Op Telic - B Squadron
B Squadron Attached To 1 (UK) Armoured Division
B Squadron completed its first month in Iraq under many guises: Divisional Defence Group, part of Duke of Wellington's Regiment Battle Group, part of 1 Royal Military Police Battle Group, and finally returning at last to QDG. The Squadron spent its first week in Kuwait waiting for the arrival of its Land Rovers. These eventually turned up at Shuyba port on the 12th of March and were transferred to Camp Rhino despite the innovative driving skills of Trooper Williams 981 who decided to shorten the convoy spacing by driving into the back of the MTO.
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Welcome Break |
The next day the Troops dispersed to their signals outposts to offer them much needed protection once they entered Iraq. 1st Troop and SHQ accompanied the US 1st Marine Division forward on its lighting advance through southern Iraq, tearing through burning oilfields and destroyed Iraqi armour. 2nd Troop moved with 7-Armoured Brigade into the badlands around Basrah. Cpl Cook was shelled on his first night whilst digging his sentry position and there followed a familiar tirade against the "drop shorts". It was prudently decided not to inform him he had just been standing 50 metres from the receiving end of an Iraqi Missile battery. Due to the increasing threat in and around Basrah, the signals outposts were brigaded at the airport rendering us largely redundant. The squadron overcame its unemployed status by seeking work wherever it could be found. A night of assistance to 'A' Squadron resulted in an evening of high excitement at one of the bridges over Shat al Arab and by morning four enemy armoured personnel carriers had been destroyed by air, with 1st Troop having to hitch a lift from 'A' Squadron's recce vehicles to avoid the fire zone of the attacking American tank busters.
'B' Squadron then, for the following ten days, was involved in securing the divisional rear area. Its tasks were to combat terrorist and militia activity and provide escorts for vulnerable convoys within Iraq. The Squadron was integral to many arrest operations and notable arms finds. Cpl Jones 011 took part in a 500m 'look, feel and prod' exercise to extract a 432 armoured personnel carrier from a mine strike - a drill last practised in the freezing snow on North Yorkshire!
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Showing the Welsh Flag |
The Squadron came back under the command of the Regiment in the first week of April and was given the southern half of the Battle Group's area. Although predominately rural, the area included the border town of Safwan where the Squadron concentrated its efforts. The town had suffered limited collateral damage from the war, but the infrastructure had collapsed through lack of maintenance during the conflict and subsequent looting. The Squadron assumed responsibility for a myriad of public services; critically including the distribution of food and water to the population. As the NGOs started to make an appearance into Iraq, we gradually encouraged them to take on these critical tasks and worked closely with UNICEF, the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society and the International Organisation for Migration. In addition, 'B' Squadron soldiers recruited and trained the police force, providing logistic support to the hospital and have facilitated the re-connection of the telephone exchange and the electricity supply.
The Officer Commanding colloquially referred to as "Major Henry" or his call sign Zero 'Ahmed', worked tirelessly to implement an interim civilian administration and was involved in countless meetings with village elders, Shia and Sunni representatives. Progresses was made, the locals being determined to govern themselves and were keen for the coalition to leave as soon as possible. But only once a benign and self-sustaining environment had been achieved. As the Squadron prepared to leave its area and tasks, the only question was whether Major Henry would ever leave his people and whether the people of Safwan could bear the loss of the great white saviour "Zero Ahmed".
