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Battalion Sit Rep:
18th December 2007
NUMBER 1 COMPANY
Morning broke late in Kabul. A fine drizzle misted the gunsights
and windshields of the darkened armoured landrovers as the
Company Rover Group waited for the word to move. The high
pitched cry of the mullah pierced the early morning silence as
the Company Commander surveyed his map and considered the
options open to him. To his right, LSgt Piggot peered into the
darkness, quietly reporting and logging all signs of movement.
Outside the Landrover, Sgts Price and Green manned a forward
sentry position overlooking the slope down to the road in front
of them. A few hundred meters to the East, Sgt Capes and Sgt
Elliot maintained a vigil with an attached American thermal
imaging team. CSM Gibson accompanied by Gdsm McKenry silently
prowled around the position, checking all was in good order, as
Gdsm Stevenson watched his arcs…
Callsign 30A, Lt Crook’s multiple, had just reported suspicious
vehicle movement to their front – possibly weapons and
explosives being placed into an ever-present Toyota Corolla,
which had just set off toward the site of a search and detention
operation being conducted by American Special Forces. Callsign
20A, led by Sgt Beckett and currently crouched in roadside
ditches to the south of the suspects’ line of travel were in a
position to intercept and detain – but this carried risk. The
rest of the company were watching and waiting silently around
the river plain also ready to move when ordered. Weighing the
options, the Company Commander lifted his radio handset when
disaster struck….his pipe had gone out….
Life in Kabul has been fascinating; a rollercoaster of success
and frustration in spades. The slightly tongue-in-cheek picture
painted above is in fact a short illustration of some of the
things the company have been getting up to, along with the
countless intelligence gathering patrols, humanitarian
assistance missions (arranged by the redoubtable Captain Dale)
and support to various other friends and neighbours in the city.
Every Guardsman is working incredibly hard with professionalism,
flexibility and the ever present 1 Company sense of humour
marking all that they do, making it a privilege and honour to
serve with men such as these.
What keeps us all going, of course, is the support and kindness
from the home front that arrives in the form of mail, morale
packages and messages. You are always in our minds, especially
during the Christmas period, and the difficulties, frustrations
and sheer hard work of running homes and families without
husbands and sweethearts is understood, respected and
appreciated. In my view, the wives deserve a medal as much as
the Guardsmen (and not just for marrying us in the first
place!). Nearly half way through the tour now, with the welcome
break of R&R a recent memory or a welcome milestone to come, we
all cannot wait to come back home again. Our thoughts and
prayers are with you all, have a very Merry Christmas, a Happy
New Year and a peaceful Advent.
Wayne Hennessy-Barrett
Company Commander
No 1 Company
NUMBER 3 COMPANY
Number 3 Company continues to operate out of Forward Operating
Base (FOB) Keenan in the Green Zone to the North East of Geresk.
Their operations have been somewhat constrained by a recent
commitment to the provision of the Bde QRF tasking which has
kept a platoon on a very short notice to move. As a result they
have not managed to get out as far or as frequently as
previously and the Taliban certainly noticed. The net result was
the first attack on the base since October took place on 6th
December. There were no casualties and an enormous amount of
fire was returned because they had chosen to attack during
‘stand to’. I suspect they will be reviewing their tactics!
Fortunately the QRF task has now passed on to another unit so
they are getting back out further into the Green Zone. They
appear to be having a good deal of success in deterring enemy
activity by the use of extended standing patrols which deploy
during the silent hours and then emerge, from ditches and
streams, to the astonishment of the locals during the middle of
the day. On the softer side LSgt Hutchings continues to perform
sterling work as the Coy ‘Non Kinetic Effects Officer’ . He is
managing to pour oil onto troubled waters within the local
community by helping with a number of key projects and outreach
programmes designed to help the local communities to develop and
build a relationship of trust with the Company.
RIGHT FLANK
The 45 Coldstreamers serving with Right Flank 1 SCOTS GDS have
been heavily involved with Op MAR KARADAD, the operation to
secure Musa Qala (MSQ) from the Taliban. They deployed as part
of the original screening force back in November and have been
at it pretty much ever since. The operation to retake the town
was a complex one and Rt Flk certainly played their part. They
have screened, blocked, feinted and guarded to mention but a few
of their many missions. There can be no doubt that the Warrior
vehicles have been a real success over here and we would
undoubtedly like more of them. Captain Toby Davidson was lucky
enough to be sprung from Bde HQ, only moments after he had
arrived here in order to command the Brigade Commanders Tac
Group which was Warrior based. At time of writing I am somewhat
impatiently awaiting his return. The Bde Comd got back 10 days
ago so I am somewhat at a loss to explain his failure to return.
Could it be that he would prefer to be in the field with Rt
Flank rather than stuck in an office in Bde HQ? In any event
there will be plenty for him to do on his return.
LASHKAR GAH
These past few weeks have seen the Lashkar Gah platoon settling
into the routine of once again providing the force protection
for the city and enjoying the creature comforts associated with
being in Lashkar Gah. The platoon were warned off to head to
Musa Qala to help man the new FOB which is being built, however
this has now changed and we can look forward to the platoon
remaining here for the next few weeks at least. The platoon has
seen a recent spate of promotions: LSgt Wall to the Drum
Sergeant of the Machine Guns, and Gdsm Dixon and Cummings
promoted to Lance Corporals whilst the platoon commander, Mr
Hayhurst has now reached the dizzy heights of Lieutenant. They
also had an ‘interesting’ patrol on ??? when heading out to the
North East of the town. It had been some time since ISAF forces
had been in the area they were patrolling and it soon became
apparent that the locals were none to keen to welcome visitors.
Indeed Sgt Phipps got few points for choosing to stop to check
equipment in what turned out to be an ambush location. Still,
all’s well that ends well and the patrol returned in one piece
which is more than can be said for the opposition.
RECCE PL
The Recce Platoon has now returned to the Household Cavalry
after their stint of Police Mentoring in Lashkar Gah and Gereshk.
Their first task was to help in the screening around MSQ during
Op MAR KARADAD. It was a reasonably lengthy period in the field
which the Platoon Commander summed up in just one word –
‘dusty’. Sgt Smith stayed behind for a short period to support
the training and mentoring of the incoming Police Mentors
provided by the 1st Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers. LSgt
Broomfield was due to return to the HCav until he found himself
trawled for the position as Signals advisor and assistant to the
Bn 2i/club/navigate2.php?pageID=46798cMajor Bartle-Jones who has
gone off to become the head of the Military Stabilisation Team (MST)
in MSQ. This is an incredibly exciting time for both of them as
they will become key to helping set up the fledgling Afghan
National Security Forces and Government presence in this
previously Taliban controlled town.
OMLT
This will be the last Battalion sitrep you will receive before
Christmas. Perversely for many of us, life is only becoming more
hectic as the festive season approaches. We are making a
difference here in this country that has seen so much
destruction and heartache, I and many of the soldiers under my
command firmly believe this. We cannot do this however without
your full support and understanding and are thankful for your
continued help.
All that remains is for us to wish each and every one of you a
peaceful and joyful Christmas period with your families. Know
that we all send you our warmest best wishes as we pass the
Christmas holidays separated from you. Happy 2008, have a drink
for us!
George Waters
GCC WATERS
Lt Col
Comd Offr
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