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May 2005
FOREWORD
Lieutenant Colonel Nick Henderson
Commanding Officer
1st Battalion Coldstream Guards
Basrah City Battlegroup
Welcome to the first edition of ‘The Basrah
Bulletin’. The aim of this newsletter is to keep you
informed about what is happening throughout our area
of operations. It is designed to update everyone in
the Battlegroup, as well as inject some humour, and,
most importantly, it allows all our families to get
a feel for life here in the sun.
At this early stage in the tour I commend all our
soldiers, from whatever capbadge or background for
their efforts to improve the overall situation here
in Iraq, whether that be in Al Amarah or in Basrah
City. I can assure everyone that the Battlegroup and
all the UK Forces are making a difference to the
lives of the people. As we patrol the streets, it is
somewhat humbling to hear stories of life under
Saddam Hussein; it is hard to imagine the suffering
that these people endured and it is, truly, a
triumph of the human spirit that so many Iraqis are
so positive about their lives and the future. That
they continue to be so despite appalling living
conditions and scarce resources is amazing.
However, not all Iraqis are happy with their lot in
life, following the “crash” of the Saddam Regime and
the “invasion” by the West. The security situation
is far from stable and we endeavour, along with the
Iraqi Security Forces to strive for a solid and
enduring peace. If it were less dangerous we would
not be here and, tragically, Guardsman Anthony
Wakefield died as a result of a roadside bomb in Al
Amarah. He was a fine guardsman and a friend to
many. Although he is missed by all, his death will
not be in vain as we are even more determined to
ensure that we succeed in our mission here. Our
thoughts and prayers go to his family and many
friends.
Finally, we are well trained, well equipped and well
supported. There is much to be proud of within the
Battlegroup and, for my part, it is a privilege to
command such excellent troops. For those here – well
done and keep up the good work, and for those at
home – thank you for your support, it is invaluable.
-----------------------*-----------------------
Number 2 Coy Arrive in Basra
Capt James Bradford
It has been a fast and furious few weeks. Within a
short month and a half the soldiers of Number Two
Company have moved out of the relative security and
stability of life in Lille Barracks, had a well
deserved couple of weeks on Leave and now occupy the
harsh hot climes of Northern Basrah. The tour has
been a long time in the coming. It has been on the
horizon for more than a year. Even towards the end
of Op TELIC 1 it became clear to all but the most
cock eyed of optimists or fervent Anti War
protestors that almost every soldier in the British
Army would sooner or later find themselves sweating
profusely in down town Basrah or Al Amarah. So it is
that the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards and with it
the close knit family that is No. 2 Coy takes its
turn.
It has been a steep learning curve for everyone
involved. It was only January that Gdsm Arnold,
Andrews, Dean, Seely and Hannan proudly marched off
the square at ITC Catterick and now find themselves
with the awesome responsibility of patrolling the
streets of Basrah and overseeing the graduation of
this small corner of Iraq from downtrodden
dictatorship to a peaceful stable democratic
community. It has been like that for most of the
company. Only CSM Sheard, Sgt Gill, LSgt Hangar and
LCpl Chant have experienced the delights that Iraq
has to offer before this tour and only the more
senior members of the Company had ever experienced
an operational Tour outside of Northern Ireland.
Nevertheless the Company worked extremely hard from
January to March (often in the snow – to prepare for
the desert!) to learn about the job that they would
be doing Now we are here.
The takeover from 1st Battalion The Duke of
Wellington’s Regiment has been completed and it is
the famous Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards that
patrols the streets of Sekkek, Al Maqil and
Hyannyiah. It is a novel experience and a far cry
from the orderly streets of Farnborough and
Camberley. Motorways turn into dust tracks over a
matter of yards. Cars veer wildly across the roads
intermingling with donkeys and carts, dilapidated
bicycles, lunatic pedestrians and wild mongrel dogs.
Every time a patrol passes children tear across
dustbowl football pitches to wave, shout or
occasionally throw stones. Generally the Guardsmen
are welcomed by majority of the population. They
often stop to talk and a conversation takes place in
two languages with neither understanding the words
but on the odd occasion both parties understand the
deeper meaning. It is also taking a bit of time to
get to grips with the subtleties of Iraqi greetings
– when you ask someone to open the boot of their car
you don’t necessarily expect to receive a sloppy
kiss on each cheek for your troubles!
It is an unforgiving workload and multiples spend a
lot of time patrolling and when they not doing this
are responsible for the inner security of the camp.
Incidents dictate that there will be days when sleep
is at a premium. There is also the additional and
constant battle with the heat. Already the
temperature is closing in on 40 degrees Centigrade
and everyone can wring the sweat out of their shirts
on return from patrols. There is a vast and very
necessary supply of bottles of drinking water
immediately on hand to combat the symptoms of
dehydration. Nevertheless, the job is there to be
done and it is being done to a very high standard.
The Guardsman on the streets can and do make a very
significant difference. Gdsm Richard Timson, an LMG
gunner in No. 6 Platoon feels that it is great to be
“making a difference to the redevelopment of a
country and helping the Iraqis to find some sort of
stability”. Already the locals are beginning to
become familiar to the sight of the Blue Red Blue
patch patrolling the streets and likewise the people
and places, the sights and smell (stench even) are
becoming more familiar to us.
There are the usual equipment dramas. Land Rover’s
rather like people, find operating in this sort of
environment pretty hard work and it has been down to
some stirling work from LSgt Bumby, LCpl Dawson, the
LAD and the drivers themselves that they remain on
the road although Gdsm Newman seems to have
something against his faithful vehicles as three in
a week collapsed under his expert stewardship and a
fourth blew a tyre! However, it isn’t quite all
work. A lot of effort has been put in to make life
as comfortable as possible and while the living
conditions are pretty cramped, some down time can be
spent soaking up a bit of the sun in the vain
attempt to avoid the dreaded squaddie tan but sadly
Gdsm McBride’s bid to grow a moustache has ended in
furry disappointment. Table tennis enthusiasts are
kept busy with Gdsm Gav Ash and 2Lt Louis White
looking like the blade runners at present (although
the Drill Sergeant is keen to come down to the
company and take on all comers – rumour has it that
he has his own bat!).
The CSM has, with his team of helpers, erected a
golf net behind the Ops room in a bid to lower his
handicap over the next few months. Shortly an inter
multiple football tournament is imminent (although
the blazing Iraqi sun sees that the pace of the game
is somewhat slower than on a cold November day in
Aldershot.
The first month has gone quickly and the Company is
up, ready and well into its stride. There is no
doubt that we will be kept suitably busy over the
scorching Iraqi summer and the men of No. 2 Coy are
prepared to take on the challenges that are on the
horizon.
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FILM NIGHT
SHOWING IN THE WELFARE ROOM 2000 HRS EVERY
SATURDAY
-----------------------*-----------------------
CHAPEL SERVICE
EVERY SUNDAY MORNING 1000 HRS IN ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL,
NEXT TO THE GAMES ROOM
-----------------------*-----------------------
A Sinking Feeling
By Sgt Eddie Bicknell No 3 Coy
On my very first Patrol in Basrah City, as the
Multiple Commander of 12 men I was quite anxious for
the patrol to go with out a hitch. After carrying
out our Battle Procedure in the Old State Buildings,
I briefed the men on everything the patrol was to
achieve and how each man had a part to play with in
it. My task itself was to visit the Iraqi Police
Service Station at Al Asmi on the western side of
our Area of Responsibility, introduce myself to the
Station and Deputy Commanders and for the remainder
of the tour this was to be my affiliated Police
Station, so I wanted to make a good impression.
Setting off, I navigated my patrol through the
winding streets of Basrah, having not visited Al
Asmi Police station before; I was more than pleased
when I arrived there without making a single wrong
turn. I dismounted from my vehicle, together with my
Interpreter and a member of the Royal Military
Police, whose job it was to mentor the Police at
this Station. I instructed my Second in Command to
move the vehicles closer to the station as they were
parked opposite a Mosque, secure the area and await
my return from the meeting.
The meeting was going well, handshakes all round I
introduced myself to the station Major and was
engaging in some polite conversation,
when through my radio headset I heard a message that
one of the vehicles outside was bogged in. Vehicles
getting stuck in ditches and deep mud are something
I am quite used to on Salisbury Plain in winter, but
in a built up area, in blazing sunshine, I just
couldn’t understand what had happened. I apologised
to the IPS Major and made my way outside to take a
look. To much amusement of the local population the
Snatch Landrover had literally half sunk into a
ditch which had the appearance of a long rut in the
pavement with a bit of mud on top, but was actually
a deep crevice filled with the most putrid foul
smelling substance I have ever come across.
I was both amazed and a little bit disappointed that
the driver of the vehicle had managed to allow this
to happen, but we tasked the Royal Electrical and
Mechanical Engineers (REME) recovery vehicle to come
and pull the Snatch out, they were worried that the
vehicle would flip on it’s side if they tried to
pull it, but after volunteering some manual labour
to literally keep the vehicle the right way up, we
managed to extract it.
The incident taught us that appearances can be
somewhat deceptive in Basrah City, and the need to
drive with caution is an absolute must!
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BG MEDIA BOARD
Located in the corridor next to the Admin Office and
Post Bunk in the Shatt Al Arab Hotel. It’s there for
you. Any photos that you have will be
welcome so the board can be updated regularly.
-----------------------*-----------------------
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
June:
Midlands Today
Rugby Star & 2 Page 3 girls!
-----------------------*-----------------------
CAPTION COMPETITION
Every fortnight a new photo will be put up for you
to put your comedy genius to work. The best caption
will win a prize.
Remember, if we don’t have any photos you can’t win
a prize!
THE WINNER OF THE CAPTION COMPETITION IS LCPL
STURGESS OF HQ COY WITH:
IS THIS THE QUEUE FOR THE HAPPY BUS?”
HE WINS A *****
THANKS GO TO CAPT RIC HOWICK WHO KINDLY DONATED THE
PRIZE FROM THE PRI FUND
-----------------------*-----------------------
WELFARE ROOM
OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY FOR YOU TO SIT BACK AND RELAX
IN.
-----------------------*-----------------------
PRI SHOP
OPEN: 2000-2200 SAT - FRI
1800-2200 SUN
FROM BOOSTS TO BINOCULARS, YOU CAN FIND IT ALL AT
THE PRI SHOP IN THE WELFARE ROOM!
THE NEXT EDITION IS WRITTEN BY YOU TELLING YOUR
EXPERIENCES. ALL SUBMISSIONS FOR THE NEXT
BATTLEGROUP NEWSLETTER ARE TO BE IN TO THE MEDIA
OFFICE BY 15 JUNE 05
-----------------------*-----------------------
A Coy 1 Staffords
Pte Gilbert
It was approximately 2010hrs and I was relaxing in
my room with a few of my mates when we heard a large
explosion not too far from our tented area.
Instantly we thought we were coming under mortar
fire so my mates and I reacted to the mortar drill
previously taught. I dashed to grab my CBA and
helmet from my locker just as another explosion
echoed through the air. After getting my kit on
within seconds I jumped inside my locker and my
mates did the same, some under beds and tables too.
Initially we nervously laughed but it soon hit us
that we could take casualties so fear soon set in.
We heard movement in our corridor though nobody
wanted to move from the cover we had managed to get
into.
Suddenly my Platoon Sgt stuck his head through the
zip entrance to our tent as we feared the worst and
awaited any bad news as to what was going on. “What
are you Muppets on? Didn’t you realise that those
mortars being fired are from the Guards Mortar
Platoon? They are firing to illuminate possible base
plate locations. Good drills anyway lads,” he said
chuckling to himself as he walked off back down the
corridor
I looked across the room at my mates whom I’m sure
felt as embarrassed as I did. We must
have looked a right sight cramped inside our
lockers. We soon laughed about it hoping that the
next newcomers to the Hotel would do exactly the
same thing or something even more ridiculous.
-----------------------*-----------------------
A Month In Iraq: Headquarter Company Escort Multiple
Out and About in Basra!
By Lt Ian Thompson
COLDM GDS
Headquarter Company, 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards
Escort Multiple can surely lay claim to being the
most senior multiple in the British Army! As part of
our duties on Op TELIC 6, the Company provides a
multiple available 24hours per day to run escorts
(i.e. Force Protection) for the Battlegroup’s many
administrative and logistic tasks. On one infamous
occasion the multiple consisted of two Company
Sergeant Majors, four Sergeants, two
Lance-Sergeants, two Corporals and one medic with
the most junior member happening to be the multiple
commander namely yours truly!
The outset of the tour paired the Patrols Team led
by Company Sergeant Major Thorpe with a team from
the Mortar Platoon led by LSgt Vickers. Underlining
the versatility of Headquarter Company, the escort
multiple began its operations by escorting all the
Battlegroup’s freight and vehicle Convoys as they
made their way up from the Port of Umm Qasr to
Basra. This routine nightly activity lasted for the
first week, with the usual teething problems being
encountered by the multiple as it strove to achieve
its mission – the most notable occurrence being the
fiasco at Sheibah Logistics Base where the POL point
actually ran out of POL – surely a first at a
Logistics Base?
Further operations were to follow as the Headquarter
Company multiple was let loose within Basra itself.
The Orbat of the multiple by this stage had altered
once again with Headquarter Company, Company
Sergeant Major Hicks assuming the role of multiple
Second-in-Command for the second week of the
campaign. The patrols team was replaced by various
elements of Headquarter Company primarily from the
Quartermaster’s and Technical Quartermaster’s
Departments, as well as the Regimental
Administration Office. As the week progressed the
range and scope of operations for the multiple
increased to encompass regular trips from the
Shat-al Arab Hotel to Basra Palace, Old State
Buildings (No 3 Company’s Headquarters), Brigade
Headquarters and Waterloo Lines at Basra Air
Station. The range of tasks presented to the
multiple ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous,
the highlight for all members being the sausage dash
to Basra Palace to pick up three boxes of sausages,
(one of which was empty to act as a decoy), to
resupply the needy for Breakfast at the Shat-al Arab
Hotel! After all, an Army marches on its stomach.
With the reallocation of the patrols team to their
natural home in the desert of Iraq to hunt for enemy
Mortar men, the multiple once again called upon the
services of our own Mortar men to fill the gap left
by the Snipers. They were reinforced by the
remaining elements of Headquarter Company as
mentioned above with the notable addition of four
members from the Mechanical Transport Platoon.
During this period the multiple was engaged by small
arms fire in the area of Basra Palace whilst
escorting a UN Lieutenant Colonel sustaining a small
amount of damage to the side of a snatch Land Rover.
An eye-opener for the multiple came at the end of
the first month when the multiple bumped into a US
patrol at Basra Air Station. Various members of the
multiple spoke with the Americans comparing vehicles
and weapon systems. It is incredible to think that
most American soldiers are on their second twelve
month tour of Iraq! As the multiple said farewell to
the Americans on its way back to the Shat-al Arab
Hotel for the final time the author reflected on his
extremely short tour and how much had been crammed
into it. It was a great experience and certainly an
eye opener into the workings of the wider British
Army and its Allies as well as to the areas within
which they operate.
The diversity of the Headquarter Company Escort
Multiple certainly added to the operational
effectiveness of the unit whilst highlighting the
adaptability and proficiency of the soldiers within
the Company.
-----------------------*-----------------------
Captain R J Howick
Quartermaster
1st Battalion Coldstream Guards
Shatt Al-Arab Hotel
Now that we have been here a little while and are
almost settled I thought it prudent to write a few
notes for those at home. I along with the majority
of my department deployed on the Pre Advance flight
departing UK on the 6th April. Looking back, it now
seems a lifetime ago. We arrived after an uneventful
flight in the early hours of the 7th April and after
some faffing about at the airport, we eventually
arrived at our destination and got to bed at about
3.30am. Then it was up at 6 and straight into the
training. Most of which was remind and revise on
what we had been taught in England. We also check
fired our weapons and did a few more testing shoots
including firing from the top of a moving Landover
and firing whilst skirmishing in pairs. All exciting
stuff if you are a young Duty Company Guardsman but
those who don’t skirmish routinely, unless making a
break for the pub whilst shopping with the wife,
found it a little more interesting. The chap who
debriefed my team said that we had done very well. I
didn’t have the heart to tell him that in actual
fact he was praising a group of steely eyed killers
including, LSgt “Monkey” Bray the rations NCO LSgt
Paul Parker the accommodation NCO, the Regimental
Quartermaster Sergeant and the Quartermaster!
Once we had spent three days under canvas training
and acclimatising, I then lead the first group of
Coldstreamers off to what has become our permanent
base. A total of some 42 people arrived with me
throughout the course of the evening. Some by
helicopter, Sgt Dye from the Catering platoon
sitting next to me particularly enjoyed the
experience of flying in the new Merlin, flying
tactically from the desert across Basra city to our
location, whilst others arrived by road convoy.
Tactical flying means travelling as fast as possible
as low to the ground/buildings as one dare possibly
go, so as to minimise the amount of time in the air.
Alton Towers eat your heart out you just a’int got
it.
I was extremely well received on arriving at ‘The
Shatt’ not least of course because of my boyish good
looks and ready wit. More I feel to do with the fact
that as the Quartermaster I was the first Coldstream
Officer of the lead element of the relieving Battle
Group, hence I suspect my popularity!
The takeover passed without serious incident with
the Coldstream team checking and double checking
that all the equipment was present. LSgt “Goubs”
Goubert accounting for all the clothing and Sgt
“Rossco” Ross counting the LEC’s (Locally Employed
civilians). The takeover was timed to coincide with
the arrival of the main bodies of the Coldstream
element of the BG and before you knew it the
Coldstream were in and settled in large numbers and
the Duke of Wellingtons Regiment had flown back to
Germany and were but a memory. One of the last
flights into theatre saw the arrival of Gdsm “Davey”
Davies the clothing storeman; his arrival heralded
the completion of the department in country.
An extremely busy time was then embarked upon by
all. All the equipment from UK arrived and had to be
unpacked and checked and at the same time we the
Coldstream set about reorganising our locations to
utilise them to their best effect and make them feel
like home. This entailed much humping and dumping of
furniture and equipment organised under the
direction of the accommodation NCO LSgt Paul Parker
and much painting and decorating. The painting and
decorating was overseen by LSgt Jacko Jackson the
pioneer Sgt and his team, their skills were and in
fact 6 weeks on, still are very much in demand. They
started in the OP’s room and then worked out along
BG HQ corridor before I dispatched them to Old State
Buildings and Number 3 Company for 48hrs of “Jackos
changing rooms”. Much of their work was carried out
by night and LCpl Joe Wellings, Casper Goodwin and
Stinky Atkins adopted the body clock of badgers for
about two weeks.
The camp is a mile around by the perimeter wall and
the HQ Company blokes live either in the hotel, or
the buildings immediately surrounding it including
LCpl Ronnie Sloane who lives on site in the tailors
shop. It doesn’t sound too bad on the surface
however to explain. If you imagine a room about a
third of the size of a Travelodge room with an en
suite bathroom you would have the measure of it.
However the toilets and indeed all the water in the
hotel main building do not work. Consequently the
blokes use “portaloos” those little plastic toilets
you see on building sites about the size of a ‘phone
box. With the heat now up to the high forties the
contents warm nicely during the heat of the day and
when you open the door it feels like you have walked
into a glass patio door that you thought was open,
but is in fact closed!
The food is good it is all UK type food that comes
up from Kuwait and is cooked by an extremely busy
team of military cooks led by the newly promoted WO2
Smudge Smith to an excellent standard. News of the
standard of their lunchtime salad has now travelled
around the Brigade and there is now a regular influx
of visitors “on duty” arriving at ‘The Shatt’ at
lunchtime!
To improve the quality of life for the blokes I have
put on a shop in the evenings selling pop and crisps
and such in the TV room and have brought in games
darts, table tennis, pool etc so at least the blokes
have a social area. This is overseen by LSgt Frankie
Franks who having started as a small convenience
shop has ambitions to rival the NAAFI, then
Sainsbury’s and then Tescos. There is a Pizza Hut on
the camp. The name conjures up a restaurant with
tables and chairs etc. No, it really is a HUT. You
go to the window tell them what you want and pay and
they slide your pizza back out of the window. You
then sit outside and eat it. The place is
particularly popular I have noticed not only with
the Guardsmen but also with the wild cats who hang
around waiting for the odd piece of discarded
pepperoni!
Of course we the English have a passion for
discussing the weather and for the first two weeks
everyone greeted you with the exclamation “hot innit?”
This irritated me as having been out here before
what did they expect in the Persian Gulf in May a
light dusting of fresh snow each morning? They now
seem to have gotten over that particular habit thank
god. Now everyone just sweats freely.
To go anywhere you must have all you kit on. To
include body armour which is like having three
thicknesses of carpet wrapped around your torso.
Just to make it extra special it is made of plastic,
is close fitting and has heavy Kevlar plate’s front
and rear. Then there is the load carrying kit with
the weight of the ammo, radio, water, etc in it all
topped off with the rifle and the helmet which
doubles as a pressure cooker. Immediately you put
the kit on you are soaked in your own sweat. However
to keep us in clean clothes there is a local laundry
service on the camp Gdsm Dave Atkinson is the link
man there and takes the opportunity to practise his
Arabic when working alongside the locals.
Things with the BG are well as I write this and
although I have dwelt on the admin side of life to
give readers a feel for what life is like out here
there have of course been a number of successes on
the Ops side of the house. Finally, in closing, to
all family and loved ones back in UK we do miss you
and appreciate massively your letters and parcels,
do keep them coming thick and fast so Sgt Mac
McSpirit is kept busy. A big thank you from all of
us!
-----------------------*-----------------------
SAAH FOOTBALL FIXTURE LIST
All games listed must be played by 30 June.
‘Hells Bells’ V ‘Spotty Dogs’
‘Rovers Rovers’ V ‘Chef Field Utd’
‘Shatt Shooters’ V ‘The Big Cheese Mother F***ers’
‘Nut Stranglers’ V ‘Snatch Inspectors’
‘Mutha’s’ V ‘MT Pl’
‘Hells Bells’ V ‘Rovers Rovers’
‘Shatt Shooters’ V ‘Nut Stranglers’
‘Mutha’s’ V ‘Spotty Dogs’
‘Chef Field Utd’ V ‘The Big Cheese Mother F***ers’
‘Snatch Inspectors’ V ‘MT Pl’
‘Hells Bells’ V ‘Nut Stranglers’
‘Rovers Rovers’ V ‘Shatt Shooters’
‘Mutha’s’ V ‘The Big Cheese Mother F***ers’
‘Spotty Dogs’ V ‘Chef Field Utd’
‘MT Pl’ V ‘Nut Stranglers’
CONTACT DETAILS
‘Hells Bells’ – Sgt Price 3 Pl, A Coy Lines
‘Spotty Dogs’ – Gdsm Marriner, A Coy Lines
‘Rovers Rovers’ – Sgt Welsh, A Coy ext 3133
‘Chef Field Utd’ – LSgt Luff, Main Kitchen.
‘Shatt Shooters’ – LCpl Read, Admin Off, ext 3105.
‘The Big Cheese Mother F***ers’ – CQMS 2 Coy.
‘Nut Stranglers’ – SSgt Weldon, LAD, ext 3135.
‘Snatch Inspectors’ – LCpl Johnstone, LAD ext 3135
‘MT Platoon’ - LSgt Green, ext 3123
‘Mutha’s’ - Sgt Brack, Patrols Multiple.
“Doing our bit for international relations –
everyone likes a game of football”
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