Sun man sees surrender ("troops shot their own commanders")

The Sun ^ | March 21, 2003

[Cultural Jihad]

Sun man sees surrender

PHOTOGRAPHER Terry Richards, 52, has been with The Sun since 1980 and has previously covered the Afghan war.

This time Terry, of Essendon, Herts, joined 40 Commando Royal Marines on HMS Ocean and followed their attack on Al Faw in Southern Iraq. Here is his amazing report and pictures.

IRAQI troops shot their own commanders with Kalashnikov rifles — so they could surrender.

I overheard a Marine reporting to an officer what the captives had admitted to him. And I don’t blame them for it.

Not when you have just witnessed the awesome sight of 40 Commando Royal Marines capturing a key oil refinery — and seen doomed Iraqi fighters crumble at their gunposts.

Faced with the astonishing firepower and determination of these elite Marines, even hardened soldiers would crack.

As for this poorly-equipped Iraqi force, it takes just two hours for Our Boys to blast a devastating hole through their shattered morale.

Scores of demoralised men with fear in their eyes and white flags waving above their heads capitulate under a barrage of bullets at the Al Faw refinery.

They look a beaten, bloodied and bedraggled bunch. Some have suffered life-threatening wounds in the two-hour firefight with the Marines.

The injured are patched up by the British troops, while all prisoners are searched for concealed weapons.

Surrender ... captive waves white flag

THE GENEVA CONVENTION

A captive waves a white flag with his face obscured in accordance with advice from the MoD. Under the Geneva Convention PoWs must be shielded from public curiosity.

Those fit enough are ordered to put their hands on their heads. Others are commanded to lie spread-eagled in the dust as they are checked over.

The Iraqis desperately try to give their captors money but, of course, none take it.

They keep repeating: “It’s your money, it’s your money.” The Marines’ superior skill, will and firepower has simply overwhelmed the Iraqis.

I am lucky enough to be the first photographer into enemy territory and it is a genuine privilege to work with this highly-trained elite troop.

I had a place on an assault helicopter as we took the 45-minute midnight flight to swoop on Al Faw from our Camp Viking desert base on the Kuwaiti/Iraq border.

It was delayed due to bad weather and because the landing site was not quite as it first appeared from the satellite photos.

The objective was simple — to secure the oilfield so Iraqis could not blow it up.

Hold it there ... Marine searches Iraqi prisoner

There was a tangible sense of fear among the men that the Iraqis would deliberately unleash an ecological disaster.
Our assault helicopters landed inside the giant oil installation in pitch dark.

The Marines hit the ground running, forming a perfect arc and setting off light sticks to guide a path through the blackness.

That allowed me to make a 200-metre dash to a building pinpointed as a safe haven from which to watch the action unfold.

I took pictures of the landing using hi-tech infrared night vision equipment.

When the firefight broke out I was kept at a safe distance — but still felt the hairs on the back of my neck bristle.

The sound of crackling gunfire filled the air for two hours as the enemy faced the full awesome force of belt-fed GP machine guns and SA80 assault rifles.

Even after the refinery had been secured and I could join the Commandos, there was still mortar fire trained on us.

Still a threat ... Our Boys check for hidden weapons

It was taken out shortly afterwards, but there were dangerous skirmishes well after the main firefight was won.

My heart was in my mouth because I knew we were inside enemy territory. I just kept my head down and concentrated on the job in hand — the only way in a combat situation.

I saw how the Commandos handled the prisoners and can report their treatment was exceptionally good.

Before the Al Faw operation I had spent a week with the Marines on HMS Ocean.

We were going to be lifted off the ship by helicopter but there was a change of plan.

Instead, we landed on a stretch of coastline known as Green Beach — and we were completely unopposed.
We were then transported by lorries for half an hour into a secret desert location called Camp Viking.

We were told we were within striking distance of the Iraqi border.

Help at hand ... medic treats a prisoner's wounds

Living conditions were basic. For three days we survived on minimal army rations and lived in tiny foxholes — just holes in the sand.

I was well looked after by Sergeant Major Greg Fenton. He is a great bloke and made sure I coped.

The foxholes had to be at least three feet deep to give protection from mortar fire.

On the second day a fierce sandstorm blew up out of nowhere. It was unbelievable — the sand gets in your mouth, up your nose, everywhere.

On the last day there we received about eight gas and Scud alerts.

I had to wear my protective chemical suit and was ordered to keep my gas mask within a metre’s reach at all times.

At times it felt like the Scud warnings were coming every five minutes. Luckily no missile landed near us.

At the end of the third day we were flown into Al Faw — and an experience that will never leave me.

Other pictures:

Awesome ... invasion
copters leave HMS Ocean

Spearhead ... a Royal
Marine moves into AlFaw

Mercy ... Marines medics
help an injured Iraqi

Surrender ... captured
Iraqis with hands bound

[GirlShortstop]

I am lucky enough to be the first photographer into enemy territory and it is a genuine privilege to work with this highly-trained elite troop.

WOW, what a refreshing report of GREAT NEWS!!    
V for Victory bttt

[Husker24]

That reporter in the first pic looks a little fruity, maybe its that blue thing around his neck.

[Macaw]

[mylife]

Its your money..Its your money!!....the question here is whether that is arabic for You are my master, arabic for we dont want no stinking money.
These folks are hard to figure.

Nice post

[Husker24]

What is that hes drinking, is that pic real?

[Macaw]

No here's the original: http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030321/capt.1048244284.topix_iraq_us_war_xits101.jpg

[mylife]

photo shopped...it was water

[freebilly]

The Iraqis desperately try to give their captors money but, of course, none take it.

They keep repeating: “It’s your money, it’s your money.” The Marines’ superior skill, will and firepower has simply overwhelmed the Iraqis.

WTF...?

[Husker24]

Maybe Saddam thought that he could bribe our soldiers into not fighting, thats all I could come up with.

[Cultural Jihad]

The Iraqis desperately try to give their captors money but, of course, none take it.

I can only surmise that they were grateful to be alive and cared for, to have their wounds healed, their thirst quenched, their hunger fed, and their bodies clothed. Generally, the Arabic people are famous for their hospitality. Now that Saddam is leaving, perhaps that trait will flourish again.

[CFC__VRWC]

photo shopped...it was water

That's a relief - forcing a POW to drink Olde English 800 has got to be against the rules of the Geneva Convention.

[Joe 6-pack]

When did the RM's abandon the tradition of blackening their web gear with boot polish? Surely, ex-post Falklands, no?

[Cultural Jihad]

Not sure what you mean by 'web gear' but if by 'boot polish' you mean black, then look at all the other country's uniforms, which are generally in tans and other sandy colors.

[Husker24]

"Old Eglish 800"........so thats what that says, a bullet would be faster.

[freebilly]

Generally, the Arabic people are famous for their hospitality. Now that Saddam is leaving, perhaps that trait will flourish again

It's an old old country that has seen more than its share of war and suffering. Let's hope the future will be kinder to the Iraqi people than the recent past has been....

[FairOpinion]

I think they are offering money by way of thanks, and also think that for better treatment they need to give money. In Arab culture and totally apart fro that, in dictatorships, you have to give money to everyone to just get normal treatment.

In communist countries, as part of the "free medical care" the doctor wouldn't see you, unless a relative slipped him some money first, in hospitals they wouldn't feed you and change your sheet, unless you slipped money to those who work there. I imagine it was pretty much the same or worse in Iraq, so the Iraqis just naturally assume that they have to give money.

I heard the word "bakshish", I don't know whether that is an Arab word or not, but it is supposed to mean "bribe, reward", usually a small sum, for the purposes described above, to get something arranged, or get a little better treatment.

I am sure those Iraqis are pleasantly surprised that they don't need to give money to be treated decently.

[doug from upland]

Someone needs to cut a record like "The Twist" and invent a dance with a surrender flag. Perhaps call it the "French Twist." Come on baby, let's all French Twist....come on baby, just like this....

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

[IRAQI troops shot their own commanders with Kalashnikov rifles — so they could surrender.]

Guess it's not a good time to be an Iraqi commander.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

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