Afghanistan CO's Update 1

Now that we have been in Afghanistan for a week or so, I thought that I'd provide a brief update.

The deployment of the Main Body of Battalion Headquarters and B Company Group (B Company with a large FSp element attached) went according to plan, even though the RAF required us to fly to the UK to deploy rather than direct from Cyprus. We are based at Kandahar Airfield, Kandahar Province, and are currently undertaking in-theatre training, which is going well. We have recently conducted some extremely realistic live firing in Camp Bastian in Helmond Province, run by Capt Don Butts and his team, where there were effectively only a hand-full of safety staff for up to platoon level live fire attacks. There were certainly no 'dayglo bibs' in sight! Safety is now down to each man keeping situational awareness and knowing when people are moving around him and so judging when it is safe for him to fire.

The temperature has hit 42 degress Centigrade, so physical activity whilst wearing combat body armour and carrying war scales of ammunition, radios and 3 or more litres of water drains everybody very quickly. However, Cyprus has acclimatised us to a reasonable extent, so we have been able to train hard from the outset. Maintaining, if not actually improving, everybodys' fitness is a priority. Operationally, we will be working directly to GOC Regional Command (South) (RC(S)) as his Regional Manoeuvre Unit (RMU), tasked with 'strike ops' across the 6 southern provinces to take the fight to the Taliban rather than waiting for them to come to us. We await our first deployment, but all-ranks are highly motivated and training hard in preparation for future deployments. We are not under-estimating the risks, however, we are as well prepared as can be.

D Company Group deploys later this month to Basra in Iraq with 1 (Mech) Brigade. Co-incidently, 2 R WELSH (RRW) will also be deploying on this tour. D Company will be based at the COB (what was Basra Airport).

Both deployments are for up to 6 months, however, should there be a requirement to reduce numbers in either theatre, we are likely to be the first out so that we can extract and return to Cyprus to reconfigure into our Theatre Reserve Battalion (TRB) role, which we are to fill until April 2008, so these two initial deployments are unlikely to be the last.

A Company Group are currently undergoing pre-operational deployment training in the UK and they assume the role as the TRB Company at high readiness for deployments to both theatres later this month. At the mid-point of the Afghanistan tour, I intend to roulement A Company (if they are not already deployed to one or other theatre at that point) with B Company, which will return to Cyprus and assume the role of the TRB Company. They will, in due course relieve D Company in Iraq. That's the current plan anyway, but much can change over the forthcoming months.

The Rear Party on Cyprus is being commanded by OC Rear Party, Capt Adrian Kent, ably assisted by the Adjutant, Capt James Harris and the Welfare Officer, Capt Kim Taylor. All remains well on Cyprus, although there is obvious trepidation amongst the families due to the deployments.

Thats all for now. I hope to be able to keep you posted, within the bounds of Operational Security, during our TRB year.

Regards,

Huw James

DRH JAMES
Lt Col
CO 1 R WELSH (RWF)

Colonel,

Thank you for providing this briefing and thanks for keeping us in the loop on these types of matters. It is very informative and exactly what we were looking for.

We all think that our troops are doing a brilliant job ... Good luck to ALL our lads (and lassies) serving out there. Well done to each and every one of you - you're simply the best!

Hear! Hear!
Anita x

I absolutely agree with Bob and thanks again for a great update colonel. Keep safe.
Dilwyn (Thom15)

It was good to read such a comprehensive update from CO 1RW.
We know the lads will equit themselves well out there. All members of the Aberystwyth Branch RWFCA wish them well and pray for their safe return home.

Hingey

Just a quick reply on what the CO has said, the boys from B Coy and FSG are working very hard at the moment and are looking forward to the tasks ahead of them. Morale is good at the moment and long may it continue.

ive volnteered to go to 1st bn for 6 months so i will be doing chillwell on 18th july... should be out there a month or so after. looking forward to serving with a such a fine bn.

In what ever part of the world you are deployed, our thoughts are with you