B(LEICESTERSHIRE) COMPANY SITREP, SHAAT-AL-ARAB HOTEL, BASRAH CITY, IRAQ JUNE 2006
At 1700 hrs on 24 April 2006 B ( Leicestershire) Company based at the Shaat-Al-Arab Hotel (SAAH), Basrah City, assumed responsibility for Security Sector Reform (SSR) for the Iraqi Police Service (IPS) Provincial Departments in Basrah Province. In essence, we will be responsible for training the Iraqi Police Service and ensuring that they and not us are increasingly responsible for security in Basrah. The handover was welcomed by all. For C Battery, 3 Royal Horse Artillery it marked the end of their tour which had been characterised by an increasing Improvised Explosive Device (IED) threat and reduced co-operation from the Iraqi Police as a result of the Provincial Government's order of Non-Co-operation with Multi-National Forces. A ‘Non-Cooperation' policy had been in effect for three months, the Iraqi Provincial Government claimed that this was because of British Soldiers mistreating Iraqi civilians during rioting, as revealed in the News of the World Newspaper. Other reasons cited included Danish Cartoon pictures of the Prophet Mohammed (A Danish Battalion, DANBAT operate within the British Sector). Also, more recently a successful detention operation had ‘lifted' several serving Iraqi Police officers. Multi-National Forces had evidence that they were responsible for the murder of Iraqi civilians and IED attacks against British, Danish and other Multi-National Forces. The reality within Basrah is that that some Government and Security organisation members have sympathies that support insurgent groups. That is our inheritance and the context in which we now conduct Security Sector Reform within Basrah City.
For B (Leicestershire) Company, the Poachers handover was the culmination of several months of intensive training which had taken place since our arrival in Tern Hill, Shropshire in late December 2005 following the end of our Northern Ireland Residential Tour. There was genuine excitement in taking on the task for which we had prepared. During the handover period we continued to focus on 
communications and protection; Bowman communications equipment and Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) being the training priority ensuring that we could move, protect and communicate on task. The Improvised Explosive Device, (IED) threat remains high. A swift Relief in Place was conducted using Merlin Helicopters flying tactically into our base location. This emphasised the threat as did insurgent mortar and rocket attacks onto the location in the first few days. Daily reports of RPG, IED and Indirect Fire Attack (IDF) bring a heightened sense of awareness. Indirect Fire attack onto our location occurs perhaps twice a week; however, our drills are good and we have protection Thankfully, the majority of the company can now distinguish outgoing mortar illumination being fired by the Light Infantry Mortar Platoon from incoming Chinese 107mm rockets! The embarrassment caused by reacting to the ‘outgoing' is now reserved for visitors!
The Company has now established its Battle Rhythm. The Liaison Officers (LO) consisting of OC B (Leicestershire) Company, Major Paul Leslie MBE, The IPS Tactical Support Unit (TSU) LO Captain Omar Faruque, the G4/G7 LO, Acting Major Poulter assisted by Sgt Ghio (Gibraltar Regiment) and Sgt De Looze are now in regular contact with their IPS counterparts. The simplest of tasks require detailed planning. To get an LO to a meeting requires anything from 2 multiples to achieve the task; ie a Platoon level operation. The Company Operations Cycle has a multiple on Guard manning the sangars at the Shaat-Al-Arab Hotel our base location.. With insurgent mortar and rocket attacks being a routine night time occurrence going on ‘stag' is no longer the dull activity it once was. Individual soldiers across the Company have done particularly well in identifying likely firing points, fall of shot and potential insurgent activity. This is aided by the Night Viewing Devices all of our soldiers carry. 6 Pl commanded by CSgt Roberts and Sgt Groom took on this key role on initially.
5 Platoon commanded by Lt Adam Griffiths and Sgt Deakin assumed responsibility for guarding the Permanent Joint Operations Centre (PJOC) at the Warren Complex in Basrah City. This centre houses a joint Iraqi and British blue light emergency centre responsible for coordinating incident response across the city. The PJOC requires guarding, despite being in an IPS complex because some IPS departments which share the same site are heavily infiltrated with insurgents elements. A direct insurgent attack on the PJOC remains highly possible and despite being within a ‘secure' IPS compound soldiers must still move in pairs. Conditions in the PJOC are basic at present. No showers and no kitchen meant initially that it resembled the ‘student house' with microwave pasties and bacon sandwiches for meals and bottled water and tin bowl for washing and shaving; however a chef and a field kitchen and tent have now arrived which has improved conditions significantly. Soldiers here, however, enjoy the ‘freedom' of being away from the Company and the insurgent threat means no surprise visits; planned patrols in a minimum of 3 Snatch Landrover ensure that the OC and CSM (WO2 Waghorn) don't arrive unexpectedly!
Patrols Platoon is currently the responsibility of 4 Platoon under Sgt Pepper and Cpl MacTavish. The main role of the Patrols Platoon is to move the LOs from the Shaat-Al-Arab to various IPS departments within the city and then provide Close Protection to them whilst visits and meetings are being conducted. There is no doubt that the conduct of Patrols across Basrah City is challenging; the insurgent threat is high; the roads and driving potentially hazardous and unlike our previous experience in Northern Ireland, no street names exist. Key features, junctions and roundabouts are memorised; purple 4, red 12, Five Mile Market, the British Cemetery, the L shaped flats these are our new vocabulary and how we identify locations. Across the Company in addition to our routine patrolling we are now regularly conducting Cordon and Search operations.
Our young soldiers and NCOs have done remarkably well so far. Average daytime temperatures approach 46 degrees Celsius , 120-130 Fahrenheit and patrolling in body armour and full fighting order is demanding. There is little doubt that our training in Jordan in the previous September and October assisted us. Now in early June the operational pace has increased as the tour has progressed., Increased insurgent activity in Basrah has seen a British Helicopter shot down and the six crew killed, a bomb left in a market killing sixteen and injuring twenty as well as numerous Roadside Improvised Explosive Devices and Small Arms Fire attacks. Sadly two of our colleagues from C (Northanptonshire) Company were killed during an attack in May. B (Leicestershire) Company has played its part throughout; with pride as well as some sadness, we have been the first to react and arrive at several incidents and attacks. In doing so, B (Leicestershire) Company soldiers have given First Aid and I have no doubt assisted in saving the lives of others. We have also engaged the insurgents and proven that whilst we are here to allow the Iraqi people to govern themselves we are ready and more than capable of fighting. I would like to think that our former Regiments would consider we are taking forward their reputations, traditions and standards. The operations we are conducting may be different; but our soldiers are resilient, cheerful and professional as ever.
Former Members will be pleased to hear that on 25 June we intend to celebrate the Hindoostan Battle Honour in our cookhouse here in Basrah City. Whilst there will be no beer, the plan is to have a presentation on the battle given by the Platoon Commanders, an all ranks curry in the cookhouse for those in the company not on patrol and finally a few skits as Sgt Deakin, Platoon Sergeant 5 Pl hands over to Sgt Kirk as the new Platoon Sergeant. So far in the tour we have managed, under CSM Waghorn's direction, to have a Quiz Night, a ‘Horse Racing Night' and most are keenly following England's progress in the World Cup.
For all members of B (Leicestershire) Company the tour continues to test them as professional soldiers, all of the qualities which our former members, ‘Tigers' and Poachers alike would recognise from their service; courage, humour, endurance and teamwork are evident; particularly amongst our Privates and JNCOs. With thoughts of our Recruiting Counties and a cool Spring and Summer next year we look forward to seeing you during the Freedom Marches in March 2007.
Major Paul Leslie MBE
OC B (Leicestershire) Company