not being able to identify where it was coming from and with the crowd paying little attention to us, or the incoming rounds, we decided to leave and move onto the next job. After suspect directions from K Company, we drove into Objective Silver where true to form for that morning, we were shot at again! Reversing the truck at maximum speed and taking another route in, we linked up with the others, where they had been engaging gunmen in a building with all the firepower they could muster. Once safely in the compound. the only threat came from grenade-over-the-wall attacks and one lunatic who’d seen one too many A-Team episodes, with an RPG strapped to the top of his car. Genius.

 

Although there were outbursts of sporadic fire throughout the rest of the morning, it was largely ineffective, and the rest of L Company joined the ‘legends’ that were now 3 Troop. Silver then became the patrol base for Company operations in Umm Khayyal. The focus was now on cleaning up the town and bringing law and order to the lawless. Raids were carried out on several properties and Ba’ath party offices, yielding several prisoners, weapons of various sorts and large quantities of ammunition. Water distribution soon became a major task and the Troop were impressed by the community spirit, manners and good demeanour of the locals (not!).

 

A few arrests, weapons finds and empty tankers later we moved north via RAF Chinook. We were to seize the Presidential Palace in Southern Basra with the help of tanks from 7th Armoured Brigade. Clearing from room to room and building to building. we couldn’t help notice the gold taps, porcelain toilets and marble floors, and so photos of each other on Saddam’s lavatory abounded. With half the world’s media only a couple of hours behind us, L Company figured prominently in the international press for the next few days. However, the glory was short-lived for 3 Troop as the numerous guard towers dotted around the Palace beckoned.

 

Soon the Company was on the move again, the task involved a move to the Rumayla oilfields, and their protection. It is from here that I put pen to paper to write my memoirs (PTIs - that is not a misspelling of memories). Some, forgive me for I know not who, have described war as ‘long periods of inactivity interspersed with extreme violence’. At present, we’re involved in a ‘long period of inactivity’! Oh the come down.

 

UMST

The Assault on the Al Paw Peninsula

by Sgt P Briggs (UMST)

 

UMST were attached to Lima Coy for the first part of the operation to take the Al Faw Peninsula. We were given the task of blocking two MSRs, thereby stopping anyone getting in or out of Al Faw town. To do this the troop was split down into two multiples, one commanded by myself, and the second by Sgt B J Farimond (he only came to teach AFV!).

 

The day of the Operation was last light on 20 March and as H hour approached everything seemed to be going to plan. As the first wave took off to mark and secure the LZ in Iraq, the buzz of anticipation was almost unbearable. However, as the second wave came in and the troop emplaned, ready to lift off, we were informed that the operation had been cancelled. We soon found out that a CR46 with eight fellow Marines on board had gone down.

 

After a tense 8-hour delay, we were picked up by RAP Chinooks and crossed the Kuwait/Iraq border in broad daylight. We were informed that the LZ had been secured, but it didn’t stop the ‘butterflies’ in everyone’s stomachs, and as the Chinook touched down on enemy soil, the campaign to liberate Iraq was well and truly underway.

 

On average the lads in UMST were carrying bergens weighing in excess of 200lbs, which consisted of ammo, weapons, food and water (no luxuries this time), with the rest of the ammo being carted by quad bike. Our movement was restricted to a slow yomp, with the ground not helping as both man and machine were bogged down a number of times in thick mud.

 

As we moved to the MSR, and the main block, we dropped a detachment off with one of L Coy’s GPMG SF sections to over-watch our move into position. The one-mile yomp was completed in one hour 15 minutes, and can only be described as emotional. Once in position we started digging-in. No sooner had we started preparing when we heard the over-watch engaging the enemy. This was our first action of the campaign and it gave a tingle down the spine that cannot be easily described. Using the reserve to bring our weapon systems onto the target, a heavy rate of fire was brought to bear on the target area. We later found out we had destroyed four x D30 artillery pieces, one x HMG position, a large ammo dump and a troop of enemy. This was finished off by two x USMC Cobra Helicopters who gave a ‘coup de grace’ by unleashing their full payload on the target.

 

On completion we consolidated our position. The use of USMC aviation, and a recce screen which included the armoured vehicles of the QDG, meant that UMST, who were the last line of defence in the blocking position were not troubled any further. In many ways, this was a little disappointing as it only allowed us to use a slack handful of Milan missiles, 0.5 and 762, which only slightly lightened our bergens. On the night of the 23rd we moved back to our LZ, where we were picked up and moved north to Umm Qasr. The three days on the Al Paw Peninsula had every spectre of emotion attached to them, from sadness and fear, to excitement and joy. I can honestly say that I may never experience those emotions again, but this is why you join the Royal Marines and take your chance. I have grasped mine, and can say that it was worth the wait.