Bravo Coy 40 Commando
by Cpl Dusty
B Coy was comfortably established in two school buildings in AI Amadiyah and Qadish. Our role had changed from getting the Kurdish refugees back from their mountain camps to ensuring that they were able to stay at home. VCPs and patrols to reassure the locals and prevent infiltration became the main tasks as the Kurds quickly picked up the threads of their old lives. Meanwhile at HQ a cunning plan was brewing.
Soon Op Haven drew to a close. 40 Cdo and the rest of the Coalition forces withdrew from Iraq by 15 July and headed home. However a residual force was to remain just inside the Turkish border, at Silopi, to deter any violation of the Safe Haven established in Iraq. The Brigade size force, designated the Combined Battalion Task Force, (CBnTF) under US command, comprised a multi-national infantry battalion, known as the Allied Ground Combat Force (AGCF), attack and support helicopter units and a logistic element. The AGCF consisted of French (Para), Italian (SF), Dutch (RNLMC), UK (RM), Turkish (mechanised MI 13) and US infantry companies commanded by an American, Lt Col John Kidder. The command and administration was provided by his battalion 6/502 Infantry. 1 he task of providing the UK element of this multi-national battalion fell to B Coy. Having been first, having been deepest, we were naturally to be the longest. Op Warden, as it was known, had begun.
The C13nTF mission was to deter aggression against the Kurds in the Safe Haven. To achieve this the force flew daily armed helicopter recce over the area, accompanied by an airborne QRF of section or troop strength from the AGCF. Promises of air-conditioned tents, tropical routines, free goffers and nutty, the rumour of a swimming pool, not to mention the chance to conduct full-blown helicopter assault training with Black Hawks, Apache and the whole nine yards seemed to good to be true - it was. The air-conditioned tents were there, in boxes; the camp had to be built, so tropical routines became early starts; the novelty of free Coke wore thin as the temperatures climbed towards the 120 degree mark; dust devils, miniature whirlwinds, tore through the camp, but slowly life improved as the camp neared completion, taking on an air of permanence.
The Rt Hon Archie Hamilton MP, Minister for the Armed Forces, came to review progress, accompanied by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon KCB CBE, the joint Force Commander based at RAF High Wycombe. They both left in no doubt as to the main problem the AGCI` had, a lack of any training areas in which to work up the force. This was to be a problem that remained throughout our deployment and a subject of protracted negotiations with our Turkish hosts.
Despite the difficulties much was achieved. We took part in cross training with the other nations; an NBC team flew out from Winterborne Gunner (NBC at 120 degrees, surely the 21C was joking?); signals exercises practised multi-national command and control; language problems were overcome. The alcohol ban did not stop barbecues, pasta nights or rice tables and sports competitions help forge new friendships. Cultural differences and misunderstandings created the odd local difficulty, but these too could be surmounted with cool heads and common sense.
The swimming pool never materialised, but soon we were relieved by C Coy. The mountains of Northern Iraq, their camps now long empty receded into the distance as we headed westward to where our thoughts lay; a cool beer and a warm welcome home.