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3 Company Sit Rep as at 11th Oct 07
(Archive)
3 COMPANY REPORT FROM PATROL BASE KEENAN
MESSAGE FROM THE COMPANY COMMANDER
Since my last article the Company has encountered both quiet and
busy periods. After the initial consolidation around our new
home, Patrol Base Keenan, we decided it was time to push out
from the immediate vicinity of the patrol base and push north
into the outer regions of our area and see what we could do to
improve the standard of living in that area. The reaction to us
has been mixed, some extremely pleased to see us and understand
why we are here and what we are trying to achieve, others are
perhaps less hospitable and require a little Coldstream charm to
win them round. Nothing that the likes of Guardsmen Anderson,
Teasdale and Caffery (Welsh Guards) will find too daunting....
So what else have we been up to? The Danish Commanding Officer
(we are working within a multi-national battlegroup consisting
of Danes, Estonians and Americans) visited over the past few
days with the news that 3 Company will remain in Patrol Base
Keenan for the entire tour. Great news, as this will give us the
best chance of achieving something which will have a real effect
on the lives of the locals and as well allow us to make our new
home as comfortable as possible. It also means we will have
plenty of time to get used to the ration packs and the mice,
which seem to have taken a liking to our accommodation areas...!
One thing which will also be easier, we will not have to pack
our comfort boxes to return home...they are still packed in
Bastion where they will remain!
In doing our job one of the tasks we have to do is dominate the
ground so the Taliban do not have freedom of movement to
intimidate the locals and launch attacks against us. It is a job
which requires great skill and serious robustness as the men
carry a substantial amount of weight and the ground is extremely
complex. All 3 platoons and company headquarters have been out
and now have a good idea on what is required. Some of the
platoons have experienced more challenging times than others to
date. Guardsmen Zawiasa, Dunn and Whybrow all sustained injuries
whilst on patrol. All are now well with both Zawisa and Whybrow
recovering back in Birmingham and Dunn recovering back in
Bastion, due to return to the Company within a week.
This period also saw the Company commemorate Remembrance Sunday.
The Company was fortunate to have both the Danish Commanding
Officer and the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards Regimental
Sergeant Major present. Guardsman Blacklock did an excellent job
of playing the Last Post and Reveille despite his cracked lips
and it being at least year since he played the bugle. In
addition to this we held our first Shura (meeting with the
locals) to identify what we need to do to improve the lives of
the locals. It also gave some of the braver ones amongst us a
chance to sample the local cuisine...! For more details see the
article below from LSgt Hutchings.
As I did in the last article, if I could just re-iterate the
effect post has on the morale of the men. Please note that all
post needs to be sent by 21st November to guarantee arrival here
in Afghanistan by Christmas. All presents will be gratefully
received!
SHURA: FRIDAY 9TH NOVEMBER 2007.
The Afghan people hold formal meetings or Chinese parliaments
regularly to discuss matters of importance to the village. These
are called Shura's and are attended by all the important members
of a community. We decided that the best method of communicating
with the people in our local area would be to organise a Shura
ourselves. The preparation started a week prior to the event, I
initially had to identify and then persuade a local elder to
fulfil the role of chef for the event. This was the beginning of
several meetings I held with him where we discussed how he was
to get to the local town of Gereshk, purchase the ingredients
(or catch them..!) and finally cook for us.
I then had to find 'messengers' to go out into the desert and
local area to invite the local elders and leaders to the Shura.
This involved filling the 'messenger's' motorbike with petrol
(as some form of payment for their services) and issuing them
with hand written invitations.
At the first meeting with the 'local chef' I had the pleasure
first hand of trying some of his culinary delights and after
what seemed a long debate, I crossed his palm with a 'few' US
Dollars and our agreement was set.
The night before the Shura the 'local chef' wanted to occupy the
empty compound opposite Patrol Base Keenan (PBK) but he was
concerned that Taleban spies were everywhere and he wanted to
come just after last light. After talking to the Company
Commander it was agreed that on leaving his compound after dark
the 'local chef' would wear a blue cylume around his neck for
recognition.
The majority of locals do not understand the dangers of moving
around near the sangars after dark and this was highlighted just
after last light when Mr Lennox (the Psychological Operations
Officer attached to 3 Coy), CSgt Allen and I were summoned to
the front gate pistols drawn. We were greeted by what appeared
to be a blue glowing 'Santa Claus' but upon close inspection
turned out to be our chef complaining that he did not have
enough water. After this comedy moment had finished we told him
he was clear to move on.
A short time later we were again summoned to the front gate and
after extreme pairs fire manoeuvre we met the 'blue glowing
Santa' (I tried to clear my mind of the thought that if we had
shot him I would be going home to tell my daughter of how,
whilst in Afghanistan I had shot Santa). Our chef asked for a
kettle as he had nothing to make tea with, so we quickly gave
him one and sent him on his way again explaining about the
dangers of moving at night, with this he turned away and my
little blue Santa disappeared into the darkness.
The day of the Shura arrived and we were met with several minor
problems that included the chef not having any plates, bowls or
even glasses! We collected the food and it seemed to me as
though we were collecting a huge take away. The food was in
three huge dishes and two small buckets that looked as though
they could contain rice, potatoes, fruit and meat (of some
sort).
The waiting now began as did the thinking up of excuses for the
Company Commander in case no one turned up. Slowly the local
elders and leaders began to arrive and once searched and their
photos and details taken were introduced to the welcoming party
which included; the Company Commander (now known as Major 'Tom'
– to ground control....), CSM (CSM Spence). With them was Mr
Lennox, Mr Watkins, CSgt Allen and myself with Capt Hepburn RA
acting as the collator.
We sat down to local tea and sweets in the tent that the CSM had
created from some thermal sheeting and a few rugs and began our
Shura. Major Charles gave an short address telling the locals
that we were here in support of the Government of Afghanistan,
we were determined to defeat the Taliban and committed to
improving the lives of those who live in our area. We listened
to what the elders and other individuals had to say and
investigated courses of action for the future.
After what seemed a long time, and many a local spitting on the
floor, we broke for lunch. LCpl Mitchell kindly served the food,
which for the ‘important’ members was served on a small metal
plate. The lesser members used a small cardboard box wrapped in
a bin bag! This was then followed up by bottles of 'Pebsi' (the
afghan equivalent of Pepsi). It should be noted that only the
following members from the company bottled out and did not
partake in this fine meal (mind you Mr Watkins regretted eating
so much....), Capt Hepburn RA, CSM Wright and CSgt Allen.
Despite the food, we achieved a lot on our first large scale
interaction with the leaders from the village and hope to hold
another Shura next month to continue the ever improving
relationship.
3 COMPANY REPORT FROM PATROL BASE
KEENAN
MESSAGE FROM THE COMPANY SERGEANT MAJOR
13th NOVEMBER 2007
We’ve been here for a Month now and the men have settled well
into the rhythm of life with patrols and guard being the main
rotation, followed by a spate of R+R at the platoon house down
the road.
Most men find sometime for a spot of sun bathing or writing a
letter home between the various jobs that need to be completed,
they are all accomplished cooks with a huge degree of
imagination being shown ammo tins have become deepfat fryer’s or
ovens with chips and bread all being made!!
Currently the weather is still in our favour with the day time
temperature at 25/27 Degree’s dropping to about 10 Degree’s at
night, this still makes patrolling quite warm but more bearable.
To date we have had a couple of fleeting engagements with “Terry
Taliban” they have come off alot worse than us, although im sure
by now the jungle drums have been beating and most of you will
be aware that we have taken three casualties. Thankfully these
men only recived minor injuries and in the fullness of time
should all make full recoveries, it’s worth mentioning at this
point that these members of the Company were all a huge credit
to the Coldstream Guards and themselves with the bravery shown,
and our thoughts are with them.
Your Husbands, Sons and Partners are all living in very basic
conditions which im sure they have all told you before with the
mouse trap being the weapon of choice within the Patrol Base
Lance Sergeant Fitzgerald having caught about 12 mice to date!!.
The boys have bought a number of chickens with the intention of
cooking them for Christmas lunch however if you were able to see
the sate of these chickens you would cetinatly feel sorry for
the chickens, with the chances of them being fat enough to eat
for Christmas being very “Slim” forgive the pun.
Remembrance Sunday was a lot more poignant his year for the
Company members conducting our own small service here in the
Patrol Base with the Regimental Sergeant Major fortunately being
able to join us.
Beards are very much in fashion here due to the lack of clean
water to shave in, so the men are generally loving the lack of
shaving however some of the more baby faced members of the
Company getting some stick about their lack of facial hair.
Everybody here has a constant battle with the dust which is like
talcum powder and gets every where so nobody or anything stays
clean long, we all long for a flight to come into PB Keenan but
at the same time dread the duststorm that comes with it.
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