Black Watch Battle Group redeployment
Troops from the Black Watch Battle Group began redeploying to a new area of operations within Multi-National Force (West) on 27 October 2004. As well as armoured infantry from the 1st Battalion The Black Watch, the battle group includes an armoured reconnaissance capability provided by B Squadron, Queen's Dragoon Guards, elements of 40 Commando Royal Marines, and supporting specialists from across the Army, including the Royal Engineers, Royal Logistic Corps, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, and Royal Military Police. The road move was supported by vehicle transporters from the US Army's 2123rd Transport Company.
The first part of the Battle Group's Main Body arrived at Camp Dogwood near Al Mahmudia on 29 October, but a vehicle accident, not involving hostile action, occurred en route. Sadly, one soldier from The Black Watch died, and a further three suffered minor injuries and shock; the injured men are now back at work.
Army Combat Camera Team video footage:
| Preparations for the move (26 October) |
Departing Basrah & refuelling stop |
Final leg of journey to Dogwood (29 October) |
| RealMedia format (2.1 MB) | RealMedia format (3.5 MB) | RealMedia format (2.2 MB) |
| WMV format (9.2 MB) | WMV format (16 MB) | WMV format (10.4 MB) |
| Settling in at Camp Dogwood (29 October) |
Eulogy following tragic death of Pte McHale |
Aftermath of an attempted IED attack (31 October) |
| RealMedia format (3 MB) | RealMedia format (1.5 MB) | RealMedia format (3.2 MB) |
| WMV format (14 MB) | WMV format (7.4 MB) | WMV format (14.7 MB) |
(click pics for larger images)
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 A cloud of smoke at the scene of an attempted IED attack on a Black Watch patrol - there were no casualties (Click here for high resolution version) |
The wreckage of the booby-trapped
car; the vehicle was identified as suspicious, and a safe cordon established around it by the Warrior patrol before it exploded. It is believed the vehicle contained six artillery shells (Click here for high resolution version) |
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 Troops of the Black Watch Battle Group prepare to redeploy to a new area in Iraq (Click here for high resolution version) |
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Multi-National Division (SE) activities in Iraq
The Queen's Gurkha Signals
marked their 50th anniversary
while deployed to provide strategic
communications support in
Baghdad. They were joined for the
celebration by Major-General McColl
and former Gurkhas working in Iraq
(Click here for high resolution version)
The celebration allowed a father
and his two sons to meet for the
first time in six years. Former
Warrant Officer Hariya Tamang
is now a security adviser in Iraq,
and was able to meet his sons
Corporal Dugendra Tamang (left)
and Sapper Tamba Tamang
(Click here for high resolution version)
An attack by Sad'r militia on a
British military patrol on 17 September
which wounded one soldier prompted
a response operation by troops from
the Cheshire and Princess of Wales'
Royal Regiment against the
Sad'r offices
(Click here for high resolution version)
Some of the equipment seized
at the Sadr offices; explosive ordnance
disposal teams had first to dismantle
several booby-traps left behind by
the militia when they fled the building
(Click here for high resolution version)
200 mortar bombs, 50,000 rounds
of heavy machine-gun ammunition,
50 rocket-propelled grenades and
five guided missiles were recovered
in all from the offices
(Click here for high resolution version)
Prime Minister Allawi visits a teaching
hospital in Basrah
(Click here for high resolution version)
Voting in a local election at Basrah
(Click here for high resolution version)
The RAF at Basrah Airport
marked Battle of Britain Day
on 15 September with a
sunset parade
(Click here for high resolution version)
The New Zealand engineer
contingent hands over to the
UK's 22 Engineer Regiment
before returning home at the
end of their tour of duty
(Click here for high resolution version)
The Civil-Military Cooperation
House in Al Amarah is handed back
to the Iraqi police as part of the
continuing transfer of assets and
responsibilities from the Coalition to
the Iraqi authorities
(Click here for high resolution version)
A Black Watch sniper team
keeps watch over a security
forces' position
(Click here for high resolution version)
Soldiers from the Black Watch
support an Iraqi Police vehicle
check-point
(Click here for high resolution version)
There is no MOT test in Iraq,
so care has to be taken when
searching some vehicles to
avoid the risk of electric shock...
(Click here for high resolution version)
Saga al-Gazzey, a seven-year
old Iraqi girl, returns home to
Basrah in an Army Lynx helicopter
on the last leg of her journey back
from heart surgery in London, arranged
through a Territorial Army doctor
(Click here for high resolution version)
Air Chief Marshal Burridge
visits members of 1 Sqn
RAF Regiment serving in Basrah
(Click here for high resolution version)
The Commander-in-Chief Fleet,
Admiral Sir Jonathon Band,
meets with the head of the
Iraqi Riverine Patrol Service
during a pastoral visit to Royal
Navy personnel in Iraq
(Click here for high resolution version)
A shopkeeper waves a greeting
at a British market patrol
(Click here for high resolution version)
Cheshires on patrol in Basrah
market place
(Click here for high resolution version)
Dust rises as a Chinook
lifts off
(Click here for high resolution version)
An RAF Chinook fires
precautionary decoy flares
(Click here for high resolution version)
A foot patrol in Basrah
(Click here for high resolution version)
The cat adopted by HQ Company
of the Cheshires has had a litter
of five kittens; a soldier's helmet
provides a nest
(Click here for high resolution version)
Warrior armoured infantry vehicles
of the 1st Battalion The Princess
of Wales' Royal Regiment prepare
for a patrol
(Click here for high resolution version)
British troops deliver a large
consignment of medical
supplies to Basrah General
Hospital
(Click here for high resolution version)
A female soldier attached to
the 1st Battalion The Cheshire
Regiment mans an observation
post in southern Iraq
(Click here for high resolution version)
A pilot of the new 1 Squadron
Iraqi Air Force with the observation
aircraft used to undertake security
patrols over infrastructure
(Click here for high resolution version)
A Chinook lifts off having
delivered a casualty to the
Field Hospital at Shaibah
(Click here for high resolution version)
A Royal Welch Fusilier mortar
team fires an illumination round
during security work along the
Iraqi oil pipelines
(Click here for high resolution version)
An RWF corporal with a
member of the Iraqi security
force patrolling the oil
infrastructure
(Click here for high resolution version)
A member of the Royal Navy
Combat Camera Team working
with personnel of the Iraqi
National Guard at the scene
of a minor incident at a petrol station
(Click here for high resolution version)
