By Ralph Barnett

THE MEN of 45 Commando, who are based at RM Condor near Arbroath, have just completed their final mission rehearsal exercise as they prepare to take a leading role in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force operations in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

The Royal Marines, along with many of the 8000 other soldiers, seamen and airmen and woman who make up the UK task force which will be sent to the country later this year, have been using parts of the MoD’s vast Sennybridge training area near Brecon in south Wales to replicate the plains and mountains of Afghanistan, and The Courier was invited along to see the troops prepare for deployment.

Once in Afghanistan, the Marines, under their CO Lieutenant Colonel Jim Morris, will be making a significant contribution to the multinational force seeking to neutralise the influence of Taliban-backed insurgents and bring some stability to the troubled land.

Recent intensive training exercises in Norway, on Salisbury Plain, in south west Scotland and elsewhere have allowed the Commandos to hone their skills to the high levels expected of one of the world’s elite fighting forces and each and every one of them is now impatient to start their latest operational tour of duty— once they have enjoyed a well-earned period of pre-deployment leave.

Lt Col Morris said, “What we have basically done in our part of the Sennybridge training area is try to replicate the locations and situations we will encounter when we are deployed to the Sangin region of Helmand province.

“What that means is that we have established a headquarters area and a number of remote forward operating bases—FOBs —where our companies will be based during our forthcoming six-month deployment.

“As far as possible, given some of the obvious limitations imposed by the terrain, these duplicate FOBs have been operating just as if they were on the ground in Afghanistan, with realistic day-to-day activities and scenarios.

“Troops from other units have been in the areas, acting in the roles of Afghan National Army soldiers and local police officers as well as friendly civilians and, of course, hostile Taliban forces.”

As will be the case once the Royal Marines are in theatre in Afghanistan, resupply of and communication with the isolated FOBs was an essential element of the mission rehearsal and this was being practised until it became second nature.

Lt Col Morris said, “The aim was to make all of this—the patrolling, the interaction with local civilians and enemy forces and the unfortunate reality of casualties—as realistic as possible to ensure that we can get on with doing our job as soon as we arrive.

“Unlike 45 Commando’s last deployment in Afghanistan, when the unit was mainly split up into small groups as part of the ISAF operational mentoring and liaison work with the Afghan National Army—this time we will be going out as a cohesive and recognisable 45 Commando Group, as part of 3 Commando Brigade.’

Out at what had been designated as FOB Inkerman—in reality, a patch of hillside dotted with conifers, sheep and a few semi-derelict farm buildings and linked to HQ by either a bumpy Land Rover track or a quick trip in an RAF Sea King—45 Commando Y Coy’s second in command was in no doubt about the value of the exercise.

Captain Ralph Cottrell, originally from Bournemouth, said, “The idea is to get the guys used to the FOB life they will experience in Afghanistan, within the constraints of the ground and the conditions.

“Although some of the marines have been out there before, we have quite a quick turnaround in personnel so for those who have completed their training in the past year or two this will be their first time in Afghanistan and, indeed, their first operational tour.

“In my company there’s maybe only a handful of the more senior guys who have been out there before and while their experience is useful in the sense that they can tell the newer lads what to expect, the situation and our role has changed since our last tour there.

“The mission rehearsal for us is mainly about getting used to the daily pattern of FOB life and what we call the management of expectations—life out there will become fairly routine and it is important that the guys are ready to live and work within a relatively small, secure and self-contained perimeter when they are not out engaged on patrols or other activities.

“Anything that can make that life more homely or comfortable —whether that be magazines and board games, DVDs and music, if we have access to power, warm solar showers, packages of luxuries from back home and so on—is to be welcomed and the lads have to get used to that as one less unknown they will have to face.

“Speaking personally, it’s actually quite nice to get away and experience a very basic and simple kind of life away from mobile phones and the like, although there will hopefully be some limited access to satellite phones and Email to keep in touch with friends and family.”

For Y Coy’s Marine Rory Ottway (23), originally from the Isle of Mull but now living in Glasgow when on leave, the deployment cannot come quickly enough.

He said, “I’ve been two years with 45 but when I finished my training I asked for either 40 or 42 as they were supposed to be going out to Afghanistan first.

“In hindsight, I’m quite glad I got 45 and I only just missed out on going to Afghanistan last time. I did get out to southern Iraq, where we did some convoys with the Americans and helped train up Iraqi marines, but I really want to get out to Afghanistan.

“Like everyone else, I’m aware of the risks but I’m not worried as I’m not the kind of person that thinks about that sort of thing.”

Also just 23, Marine Jamie Jobson of Y Coy is also eager to embark on his first operational tour, saying, “I can’t wait. I really just want to get out there and put all my training into practice, as well as trying to make a difference for the Afghan people.

“Getting used to FOB life is important and it has been useful speaking to guys that have been out there before and finding out little tips about how to make the trip—and the rations—more bearable.”

Out at FOB Kajaki—in the Welsh simulation and in reality the most remote from HQ— Major Nigel Sommerville said, “We are literally at the end of the road and our role is to patrol our sector, liaise with local civilians and friendly forces and identify and, where appropriate, deal with hostiles.

“Our location means that resupply is essential and we are also responsible for providing security and cover for the slow-moving road convoy—anything up to 60 vehicles strong and stretching out over more than two kilometres—which will have travelled from Camp Bastion to take items that are too heavy or bulky for helicopter transport to the outlying bases.

“A convoy like that can’t be hidden—especially in the often dry and dusty landscape of Afghanistan—so it is a prime target for improvised explosive devices at the roadside.

“The convoy has its own protection but its route also has to be checked ahead and it will always have top cover from helicopters and, as it nears a FOB, men patrolling out on the ground.”

Commanding one such patrol was Sergeant Robbie Robson (34), from Wallsend, who, despite his 17 years as a Royal Marine, is facing his first operational deployment.

He said, “I went down the road of assault engineer and ended up spending a lot of time learning about improvised explosive devices and teaching at the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone.

“IEDs are really the biggest threat to convoys, patrol vehicles and troops on the ground and I should hope my knowledge and experience of how these things are made and where they can be hidden will be useful once we are out in Afghanistan.

“They are often concealed in underground wadis next to roads but, as these are also the places where the innocent local farmers store their produce, we can’t simply go in and tear them all up.

“What we have to do is get out and speak to the villagers, get them on our side and let them know we are there to help them if they will help us identify any Taliban elements in the area.”

Also out at FOB Kajaki was Marine Keiran Wood (27), originally from Taunton, whose deployment to Afghanistan will be his second to the country —and his second time with 45 Commando.

He said, “I completed my training in July, 2002, when Afghanistan was kicking off the first time and the whole troop I trained with was posted to 45 Commando and sent out almost immediately.

“It was a lot quieter then than it will be this time, I’m sure, and although we did some serious yomping around the Kabul area, we didn’t see any real action.

“By the time Afghanistan kicked off again, I had left the Marines for personal reasons and was giving Civvy Street a try, working offshore as a wireline operator, but I realised I wanted to be part of the Corps again.

“To my wife Danielle’s disapproval, I signed up again and after a short period of retraining and familiarisation with things like the new radio system, I was back at 45 again and getting stuck in.

“With the usual turnaround in personnel I was as much a new face as must of the rest of the company and, with Danielle’s full support now as she realises this is what I really want to do, I’m looking forward to getting out to Afghanistan again.

“Just thinking about it gets the adrenalin pumping and it’s what I joined the Royal Marines to do. I can’t wait.”