Probably I remember when we got issued it in the Kuwait desert and we all looked at each other and said, 'Are they taking the p**s?' We had to put it together with leathermans then glue and velcro it to the vehicle. Some threw it in burn pits, others bungee'd it to their wagon and others gave it to the first begging Iraqi they came across when we went over the border
I wonder if Plant-Pilot and his mob made that one? That was the Cullingworth Bridge built by 29 Armd Engr Sqn supported by 23 Amph Engr Sqn. It was built after the many sections of Bailey Pontoon Bridge were collected by our boats from up and down the Shatt. Would you believe that the locals had stolen them as soon as the Iraqi army had left? We used our kit to ferry the plant and building materials up and down the Shatt from the Naval Academy to the site of the bridge. Much safer than by road through the town. The bridge was named after SSgt Cullingworth of 33 Engr Regt (EOD) who, together with Spr Allsopp, was captured, executed by the Iraqis and burried in a shallow grave. Another bridge we were involved with near Ar Rumayla was named after Spr Allsopp
Correct. each side had a different coating for day and night use. How it worked I don't know The Thermal Identification Panel (TIP) reflected the thermal signature so that it would show a square patch when viewed through a Thermal imaging sight. Added to that the IR beacon, which could be seen through IR sights and NVGs and the orange pannel for identification by aircraft in daylight and you really should have all your options covered. Well you would if you had the whole kit issued to each vehicle. We had a TIP, a beacon OR an orange panel per vehicle. No too comforting when you are driving round in a convoy of what look scarily like SCUD launchers.
Drew & PP, was the fear of being taken out by 'friendly' aircraft a real worry or did you put it to the back of your mind?
When did the bridge go up? I thought it had been there for years .....Sorry The bridge had been there before the war but had been dismantled. Some parts had been sunk and others had been stolen by the locals and were found used as piers, docks and landing bays up and down the river. These and other sections were recovered (in some cases 'stolen' back), repaired and re-assembled. A 33m long sunken section was removed from one bank with the help of a civilian 150 tonne crane, that we also ferried across the Shatt, before the referbed bridge sections were floated the 2 Km to the construction site by Combat Support Boats. To stop it being stolen again, all clamps, bolts and pins were welded in place. The task was started on April 21 and the bridge was officially opened by Comd 7 Armd Bde and a fanfare from the Corps of Drums of 1 RRF BG, attended by local officials on May 2. Enough info for you?
Drew & PP, was the fear of being taken out by 'friendly' aircraft a real worry or did you put it to the back of your mind? With our kit it was always a worry as while on the move we couldn't have an 'air sentry'. At one point we were told that we had a couple of A10s lined up on us, reporting that they wished to engage a convoy of rocket launchers. Luckily someone worked out quick enough that we were just about to drive into an allied base and called them off. Of course we were only told this after we had parked up. There have been incidents since, the Canadians in Afghanistan for example, where US pilots were told not to engage and they did so anyway, so we were pretty fortunate as I suppose we did look like a really 'choice' target.
It never really crossed my mind to be honest. I think I was just to busy rushing from one Sigs Det to another. I never really saw any aircraft (Flying to high and at night) when I was in Iraq all though I heard them and the explosions from Kuwait on the night it all started. I did see a fair few USMC Cobras and AAC Lynx Helicopters taking the fight further into Iraq kitted up for anti tank ops during the day. I remember around late April when I was visiting a Rebro in my troop two Sea Harriers came in flying very low and fast over Basrah Airport run way, break left and right at the end and release flares. Something like 'Flash B*****ds' was muttered We were all impressed though
Rebro is Rebroadcasting Detachment see pics 6 for a hard skin rebro and 9 for a soft skin rebro They were attached to Battlegroups like the Black Watch and boosted the comms from their Battalion HQ back to Bde HQ see pic 19
My Brother-in-law ended up at Basra airport in '03, he was RLC attatched to an RE unit that I have now forgotten. So nice to see those pics .
Cheers Tom, People do ask if I did anything else apart from take pictures but they weren't all taken by me- They are all taken by 207 Sig Sqn members.
Troop Commander doing a War Diary Entry (Thought that might be of interest on here) I wonder if in a few years time someone will be quoting from that on a Gulf War Forum? I wonder how it's kept nowadays? Emailed back to UK? Stored on a disc in the MoD Archives? Anyone know?
Owen, As far as I'm aware the diary's when written (I did a few entry's) were written on a pre loaded data base and saved to the hard drive. Every Troop in my Sqn had a laptop and entries were made on a daily basis when possible or a few days later from notes and maps if we were having a 'busy' period. After that I don't know what happened to the info but would expect it was downloaded in Iraq to a main Sqn PC or back in Germany. Its quite funny because only know reading and researching on here do I appreciate the significance of a job no one really liked or could be bothered doing. I do remember my Troop Commander saying to me this will all be in the public domain in 50 odd years time. I'm assuming its protected under the official secrets act until deemed no longer sensitive.
Absolutley awesome pictures, 110% respect to every man and woman of the British armed forces in Iraq and Ahfghanistan, i am sick and tired of listening to peoples and politicians views on deployment of British Forces in "far away" countries, Regardless of what your views are on the 'situation' those people have the guts to go out there and try and make a difference, the British public should be and are 'are' generally behind our troops. I wish you all the best for the Christmas of 2008 and New Year i for one am extremely proud of the efforts being made by our troops.....Well done.
Andy, some of your great pic's, remind me of Aden in the 1960's , especially the camels, what a smell!!! Ken.
cheers Ken, For weeks I was dying to see some real life Camels before I came home and all I had seen was two dead ones that were tied up and dumped on a bridge going from Basrah to Basrah Airport. Everyday they decomposed more in the heat and the ferral dogs had their fair share too. Everytime we drove buy you could smell them from further and further away. Then one day on the way to Um Qasr we saw a herd and I nearly crashed the Rover in my haste to stop and get some pictures
Andy I think we used to call those ferral dogs " pieards" for some reason, I know you couldn't go anywhere without them being around, and the goats eating everything in sight. Ken.
