NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2009 11
Basra knights
● Time for CRAMming... A Naval Phalanx – one
of the guns in the Counter-Rocket, Artillery and
Mortar battery – fi res a burst of 20mm rounds
over Basra airbase during a night-time trial
Picture: LA (Phot) Jannine Hartmann, FRPU East
SHEAFS of fi re arc
Soldiers were somewhat agreed. And so for the past two Changes became evident now on Telic 13), a Senior Iraq, performing at Basra airbase
through the night sky.
bemused when Maj Gen Salmon years a small band of sailors – immediately – even from the Serviceman was at the control and a short distance away at
Seventy-five rounds leave the
gathered people around him to a little over two dozen – have skies above the city given the (there’s some ‘interesting’ Shaibah, another focal point of
barrel every second.
discuss the burning issues of been in action every day with numbers of people moving footage accompanied by ‘lively’ Britain’s mission in this land.
What we cannot convey here
the day for the first time. It’s now the workhorse helicopters. around the streets. commentary on Youtube...). One of the large mess halls in
is the noise – brrt, brrt, brrt – as
part and parcel of the routine on Although the aircraft is “The difference in people is “CRAM works – and has been the airfi eld hosted a lively carol
the 20mm shells are launched
the air station, which lies to the basically the same, the RN and obvious,” said Lt Chris Knowles,
saving lives,” said Maj Gen service.
into the night and the chilling,
northwest of Basra. RAF do fl y different variants of one of the fi rst Fleet Air Arm
Salmon emphatically. “There’s nothing quite like
oscillating wail of the sirens.
All this is very land-orientated. the Merlin. Merlin men to deploy to Basra;
Perhaps proof of that can be singing Christmas carols to the
This is Phalanx doing what it
So let’s get on to the water. The Fleet Air r he returned for his most rned fo ecent
found in the fact that the medical accompaniment of a full brass
is designed to do: destroying
We’ve featured the Naval Arm’s model el tour of duty in
centre on the air station – largely band,” said Padre David Moss,
incoming projectiles.
Transition Team or NaTT – the is primarily a a October.
run by Royal Navy surgeons and the Joint Force Senior Chaplain
But this is not Phalanx at
Anglo-American organisation submarine-hunter,, “Smiles and
medics – is considerably quieter at Basra.
work on a Type 42, carrier or
responsible for overseeing the but can perform m waves arw e now
than it has been during the six- “The Royal Marines Band
assault ship.
training of Iraqi sailors and general duties. . commonly seen co
year mission in Iraq. brought tremendous spiritual
This is Phalanx, mounted on
marines – many times in these The RAF Merlin, by the crby ews fl ying
The fact that fewer patients encouragement to us all at
the back of a truck and shooting
pages. the Mk3, is an all- over Basra and o
down incoming rocket and
But the Royal Navy’s influence purpose aircraft locals now look l
are coming into the hospital Christmas.”
mortar fire at Basra airbase.
on the water doesn’t end there. (and probably at the aircraft
does not mean the medics are Before the carol service, the
For while most media attention
Also under the division’s not particularly with interest and
quiet; it has allowed them to get Royal Marines had performed
is fixed upon Afghanistan –
banner is training for the Iraqis good at hunting g intrigue rather
out and about into the Basra outside: a beat retreat in front of
particularly with the impending
who patrol the Shatt-al-Arab – boats…). It’s also than distrust
area to share their knowledge the headquarters and memorial
withdrawal of British forces from
the waterway upon which Basra painted khaki and fear.
with local doctors and nurses. wall which lists the names of all
Iraq – you could forget there’s
sits. and has a ramp “Much more
For most RN personnel, a tour the Britons killed in Iraq since
still a job to do in Basra.
Iraq’s Coastal Border Guard at the rear where of the city has a
of duty at Basra lasts several 2003.
Unless you’re a member of the
(the border with Iran runs all the sub-hunting wizardry is reliable power supply and the
months. Chief-of-Staff Col David King
Multi-National Division (South-
down the middle of the river on the RN Merlin. lights spread much further into
But for a fortunate few, it lasts RM took the salute as British
East).
downstream of Basra) shepherd But if you can fl y a grey Merlin, the darkened suburbs. There
a few days. personnel marched past before
For just as the RN is leading
ships to Abu Al Falus port (and you can fl y a khaki one too – and is a feeling that something has
The Band of HM Royal Marines the Union Flag was lowered at
peacekeeping efforts in
in the future to the wharves at they have, but the team has been achieved and a successful
left the cold of Portsmouth sunset.
Helmand, so too is the Senior
Al Maqil, to the northwest of the noticed distinct changes during handover to the Iraqis to
behind to provide entertainment Such ceremonies and others,
Service in charge of the British
city centre, too). their tours of duty at Basra air continue the development can
and a bit of Christmas cheer for says Maj Gen Salmon, are a
military mission 1,000 miles to
Alongside the Iraqi police’s base. be achieved.”
their comrades during a lightning constant reminder of the
visit as 2008 drew to a close. substantial Senior Service in
the west in Iraq.
riverine patrol, they maintain When they arrived in Iraq, the
SADLY, not everything in the
But there was also time for
It is here, at Basra airbase,
law and order on the river – Merlins were heavily in demand
skies over Basra is friendly.
Basra.
that you will find Royal Marine
and both units receive training as aerial ambulances, as well as
Insurgents like randomly
refl ection on the sacrifi ces made “From aircrew to storespeople
Maj Gen Andy Salmon and
in boarding operations, search troop carriers.
lobbing mortars, missiles and
by Britons in ousting Saddam to mechanical and weapons
his staff, the Commander UK
and rescue, and port security
Their activity reached its cli-
other projectiles – the official
Hussein’s regime and attempting engineers to officers of every
Amphibious Forces in charge of
from the Brits.
max last spring with the ‘Charge
term is ‘indirect fire’ – into the
to bring peace in the aftermath branch, the ‘dark blue line’ is
operations. BACK in 2006, with troops
of the Knights’ (also known as
airbase.
of the 2003 campaign. broad indeed in Basra,” the
And given that the bulk of the on the ground pleading for
the Battle of Basra), the month-
Which is why naval Phalanx
The band spent four days in general added.
Brits in Basra are Army and RAF, more helicopters to support
long Iraqi Army fi ght for control
guns have been mounted on
they needed to be introduced to the mission in Basra,
of the southern city with the
trailers and trucks and dotted
the ways of the Senior Service. Whitehall snapped up six
Mahdi militia (who eventually
around the airbase.
For a start there’s now a fi nished Merlins, originally
lost).
It’s actually the Army which
quarterdeck (complete with earmarked for Denmark but
The helicopters not merely
is in charge of the guns (16
mainmast and White Ensign). no longer required by the
fl ew supplies and casualties
Regiment Royal Artillery), but
The key dates in the RN Scandinavians.
around the Basra area, but also
one in three of the Service
calendar – October 21 (Trafalgar), Rustling up air and ground
the Iraqi premier Nouri al-Maliki
personnel looking after the
October 28 (birthday of the crew to fl y what became 1419
who was keen to follow the CRAM – Counter-Rocket,
Royal Marines) – are marked Flight and to maintain the new progress of the fi ghting. Artillery and Mortar – battery is
in true fashion, but the other helicopters wasn’t quite so There’s no doubt that the dark blue.
Services are being immersed simple, so the RAF asked the month-long fi ghting was a The matelots man, maintain
in more day-to-day Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm to fi ll the gap while turning point in the city’s and repair the Phalanx; every
traditions. they trained more personnel. fortunes as far as the RN fl iers time the guns fired during
Such as clear lower deck. Being good eggs the Wafus are concerned. Operation Telic 12 (we’re
● Musicians of the Royal Marines Band Portsmouth perform at sunset in front of
the British headquarters in Basra Photographer: Cpl Adam Fletcher RAF
0011_NN_Feb.indd 111_NN_Feb.indd 1 119/1/09 12:57:599/1/09 12:57:59
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