RACMP in SOMALIA
An exact retype of original Post Operations Reports held by RACMP
Museum. Researched by Antony Buckingham, MP History Website.
Introduction
In December 1992
a decision was made by the government to send a Battalion Group to Somalia to
assist the equitable distribution of food and to restore a semblance of law and
order.
The overall
commitment of MPs to the operation was unfortunately only six, as 3 Brigade
decided that the operation did not require specialist MPs and therefore did not
take the ten man section that would usually accompany the RDF Battalion Group.
They justified this decision stating that thier Regimental Police could do the
same job. The six MPs were taken to provide security for HQ Australian Forces
Somalia (HQ AFS), which was based at Mogadishu. There tasks were many and
varied as they had to contend with long and arduous hours.
Background
Prior to 1960
Somalia was ruled by Italy in the South and Great Britain in the North. After
independence was granted in 1960 nine years of unstable Government followed.
The situation grew steadily worse and capitulated in October of 1969 when a
military coup put the commander of the Army in power.
From that time
corruption reigned supreme within the coastal African country which is
dominated by intense rivalry between large family oriented clans.
In 1991 the
fighting between these clans plunged the country into chaos with all government
support being shut down. Around this time large numbers of foreign diplomats
fled and the country adopted an anarchist approach to society.
There were many
innocent people caught up in the fighting and to exacerbate the problem of
severe drought had caused a significant decrease in the country's food
production and people were dying of starvation by the thousands.
The situation
attracted world wide media attention and despite the presence of the UN and
many aid organisations the food was not getting to the people who needed it
most. Instead it was being intercepted by the war lords who ruled the streets
with their weapons and used as a form of currency.
In early December
1992 the US congress approved a large scale deployment of forces to Somalia to
assist with famine relief and to provide security. This operation was aptly
named "Restore Hope".
Shortly after
Australia, as well as many other UN member nations, decided to commit troops
for the same reason. The operation was unique as it was not controlled by the
UN as the USA took control and endeavoured to stabilise the situation so the UN
could eventually take charge and restore stable government.
Preparation/Pre-Deployment
About 12 December
1992 Cabinet approved the commitment of a Battalion sized group to assist in
the Humanitarian Relief effort in Southern Somalia. The term of commitment was
17 weeks and the advance party was to leave Australia in early January 1993.
The Battalion
Group was based on 1 RAR, with further elements drawn from the Townsville based
3 Brigade. These elements were from 3/4 Cavalry Regiment, 9 Transport Regiment,
2 Field Supply Battalion, 139 Signal Squadron and 102 Field Workshops. The
Battalion Group's Humanitarian Relief Sector (HRS) was to be stationed at
Baidoa, popularly called the City of Death.
The Battalion
Group was to be commanded by a HQ element from HQ 1st Division, which was based
in Mogadishu. This HQ was raised on 15 December 1992 and was officially titled
HQ Australian Force, Somalia (HQ AFS). It was commanded by Colonel Bill Mellor
and the HQ was staffed mainly from HQ 1 Div, Enoggera. Part of this HQ was
manned by members of the 1st Military Police Company.
The Company was
tasked with supplying 1 x SGT and 5 x CPLs to the HQ for the purpose of
providing security to the Commander and also provide a measure of security to
the HQ.
The timing of the
announcement of the deployment meant that a large proportion of the Company had
proceeded on stand-down for the Christmas period, however, a short list of
names was quickly assembled and after making numerous phone calls the
detachment was tentatively finalised. This process took longer than expected as
the Company decided to take only volunteers. Some of the first members of the
Company who were offered the opportunity to deploy on operational service,
surprisingly declined. The detachment was to be commanded by SGT P.J. Watson.
SGT Watson had been posted into the unit about four months previously and had
seen service with the New Zealand Army. The five CPL positions were finally established
and the following members were warned out:
a. CPL T.D. Warke, 2IC,
b. CPL L. Leppens,
c. CPL D.J. Cripps
d. CPL D.T. Rayner and
e. CPL L. Zornig.
Numerous
discussions were then held over the composition of the Military Police
Detachment. A direction from the Commander of 1 Div, Major General P. Arnison,
finally settled the issue, and CPL Zornig was cut from the Det and his place
was taken by a female member CPL J.M. Baranowski. The reasoning behind this was
that the Det may be called upon to deal with other females that were deploying.
It is believed that CPL Baronowski would be one of the first, if not the first
female of RACMP to deploy on Active Service.
The six members
were effectively posted from 1 MP Company to HQ AFS on 15 December 1992. A flurry
of activities then took place, dental and medical inspections as well as
several meetings with sharp needles.
The deployment
was to be split into four phases. First a recon party consisting of six key
personnel was to leave on 19 December 1992. This party consisted of:
a. Colonel Bill Mellor, Commander
Australia Force Somalia (CAFS),
b. Lt Col Woolnough, Chief of Staff,
c. MAJ Peterson, SO2 Int/Ops,
d. MAJ Powrie, SO2 Pers/Med,
e. CAPT Catchlove, PR,
f. Lt Powell, RANLO
The vast majority
of work in the period prior to departure was of course the stores requirements
for both the detachment's specific needs, as well as stores required to operate
the HQ. They were restricted to personal luggage of 1 x combat pack, webbing and
1 x echelon bag.
The MP Det was
left to conduct its own preparation and training prior to departing for
Townsville. A zeroing practice was conducted for personal weapons, as well as a
magnitude of pre-embarkation administration. Each member of the MP Det was
issued with an F88C Aus-Steyr, a 9mm Browning pistol and then the decision had
to be reached on taking the new Minimi machine gun or the MAG 58. The MAG 58
won out mainly because of the ability of the weapon to be used in strong point
protection.
Christmas and New
Year passed quickly for the Detachment and finally all the stores were
assembled at Amberley where they had been palletised for transportation to
Townsville.
The Advance Party
assembled and on the 4 January 1993 they departed Enoggera for Amberley.
Families had a tearful farewell and at 0730 hrs, the bus departed. At Amberley,
they boarded a C130 Hercules for the trip to Townsville. On their arrival they
were accommodated in the 1 RAR Lines and immediately sensed a tense atmosphere.
This atmosphere
continued right through the entire operation and steadily developed to the
stage where there was obvious animosity between the Battalion Group and HQ AFS.
Townsville
At Townsville a
series of briefings took place, as well as training in first aid and mine
detection. Final preparations of stores took place as the departure date of 10
January 1993 loomed. The Advance Party consisting of 54 members of both the
Battalion Group and the HQ AFS, as well as stores and vehicles were to be
loaded onto 3 RAAF C130 Hercules for the trip to Somalia.
The flight
itinerary was:
a. Townsville to Port Headland, WA 7 hrs,
b. Port Headland to Diego Garcia, 11 hrs,
and
c. Diego Garcia to Mogadishu 7.5 hrs.
The atmosphere in
Townsville was becoming intolerable as the air of anticipation associated with
the deployment was making the force edgy and tense. It was with a great deal of
relief that the day of departure finally arrived.
The morning of 10
Jan 93 was hot and oppressive. An early rise and lots of last minute packing and
telephone calls had people running in all directions. Buses arrived and rolls
called, they were at last on their way. 17 weeks seemed like an eternity to the
MP Det Comd at this stage. The departure from Townsville was very orchestrated,
with the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Gordon Bilney making a
speech about conditions of service. They were then all to learn that this trip
was to be a "media event" and that they were to fully co-operate with
the media, something that they were not fully prepared for, however, handled
with ease.
The MP Det was on
Chalk Two and it was with some relief that they finally boarded the aircraft
and left Townsville. The conditions on the flight were, at best, cramped. On
board were two landrovers C/W trailers, 1 x pallet of stores and 27 passengers.
The next few days were filled with droning engines and stiff legs and bodies.
Port Headland came and went. Diego Garcia was friendly and their last
opportunity to break free as Operation Solace was to be dry. Most tried to get
17 weeks of drinking into one night. The following morning saw a 0330 hr start.
One of the Infantry members was found to be missing, however he was located by
the local police. The plane then had a fuel leakage, more delays. En route to
Mogadishu the weapons were issued and magazines filled. This gave everyone on
board a sense of realism as expectations were high. They had no idea of what to
expect at the end of the next leg.
The flight into
Mogadishu was an operational stop. The MPs were tasked to drive the overloaded
vehicles off the plane. They went about preparing the gear and after a
surprisingly quick 6.5 hrs they approached the coastline. A few glimpses of the
terrain proved even more horrifying than first imagined. What a mess. It looked
like a lunar landscape, no vegetation, just dry and arid land.
Somalia or a
Mad Max Movie set
The landing was
bumpy but otherwise uneventful. They were so busy unloading that they didn,t
have time to notice the heat building up. On exiting the aircraft SGT Watson
saw a view that "belonged in a Mad Max movie". The airport was
totally shattered, not a building was habitable. There were MIG jets gutted and
looted. The noise of aircraft was unbelievable. 100s of aircraft were coming
and going. The dust and smells, the heat and the atmosphere were so totally
alien, it left a lasting impression, one which will never be forgotten.
Colonel Mellor
met the party and after the welcome was completed they were tasked to prepare
for the arrival of the main body. They loaded the stores onto the vehicles and
all climbed on board for the trip to the old American Embassy. The trip of
about seven km was to be the first of hundreds that they were to complete over
the next five months, and every one of them was exciting in some way or
another.
The next
four-five days saw a huge amount of activity of setting up our tented
accommodation in the Embassy compound. The arrival of the HMAS Tobruk and the
HMAS Jervis Bay and finally the arrival of the first of the Quantas Jumbos,
which contained the main body.
Operations
Situation
Operation Solace
was to provide Humanitarian Releif Support to the population of Somalia.
Mission
To provide
support and Military Police assistance to the Commander of Australian Forces
Somalia.
Execution/General
Outline
The initial MP
taskings eminated from CAFS, he would task the Det either directly or through
the RANLO who had the dual role of ADC to CAFS. The Det Comd had direct lines
of communications with CAFS both up and down. This made the initial setting up
and establishing of the MP Det so much easier. Only twice was it necessary for
the Det Commander to go directly to CAFS with any problems. Both occassions
were of an administrative nature and both received prompt and positive actions.
"Rockets" were despatched to the offending party with the
reverberations being felt for several days thereafter. Once this precedence had
been set there were very few other problems encountered.
Administration
Administration
was provided by a Chief Clerk who also doubled as the CSM, the Det had no
problems with either pers or Det admin.
Command
MP command was
directed from Log Branch, however, they encountered numerous problems with
other Sections believing they had the right to individually task the Det. The
stage was even reached where other HQ personnel tried to task individual
members of the Det. This occurred without the knowledge of the Det Commander
and meant that it was almost impossible to monitor the workload of the Det
members. This was soon rectified and once this occurred they were able to
establish a smooth running Section within the HQ organisation.
Routine
Sleep was
something which they were never able to achieve in large doses. In those first
days, in fact overall, they were lucky to get 6 hours sleep a day and that was
generally broken, with the MPs running a front desk security picquet. A routine
was established and soon it became obvious that they formed a vital part of the
HQ organisation.
Their initial
taskings were to provide Close Personal Protection to CAFS as well as other
members of HQAFS. They had at their disposal two Landrover GS which were in an
abysmal condition. Both vehicles required tender loving care to nurse them
through the operation. These vehicles were very lucky to make it back to
Australia. There were six members of HQAFS who very cheerfully would have taken
great pleasure in testing the effectiveness of a Mag 58 against the soft skin
of these two particular vehicles. Never again should MP deploy without their
own organic vehicles.
Personalities
A rapport was
quickly established between the senior members of HQAFS and the MP det and they
were all referred to by nicknames.
CPL Terry Warke
soon established for himself a nickname that no one else would ever be envious.
"Sooty" will long be remembered for the unique way he lit the chuffa.
As part of the morning routine they would empty rubbish and have a quick sweep
around the area. They also, by default, inherited the job of lighting the
dreaded chuffa. Some approached the job with caution and others were a little
more enthusiastic about the amount of fuel required to preheat the beast.
"Sooty" Warke was of the opinion that anything less than a litre of
fuel was wimpish and unmanly. One morning when all was blissfully quiet,
"Sooty" lit the chuffa. Up she went, the entire Embassy must have
stood- to, as they exited the tents expectant of a maelstrom of epic
proportions. All they saw was a lonely figure standing there with a smoking
wick in his hand and all his facial hair completely vanished.
Unluckily for
"Sooty", was the fact that the Official Photographer/Artist, Mr
George Gittoes, was asleep in the next tent to the chuffa. He drew a
sketch/cartoon of the incident and this was presented to "Sooty".
Colonel Mellor to this day takes great pleasure in recalling the incident.
Terry wasn't the only one caught out either. The RANLO Lieutenant Tony Powell
RAN also got caught. This time there were several witnesses. The result was the
same though, one hairless Navy type swearing that he would shave with cold water
from then to eternity.
Chuffas have long
had several generations of servicemen telling war stories about them. This
operation saw this proud little beast carry on the tradition in true style. The
chuffa was given a good send off. It was left where it stood, blackened but
still fully serviceable. It stood as mute testament to mans bravado or foolery.
The Det Commander still can,t make up his mind.
While on the
topic of personalities CPL Leo Leppens, never one to be overly talkative, let
his physical strength do the talking. One day there had been a spate of thefts
from vehicles and trailers. The kids of Mogadishu would ambush vehicles when
they slowed down in traffic and strip the vehicles of anything not bolted or
nailed down. Favourite items were watches and sunglasses. These were ripped
from soldiers before they had time to blink. The Detachment finally had enough
and one morning placed Leo in a trailer with a tarp overhead. They drove
through the market areas and were duly halted in a huge traffic jam. Several
kids walked past and finally one of them jammed his hand under the tarp and was
feeling around for something to grab. Unfortunately what he felt was a bear
like grip on his hand. The look was one of complete amazement on his face as he
disappeared under the tarp, where he came face to face with Leo. Rapid
introductions then took place and they proceeded to the Police Station about a
km away. The young fellow was handed over to the Auxiliary Security Force (ASF)
where he was interviewed. He gave the ASF a list of names that were involved in
similar activities. These people were rounded up and funnily enough the
Detachment did not encounter too many more problems with looting from vehicles.
CPLs Julie
Baranowski and Darren Cripps achieved notoriety of a different kind. Whenever,
it seemed, they had their eyes open they had one hand wrapped around a coffee
cup and a cigarette in the other. They really were the "brew kings"
CPL Darren Cripps
also achieved what was previously thought impossible. He befriended a rather
large hairy mongoose that lived in the area. Rumour had it that his bedspace
was such an untidy pile of junk that he shared it with the mongoose for several
weeks. When finally a good clean up was ordered the CPLs were cleaning and
banging and sweeping trying to put a measure of cleanliness back into the tent,
the normally nocturnal mongoose decided it was time he left the vicinity of
Cripzzy,s mozzie net. In fact he left in such a hurray that all that could be
seen were four very macho MP CPLs leaping for highground. They almost
simultaneously left terra firma, destination, on top of the stretchers. We are
still not sure who received the biggest fright, the mongoose or the BTC (Big
Tough Corporals).
CPL Dave Rayner
was what would popularly be termed as the "Greyman" he none the less
let his sporting abilities do the talking and was usually the first person
picked in most sports teams. He was also one of the most one eyed NSW
supporters that ever left Sydney. The State of Origin series was cleaned up by
the "Cockroaches" and Dave never let anyone forget it.
Sports
Australians and
sport are synonymous, but then so are Kiwis and sport. A game of touch was
organised and on probably the hottest day of the deployment the sides faced up.
Finding a neutral umpire was no problem. SGT Peter Watson, or Watto as he is
known, had nothing to lose being an expatriate Kiwi serving in the Australian
Army. The game was played on a large helicopter pad made of interlocking steel
sheets with a non-skid surface. The most vital part of this was to stay on the
feet, otherwise flesh was shredded. The game was played at a furious pace and
frequent interchanges was necessary. The score seesawed and at half time the
Aussies were ahead by 5-4. The second half was even more keenly fought. The
Aussies eventually ran out the victors by 9 tries to 8. The game was a great
spectacle and the sportsmanship was exemplary. Two members of HQAFS scored 8
tries between them, one of them being CPL Dave Rayner, who to this day swears
that he should have been playing along side his heroes, Sterlo and Brett Kenny.
Never mind Dave maybe in someother life.
Members were
prominent in all sporting endeavours and held up well. The MP Det ably assisted
by a couple of ring-ins, notably COL Mellor and LTCOL Woolnough were the
scourge of Mogadishu, especially in volleyball. COL Mellor insisted on being in
any sporting team the MPs fielded and enjoyed the company of his Military
Policeman.
Due to the hours
worked and the lack of, off duty hours, they were not able to keep 100% fit.
The heat, meals and sleeping conditions in no way aided the comfort levels.
Before the deployment, the Detachment was above average fitness, but due to the
nature of the work their fitness deteriorated sharply. It was impossible to
maintain a high level of fitness and at best, individuals on the HQ tried hard
but because of the hours kept, if it came to an hour of running or an hour of
sleep, there was no contest.
The first weeks
went altogether too fast. They were so busy providing manpower and muscle to
get the Australian sector of the Embassy into some sort of order. When the
Americans abandoned the Embassy in uprising, the local Somalian population
destroyed the buildings and everything that could be stripped, broken or burnt got
plenty of attention. The Det along with the Sigs from 139 Sig Sqn were the
lowest rankers on the HQ staff and therefore provided much of the manpower for
the menial tasks. One such tasking that invariably fell to them was the water
resupply they would use about 40 jerries of water per day, thats about one each
for every member of the staff. These jerries would have to be refilled at water
points within the Embassy, but with only two vehicles to do other routine
taskings, such as uplifting MRE rations, drinking water and emptying rubbish,
it required a fair bit of coordination. The Det finally managed to handle the
TPT requests/assets after it all became a bit hard for the Logistics Branch to
cope with. For some reason everyone wanted to try and manage the TPT, or make
individual requests, it really became a nightmare to balance everything out.
Once they gained control they were able to balance it out a lot and therefore
have more downtime during the daylight hours.
An interesting by
product of the TPT was the assistance they were able to give to an American
Army Int Section that were also occupying the same building. They would go out
on jobs with them to assist in their protection as well as gain invaluable
knowledge about the clan structure, the road system and also get to see areas
of Mogadishu that wouldn't ordinarily be accessible. Some of the ammo dumps
they went to were staggering. They established a very good working relationship
with the Int Sect and many an hour was passed listening to some of the stories
they told about various parts of the world they had visited.
On their
departure they presented the 1 MP Company with a Certificate of Appreciation
for services rendered.
Working with the
Americans proved no major hurdle. Their SOPs and ours are very similar and only
the language barrier caused any confusion. By and large the Marines and the US
Army were very easy to work with. The Australians also held the advantage by
knowing their go home dates (20 May 93), whereas the US Forces had no idea when
they were to withdraw. The word on everyones lips in the early stage was
interoperability, several interpretations of this word were given but whatever
it boiled down to it seemed to work.
In all there were
about 35,000 other troops of UNITAF, as well as about 8,000 UN troops, mainly
Pakistanis, who had been in Somalia since early Dec 92. The Pakistanis
originally had control of Mogadishu Airport due to the fact they had deployed
without vehicles, they were unable to be employed in any other areas. By the time
of departure the US Government had despatched 300 vehicles to Mogadishu for the
Pakistanis use.
Media Support
The Det found
itself somewhat unwillingly involved in the PR aspect of the Operation. Every
member featured somewhere in either the electronic or print media. SGT Watson
featured in the US, Australia and his home country of New Zealand, and is still
paying for that one.
Taskings
An extraordinary
wide range of tasks were performed by the MP Det. Routine day to day taskings
of living in a field environment meant that tasks such as rubbish runs, ration
resupplies, water resupplies and general cleaning and tidying were shared
between the MP and Sig Dets. The transport was always a problem, first Log Br
were responsible but due to other taskings they handed it over to a
supernumerary officer who was attached to HQAFS, once he departed for Australia
the Det inherited the transport, it must be said that once they finally gained
control of transport it never ran off the rails again. CPL Leppens volunteered
to arrange the transport and did an excellent job. In hindsight they should
have had control right from the start, many an argument could have been avoided
if this had been the case.
MP taskings were
many and varied; the primary role was to provide security to HQAFS and its
Commander. They achieved this by providing a front desk to the headquarter
area, very similar to the JHHQ and 1 Div tasking. This was a 24 hour duty and
they were assisted in the latter months by the Ops CPLs of which they were
three. They also provided CPP to the Commander and other VIP visitors. The MP
Det also provided expertise in the following fields: traffic accident
investigations, theft and loss of stores, providing assistance with initial set
up of a Bn Detention Facility which was later extensively used by the Bn Gp,
drug investigation, physical security for pay escorts and claims procedures,
which necessitated having an armed NCO assist the claims team in searching
claimants as well as providing security. The hand held metal detector proved
invaluable in this tasking. With almost every Somalian deprived of his firearm
the next best weapon was a knife. These were also carried by a large number of
women, they were not scared to pull a knife and use it. MP support was also
used in recording statements in relating to a wide variety of incidents that
occurred in the Bn Gp. The Det Comd was also involved in putting together cases
against two of the warlords who dominated the bandit scene in Baidoa during the
civil war years.
Driving tasks
filled the blank spaces in the day with between two and four trips to the
airport and port areas. On average the MP Det would have worked a constant
16-18 hour day, with no days off.
Specialised
Investigations
The Det was
called on to assist in the investigation of War Crimes that had occurred during
the civil war. The Det Comd and SO2 Legal MAJ M.J. Kelly went to Baidoa for a
period of three weeks to assist the ASF and Judiciary in working up a case
against two of the so called war lords who dominated the Baidoa Region during
the civil war. It was alleged that between these two, they were responsible for
approximately 100 murders. It was decided that the best course of action would
be to be based at the Police Station in Baidoa and with the assistance of the
Counter Intelligence Teams and the local Police Force, spread word that there
was an interest in hearing from people who had been effected by the war lords
during the war years. The initial targets were the following:
a.
Hussein Bare Warsame
(Genni) and;
b.
Hussan Gutaale Abdul.
After exhaustive
enquiries Gutaale was found guilty of 30 counts of murder. He was sentenced to
death by the court and the sentence was duly carried out some 30 minutes after
his conviction. The town of Baidoa assembled for his trial and subsequent
execution. When the execution was carried out there was only cheering, not too
many of the townsfolk cried.
Desertion
The Bn Gp
established a Rest and Relaxation programme that was centred around Mombassa,
Kenya. Thirty members at a time would fly to Mombassa and spend three days and
nights there. The Det Comd was used in the initial reconnaissance and
investigated the US system that was in place. A detailed MP brief was provided
for the Comd. There were a few incidents that occurred in Mombassa but most
were of a minor nature, there was however, one incident that required Military
Police attention.
On 12 April 1993,
a platoon assembled at Mombassa airfield awaiting their return to Somalia. A
roll call had been conducted and all members were found to be present. As the
platoon was about to board the aircraft it was noticed that two members were
missing. These two soldiers were quickly identified and an immediate search of
the area was conducted. Military Police assistance was requested. On 13 April
1993 the Det Comd accompanied by CPL Rayner went to Mombassa and commenced
enquiries. A report was also made to the Kenya Police who viewed the matter
rather seriously. The usual AWOL enquiries took place and it was learnt that
the two soldiers had gone to Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. The soldiers were
alleged to be in the company of an Ethiopian woman. The MP’s then returned to Somalia
with the intention of flying to Nairobi. Before this could be achieved the two
soldiers surrendered themselves to the Australian High Commission.
CPL Leppens, who
was in Nairobi at the time, uplifted the two and escorted them to Baidoa where
they were met by the Det Comd and CPL Cripps. They were interviewed and Records
of Interviews were conducted. The two soldiers faced a restricted Courts
Martial in Mogadishu charged with desertion, it is believed that this is the
first time that this charge has been used under the DFDA, the charges were
fought strenuously and the two soldiers concerned were found guilty of the
lesser charge of absent without leave. They were sentenced to 120 days
detention and were also heavily fined.
Meals
Meals were
provided by the US. They were eaten standing up in a large ‘Chow Hall’. The
meals were all reheated ‘T’ rations; this included the breakfast and dinner
meals. The midday meal was the infamous ‘MRE’. Words alone could not describe
the quality of the meals. This Det will never again moan about the Aussie Rat
Pack. Most members lost weight, some 7-10 kgs.
Medical
Medical was
supplied by the US. The Det had very few medical problems, one minor injury, a
few cases of Tropical Trots and two cases of severe conjunctivitis, one the
whole the Det was surprisingly fit and healthy, no mean feat considering the
meals, accommodation and the heat. This is attributed to our own preparedness
and experience in similar outback conditions.
Morale and
Discipline
We unfortunately
had one of our member’s lapse in discipline and was consequently charged and
convicted. This spoilt an otherwise outstanding operation. The morale was of an
excellent standard, given the long hours and difficult conditions, with
everyone contributing in some manner or other. They did their Unit, Corps and
their country proud.
Home-coming
The MP Det was
among the very last of the Australian troops to leave Mogadishu. The trip home
was rather luxurious when compared to the long journey to get to Somalia. The
RAAF 707 flights took about 20 hours to do the return leg, stop-overs in Deigo
Garcia and Perth were made to enable refuelling. Townsville was reached about
1400 hours on the 21 May 1993 and the following day, Saturday, 22 May 1993; the
MP Det was on parade with the remainder of the Bn Gp at Lavarack Barracks.
There, a simple medal parade was conducted and the six members of RACMP were
presented with the Australian Active Service Medal. The presentation was made
by LTCOL Graeme Woolnough. Afterwards the Bn Gp paraded through the streets of
Townsville where the Det finally met up with their families.
Resettlement
The Det members
proceeded on leave for a well earned break, most of the Det had their leave
cancelled at Christmas so it was indeed a refreshing break. On return to work
the daily grind of training was for most hard to take. The effect of having to
settle down seemed to take its toll and it was noticeable that the Det members
were suffering in some manner or other.
Commendation
On Friday, 26
November 1993, a series of Honours and Awards were announced for Services to
Somalia on Operation Solace. In the announcement it was revealed that the Det
Comd, SGT Peter Watson, was presented with a commendation from the CDF Admiral
Alan Beaumont for distinguished and exemplary service.
Lessons Learnt
Somalia by its
very nature was a one-off operation, which required an all Corps approach to
effect the success of the mission. The overall objective was to provide
humanitarian relief support to the people of Somalia. Because of the one-off
nature, the MP Det had to do most of its learning on the run. Prior to
deployment the taskings identified for Det were basically that of a security
nature, which also included CPP taskings, however once deployed, the range of
taskings expanded well beyond anything that had been originally anticipated. It
was obvious that a Military Policeman’s training in all Corps skills such as
driving, communications, advanced weapon handling and field engineering skills
such as sandbagging and wiring of defensive areas, stood them head and
shoulders above the average soldier.
The following
points of concern form the basis of the lessons learnt during the deployment.
POST
OPERATION REPORT - OPERATION SOLACE
Aim
1. The aim of our mission was to provide
support and Military Police assistance to the Commander of Australian Forces
Somalia.
Objective
2. The objective was to provide
humanitarian relief support to the people of Somalia.
Organisation
3. The concept of the headquarters was
loosely based on the JFHQ role. We had the following cells within the
headquarters: Ops, Int, Pers, Log, Finance, Sigs and MP Det.
Forces
4. The Australian Force formed part of an
organisation titled UNITAF, which was under command of General Jonston of the
US Marine Corp. There were also several other countries that were involved in
providing support to the Somalian people.
Command
5. MP command was directed from Log Br,
however we encountered numerous problems with other sections believing they had
the right to individually task the Det. The stage was even reached where other
headquarters personnel tried to task individual members of the Det. This
occurred without the knowledge of the Det Comd and meant that it was almost
impossible to monitor the workload of the Det members. This was soon rectified
and once this occurred we were able to establish a smooth running section
within the headquarters organisation.
Administration
6. Administration was provided by a Chief
Clerk who also doubled as the CSM. We encountered no problems with either
section or personal administration.
Manning
7. MP Det posted strength was six, this
consisted of one SGT and five CPL’s, one of which was a female. The Det was
severely under strength for the taskings we were asked to perform. The Det Comd
spent a total of six weeks away from the Det while he was involved in
investigations in Baidoa and Kenya. My proposed manning table for future Ops of
this nature would be as follows:
a.
Headquarters
1
x Officer (LT)
1
x SGT
5
x CPL’s
b.
Humanitarian
Relief Sector (HRS)
1 x WO (SIB)
1 x SGT
5 x CPL’s
4 x MP Security Dog Teams
Total: 1 x Officer, 3 x SNCO, 14 x OR’s
8. The use of RACMP dog teams for security
work throughout the operation would in my mind be particularly successful. The
use of such dogs for airfield and embassy security would have freed up
manpower, therefore allowing more practical use of those people who were
employed in such tasks. The use of these assets has been proven for years by UK
forces. Our own Oakey Airbase is guarded in such a manner by two such dog
teams. They allow a greater flexibility in manpower.
9. The HRS MP Det would be fully employed in
such areas as investigation of offences within the Bn Gp, providing vehicle
escorts, assisting local security forces, therefore allowing CMOT to carry on
with their own taskings. This type of assistance has normally been our field
since WW1; our Corps training has long been based on this type of scenario. We
also train in the operation of VCP’s, pay escorts and investigating claims
against the force.
Taskings
10. An extraordinary wide range of tasks was
performed by the MP Det. Routine day to day taskings of living in a field
environment meant that tasks such as rubbish runs, ration resupplies, water
resupplies and general cleaning and tidying were shared between the MP and Sig
Dets. We also took control of the vehicle assets and after much to-ing and fro-ing
we finally took charge of arranging day to day transport taskings. The
transport was always a problem, first Log Br were responsible, but due to other
taskings they handed it over to a supernumerary officer who was attached to HQ
AFS, once he departed for Australia we inherited the transport, it must be said
that once we finally gained control of transport it never ran off the rails
again. CPL Leppens volunteered to arrange the transport and did an excellent
job. In hindsight we should have had control right from the start, many an
argument could have been avoided if this had been the case.
11. MP taskings were many and varied; our
primary role was to provide security to HQAFS and its Commander. We achieved
this by providing a front desk to the headquarters area, very similar to our
JFHQ and 1 Div tasking. This was a 24 hour duty and we were assisted in the
latter months by the Ops CPL’s. We also provided CPP to the Commander and other
VIP visitors. The MP Det also provided expertise in the following fields:
traffic accident investigations, theft and loss of stores, providing assistance
with initial set up of a Bn Detention Facility which was later extensively used
by the Bn Gp, drug investigation, physical security for pay escorts and claims
procedures, which necessitated having an armed NCO assist the claims team in
searching claimants as well as providing security. The hand held metal detector
proved invaluable in this tasking. With almost every Somalian deprived of his
firearm the next best weapon was a knife. These were also carried by a large
number of women, they were not scared to pull a knife and use it. We lost count
of the number of knife fights we witnessed. MP support was also used in
recording statements in relation to a wide variety of incidents that occurred
in the Bn Gp. The Det Comd was also involved in putting together cases against
two of the warlords who dominated the bandit scene in Baidoa during the civil
war years.
12. Driving tasks filled the blank spaces in
the day with between two and four trips to the airport and port areas.
13. On average the MP Det would have worked a
constant 16-18 hour day, with virtually no days off.
Rest and
Relaxation
14. Rest and relaxation was provided to a
small number of the Bn Gp, however the MP Det missed out on R&R. We were
able to get the odd night on board the HMAS Tobruk but most found this to be
very claustrophobic and generally found the good points of having fresh rations
and clean bedding were heavily outweighed by the prospect of having a rocky
nights sleep. As far as sailors go, six out of six MP’s made good MP’s. Days
off were also virtually non existent although towards the end once we had
arranged the transport more efficiently we found we had some down time during
the day light hours. This was taken up with washing and cleaning with a few
hours of sleep is no other tasks demanded our attention.
Communications
15. Communications was the main problem area
for us. We took four Midland handheld radios with us that had recently been
purchased by the Company. These radios of course had a very limited range as
they were line of sight radios, however they provided good vehicle to vehicle
comms when used on escort duties. When leaving the confines of the embassy we
more often than not had no comms with our security desk. When providing VIP
escorts we were reliant on a 77 set. We did have a 77 set and 292 aerial up for
about five days, however the Sigs Det required it to be returned. We asked for
it to be reinstated on several occasions but it never was returned. Even with
the 77 set we still had comms difficulties. My strong recommendation is that a
small Midland base station be purchased, a one kw set would provide excellent
comms and could be used by the company when not required. It’s use around barracks
would greatly assist in the day to day operations of the company. The security
NCO at the Div would then be in instant comms with the unit and any other
roving patrols. The Midland set is a very good and reliable radio; we
encountered no problems with its use. It also has the added advantage of being
compatible with the ARNPC77 set, which gives it an edge over the other cheaper
Woolworths type sets that are currently on the market. Comms for visits and VIP
escorts was provided by way of a manpack 77 set, this was virtually hopeless in
built up areas and gave all team members grey hair on occasions, especially
during trips through the Greenline of Mogadishu.
Equipment
16. Weapons. The Steyr was proven to
be the right weapon for the job, especially the carbine model. We were
constantly in and out of vehicles and indeed crowds and the short barrel made
control of the weapon a lot easier. Some members lamented the stopping power of
the SLR but we are still unsure if this was said tongue in cheek. The 9mm Browning
was also good, although the ones we had, had lost the blueing. This
necessitated a lot of extra cleaning to prevent rusting.
17. Webbing. Webbing was absolutely
hopeless for our purposes, we require combat type vests for this type of work
and we need it now. Webbing was dangerous and wasn’t worn by our members whilst
in vehicles.
18. Visors for kevlar helmets are also
available. We tried hard to obtain these for our use through the US forces, but
unfortunately they were scarcer than hens teeth.
19. Crowd control agents, such as pepper
spray, were introduced too late in the Operation. This type of agent would have
been invaluable from day one, it would have helped in preventing 100s of theft
from vehicles as well as proving a less drastic use of the force. CS gas and
smoke would also have been of considerable use, especially during the riots.
20. Kevlar helmets were issued to members of
the detachment along with flak jackets. The helmets were good and I strongly
recommend the company indent for a supply of these. There were only two
drawbacks with the helmets, the first was that a sight picture was very hard to
obtain using the Steyr, the second was that the helmet offered no protection
from the sun. Some of the fairer skinned members of the Det virtually glowed in
the dark after being in the sun all day. Sunscreens were of very little use in
the hot sun and extreme heat. It was not unknown for 10 or more applications of
sunscreen to be applied in a day.
21. Stretchers. The Australian low to
the ground stretcher was not highly regarded when compared to the taller US
model. Most members fell into spare cots through various reasons and perhaps
investigations into production costs could be made. The fact that the mosquito
net could be easily and more securely fastened also added to the benefits of
the US model. The fact that we were also higher off the ground benefited in the
prevention of ground/airborne diseases.
Clothing
22. The issue clothing was generally found to
be adequate for the job. Boots of course lost eyelets even with criss-cross
lacing from the start. The DPCU bush hat was totally inadequate for the job.
Members had previously purchased the Boonie style hat, which provided good
shade to the face and neck. Sunglasses were issued but were both flimsy and had
poor protection qualities. Good sunglasses are essential in the very bright
light that we encountered whilst in Africa.
Pers Equipment
23. The issue pers equipment seemed
comparable to anything that I saw in other forces, in most cases our equipment
surpassed what was on issue to other forces, with perhaps the exception of the
US and NZ forces. The US Humvee, however, made our Landrover look very very
ordinary.
Vehicles
24. Vehicles were at an absolute premium.
HQAFS deployed with two GS Landrovers and trailers. We later gained the use of
another FFR Landrover. At times we had up to 72 people in the Headquarters
area, with that many people wishing to go to every conceivable place it was a
nightmare to arrange transport requests. The vehicles we first obtained were in
a shocking condition. Both were well overdue for major servicing and when we
did a non-tech inspection, we found over 35 faults with each vehicle. The
vehicles were not roadworthy and one in fact received over 80 hours of work on
it when it broke down. The MP Det should never have deployed without its own
transport means. We had prepared two FFR Landrovers in Enoggera which included
new tyres and spares for 30 days viability. One of these rovers was cut down as
a gun rover complete with mounts. Had these vehicles been sent on the HMAS
Tobruk we would have alleviated all of our communication problems and over 50%
of our transport problems. The clapped out nature of the vehicles we had in
Somalia necessitated us doing ULIs every four days. This was in itself an utter
waste of manhours. Other problems that we encountered with the transport was a
high number of punctures, we must have had about 30 punctures in the two
vehicles. Spare parts were also another concern, spares were critical, and we
lost the four-wheel drive capability on one of the vehicles when spare parts
could not be obtained. This meant that we were driving in sandy conditions in
two-wheel drive. Recovery then meant more wasted manhours. It is my opinion
that the Headquarters should have deployed with the following transport assets:
1 x Landrover 6 x 6
2 x MP Landrover (FFR) c/w winch
1 x Truck Cargo Unimog
3 x Trailer
25. Each vehicle should have 30 days spare
parts viability and all vehicles would be in excellent condition. Each member
of the Det lost blood, sweat and tears trying to keep the two GS Landrovers
operational and they should be commended for their skill and endurance in
keeping two very sad vehicles going for as long as they did.
Specialised
Investigations
26. The Det was called on to assist in the
investigation of War Crimes that had occurred during the civil war. The Det
Comd and SO2 Legal MAJ M.J. Kelly went to Baidoa for a period of three weeks to
assist the ASF and Judiciary in working up a case against two of the so called
war lords who dominated the Baidoa Region during the civil war. It was alleged
that between these two, they were responsible for approximately 100 murders.
27. It was decided that the best course of
action would be to base ourselves at the Police Station in Baidoa and with the
assistance of the Counter Intelligence Teams and the local police force, spread
word that we were interested in hearing from people who had been affected by
the war lords during the war years. Our initial targets were the following:
a.
Hussein Bare Warsame
(Genni); and
b.
Hussan Gutaale Abdul.
28. The case of Warsami was also being
closely followed by an Australian ABC television crew. It is believed that this
received wide coverage back in Australia.
29. Warsami was in custody by the time we
started investigations, this in itself was a distinct advantage, people readily
came forward to offer eyewitness accounts of what had transpired during the
war. Some of these were absolutely horrific and painted a very grim picture of
these two bandits. The interviews were conducted with the aid of an interpreter
and they were very tedious and laborious. We were required to obtain at least
one eyewitness account and at least three other witnesses that could
corroborate each crime. This was by no means an easy undertaking and we would
have conducted about 100 interviews.
30. A very strong case against Warsame was
established. MAJ Kelly then took the evidence back to Mogadishu to have the
statements translated into Somali. He was also to prepare the groundwork for
the trial to proceed. The day of his departure we heard rumours that Warsame
had been released from prison, he had been taken to the main jail in Mogadishu
to be held pending his trial.
31. On his return MAJ Kelly learnt that
Warsame had indeed been released. The US Provost Marshal and the Staff Judge
Advocate caused an investigation into the release. They found that Gutaale had
gone down to Mogadishu and bribed or coerced a retired judge into signing a
release order. This order was subsequently presented at the prison and the
prisoner was freed. The judge and a prison official were detained by UNITAF and
an order was made for the arrest of Gutaale. This had a beneficial spin off for
the subsequent investigation into Gutaale.
32. While Gutaale had his freedom the people
of Baidoa were reluctant to come forward and give evidence. As soon as we
arrested Gutaale and word spread, we had a flood of complaints come forward.
These were all processed and the painstaking process of building a case against
him was soon in motion.
33. The Somali Penal Code has a specific
section that relates to a charge of Carnage. The simplified definition is that
the offender caused the death of several people. There is no need to produce
the body or death certificate or for that matter a lot of technical evidence
that would be considered vital to successfully prosecute a case in Australia.
This was a distinct advantage to us but we still tried to produce the same
standards of proof that would be required back home. The two main cases we were
able to establish was that he was responsible for the death of 15 women and
children in mid 1992. Gutaale was driving an APC with about 10 other bandits
sitting on it. He drove through the main marked of Baidoa and saw a large group
of displaced persons. This group was made up mainly of women and children.
Gutaale turned the APC around and drove back up the road. He then intentionally
swerved across the road into the group of people. He ran over 15 of them, he
then stopped, reversed over the crushed bodies and then drove forward again.
The other bandits on the vehicle were cheering and yelling in delight. There
were several people who came forward and gave evidence in relation to this
incident, including a former policeman, who gave a very graphic description of
the incident. He later cleaned up the carnage and his testimony was
instrumental in obtaining a conviction against Gutaale. The second charge
related to an attack on the ICRC Warehouse in Baidoa. Gutaale was in charge of
a gang of bandits who attacked the building and looted about 30 truckloads of
relief supplies. The attack lasted for about three hours and 16 people were
killed in this incident. Again a very strong case was established.
34. This time we handed Gutaale over to the
US Military Police who ran a detention facility. They looked after him until
his trial commenced on 24 April 1993.
35. Gutaale’s trial lasted for two days. At
the conclusion the court considered the evidence and found him guilty of the
murders of 31 people and also guilty of robbery. A sentence of 20 years
imprisonment was handed down. Gutaale’s defending counsel considered this
sentence to be excessive so he informed the court that he would appeal the
sentence. Meanwhile the prosecution who was expecting the death sentence to be
imposed also appealed. The appeal was heard on Tuesday, 27 April 1993 and
lasted for about one hour. At the completion of this the sentence of 20 years
was quashed and the death sentence was imposed. About 10 minutes later Gutaale
was taken to the prison compound in handcuffs. This was a walk of about 100
metres. Once inside Gutaale was executed. The time was 1925 h, he was later
pronounced dead by a doctor. The firing squad consisted of one ASF policeman,
he fired seven shots. The body was handed over the Gutaale’s family.
36. Warsame is still lying low, I expect that
he will never now go on trial. His case was stronger than Gutaale’s and I fully
expected that he would have been found guilty. The prosecution was expected to
call for the death penalty in his case also.
37. A useful by-product of the investigations
was the unravelling of the two bandit’s empires. During the civil war they both
took by force several shops, hotels and houses. These were run by family
members and provided a useful income for both bandits. After our investigations
had been completed the Baidoa Court ordered that the rightful owners be
reinstated. This happened with no problems arising.
38. The town is now free of two bandits,
although one is still on the run, the town of Baidoa will rejoice. There is no
love lost for these two bandits.
39. Military Police assistance to the local
ASF was vital in the early stages of these two cases. The assistance we gave
only helped establish and then build the case around the available evidence. We
monitored the courts progress but had no input in the final outcome. Gutaale
received a fair trial under Somali law; the outcome might seem a bit drastic,
but that is the way the law operates in Somalia.
Desertion
40. The Bn Gp had an R&R programme that
was centred around Mombassa, Kenya. Thirty members at a time would fly to
Mombassa and spend three days and nights there. The Det Comd was used in the
initial reconnaissance and investigated the US system that was in place. A
detailed MP brief was provided for the Comd. I had initial doubts about the
value of such a programme and suggested that an MP presence be established in
Mombasa during the initial changeovers. This suggestion was not adopted and the
programme went ahead. There were a few incidents that occurred in Mombassa but
most were of a minor nature, there was however, one incident that required
Military Police attention.
41. On 12 April 1993, a platoon assembled at
Mombassa airfield awaiting their return to Somalia. A roll call had been
conducted and all members were found to be present. As the platoon was about to
board the aircraft it was noticed that two members were missing. These two
soldiers were quickly identified and an immediate search of the area was
conducted. Military Police assistance was requested. On 13 April 1993 the Det
Comd accompanied by CPL Rayner went to Mombassa and commenced enquiries. A report
was also made to the Kenya Police who viewed the matter rather seriously. The
usual AWOL enquiries took place and it was learnt that the two soldiers had
gone to Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. The soldiers were alleged to be in the
company of an Ethiopian woman. We then returned to Somalia with the intention
of flying to Nairobi. Before this could be achieved the two soldiers
surrendered themselves to the Australian High Commission. CPL Leppens who was
in Nairobi at the time uplifted the two and escorted them to Baidoa where they
were met by the Det Comd and CPL Cripps. They were interviewed and records of
interview were recorded.
42. After discussions it was decided to
charge the two offenders with desertion, contrary to s22a of the DFDA.
43. After receiving direction from Land
Command a restricted Court Martial was assembled in Mogadishu on 7 May 1993.
The immediate effect of this was to reduce the sentence from five years
imprisonment to six months.
44. Several other minor investigations into
the loss of equipment were undertaken. These on the whole were dealt with in
write-off actions by using stores and accounting procedures or by PD105 and the
soldiers concerned being awarded reparations.
45. The Operation was a busy one for detailed
and sometimes exhaustive investigations. In retrospect the Det would have been
well served by having a trained SIB person in the Det. Having said that, with
the limited resources available, I believe the Det acquitted themselves
admirably.
Close Personal
Protection
46. Close personal protection (CPP) was
provided on hundreds of occasions. Four of the six members were CPP trained on
the 1 MP Coy course. While this in itself was seen as no great advantage it
certainly assisted in making a rapid transition from a peacetime army to a
small Det that was now on operational duties. For most of us it was the first
time we had been exposed to the dangers of near war conditions.
47. The differing conditions that we found
between Mogadishu and Baidon were immense. Baidoa was essentially a sleepy town
when compared to Mogadishu. We therefore had to adapt to our surroundings in
differing manners.
48. We provided CPP for CAFS and also COFS as
well as providing VIP escorts for: five members of Parliament, in two different
groups; the Judge Advocate General, Rear Admiral Rawlings; the Australian High
Commissioner of Kenya, COLOPS Col McNamara; Comd of 1 Div, MAJGEN Arnison; the
RSM of 1 Div, WO1 Rosemond and the 3 Bde Comd, BRIG Abigail. It was interesting
to note that whilst we were able to achieve a very good secure protection
party, using six trained members, the Bn Gp providing an escort in what I would
consider a safer area, would use up to a platoon of riflemen to achieve the same
aim.
49. We also provided CPP for the 513 MI Bn, a
US unit we formed a very close liaison with. We provided this security to not
only assist them but to also get out into other areas of Mogadishu that we
would not normally see. Some of these trips were hair-raising to say the least.
Before they left the country they presented us with a certificate of
appreciation.
50. The general day to day security of
vehicle movements to and from various locations was also handled by the Det.
Problem areas that we primarily encountered were the looting from vehicles as
they stalled in heavy traffic. A group of children would descent on the
vehicles and strip them bare in seconds. Jacks, tool rolls, watches and
sunglasses or any other attractive item not bolted, welded or otherwise secured
would be gone in seconds. The Military Policemen were quickly identified as bad
karma as we were unmerciful on the kids when we caught them. They were quickly
bundled unceremoniously into vehicles and would be transported to the nearest police
station. They soon learnt to give our vehicles a wide berth. We had a spate of
pilfering from trailers. One morning we placed CPL Leo Leppens in the trailer
and drove through the market. At one halt a teenaged youth thrust his hand
under the tarp feeling around for goods to grab. He was quickly dragged inside.
The look of astonishment etched clearly on his face as he disappeared under the
tarp, where rapid introductions took place. We handed him over to the local
police, where he was interviewed. He subsequently supplied the names of five
other youths who had been making a living off the UNITAF forces. Funnily enough
we never encountered any more looting from trailers.
51. We used a basic vehicle pattern of having
a driver and two passengers on the rear. The rovers were stripped of all the
canvas, luckily rain wasn’t a problem. Whenever the situation arose that we
needed extra security we would use a two vehicle policy. Only on one day of the
entire operation did we face trouble and that was during the Mogadishu riots.
The locals had built a series of burning barricades every few hundred meters on
the roads. On two occasions we were required to leave the relative safety of
the compound and venture out on taskings. The first time we left was a real eye
opener, there was smoke everywhere with shots having been fired virtually all
night with several shots striking the Embassy in our compound. As we departed
the Embassy we came under almost immediate fire by none other than a fusillade
of rocks. We approached the first barricade not being able to see it and
realised it was too big to get through. The locals had used burning tyres to
get the necessary smoke into the air. We had to slow down to get around the
obstacle and as we did so dozens of stone throwing youths descended on us. The
Det Comd fired off two shots in quick succession, as we were pelted with rocks.
The locals took cover and we were able to reverse out. As we did the youths
regrouped and started all over again. We managed to find our way through the
obstacles reaching our destination of the port, where we uplifted CPL Terry
Warke. On our return we came under fire from a lone gunman. He fired a shot at
us using an AK47 rifle, the round passed overhead and we were not able to
return fire as he ducked around behind a large group of people. As we neared
the Embassy we again came under attack at a barricade. This time CPL’s Warke
and Rayner fired warning shots which enabled us to get through the ambush area.
We were required to go out again later in the day and we had to go through the
same again. This time we took plenty of support and firepower, which we
fortunately did not require. All in all that day was the nearest we came to any
real threat. Many a comment was made about the restraint that was shown on that
day and I am sure that it was due mainly to the training and the maturity of
the NCO’s concerned. The Nigerians during those three days could well have
followed our example. On the second day of the riots they had a six hour
fire-fight with a lone sniper. By the time they had finished, the area looked
like Swiss cheese.
52. Our SOPs for CPP stood up well to the
test and will be documented separately.
Pre Deployment
Training
53. Pre deployment training was by necessity
brief and unfortunately not very indicative of what we would encounter in
Somalia. The briefings were produced by people who had not been in country and
were inaccurate in many ways. The most glaring point being the religious
beliefs of the Somali population. They are Muslims but they are not
particularly devout in their beliefs. It is my experience that most Malay
Muslims were a lot more devout. We were also lead to believe that there were
millions of mines in Somalia. This of course was simply not so.
54. I observed the arrival of our first main
body and over-heard a section commander brief his section on the move from the
terminal to the accommodation tents. This entailed travel within the secure
airport. He said to his section, ‘Right, this is it boys, if you see any trees
move, blow them away.’ Obviously his briefings and pre-deployment training were
not very beneficial to him or his section. We quickly learnt the real time
situation and we were able to adjust accordingly.
Accommodation
55. Accommodation was tentage with very
limited space per person. Most people became very adept at turning used MRE
boxes into excellent shelves come drawers. The Military Police proudly lead the
way in the production line also produced a large number of high quality pieces
of furniture for the entire headquarters. Spare timber was at a premium; the
Seabees were quickly befriended and off cuts were soon stockpiled.
Meals
56. Meals were provided by the US. We were
able to eat standing up in a large ‘Chow Hall’. The meals were all reheated ‘T’
rations. This included the breakfast and dinner meals. The midday meal was the
infamous ‘MRE’. Words alone could not describe the quality of the meals. This
Det will never again moan about the Aussie Rat Pack. Most members lost weight,
some 7-10 kg.
Medical
57. Medical was supplied by the US. The Det
had very few medical problems. One minor injury, a few cases of Tropical Trots
and two cases of severe conjunctivitis. On the whole the Det was surprisingly
fit and healthy, no mean feat considering the meals, accommodation and the
heat. I attribute this to our own preparedness and experience in similar
outback conditions.
Sports
58. Members were prominent in all sporting
endeavours and held up well. The MP Det ably assisted by a couple of ring-ins
were the scourge of Mogadishu, especially in volleyball.
Morale and
Discipline
59. We unfortunately had one of our member’s
lapse in discipline and he was consequently charged and convicted. This spoilt
an otherwise outstanding Operation. The morale was of an excellent standard,
given the long hours and difficult conditions, with everyone contributing in
some manner or other. I attribute this to the maturity of the people concerned,
they have every reason to be proud of their achievements and I for one would
not hesitate to work with any of them again, in the future. They did their
Unit/Corp and their Country proud. This should be considered in the next NCO
reporting period. Special PR66’s were raised on each member of the Det.
Mail
60. Mail was towards the end of the Operation
a vital morale lifter. It did take some time though to establish a system that
was successful. Mail from Australia took on average 5-7 days to arrive and the
return mail took considerably longer, averaging between 10-15 days. Mail was
our only point of contact with the outside world.
Canteen
Facilities
61. A PX system was in operation about six
weeks after our arrival in country. This provided small items of comfort. We
established our own system by buying soft drinks at $1.50 a six-pack. We would
then cool them ourselves and re-sell them at a 100% profit. This enabled us to
purchase plaques and tee-shirts. The burying of the freezer was a story in
itself and is probably better left untold.
Medical
Support
62. The Det found itself somewhat unwillingly
heavily involved in the PR aspect of the Operation. Every member featured
somewhere in either the electronic or print media. One member even featured in
the US, Australia and his home country of New Zealand. He is still paying for
that one. For one so shy and retiring it is hard to envisage how he got caught
up in it all.
Conclusion
63. The Australian contingent to Somalia in
my opinion was a huge success. These one off type operations are hard to plan
for and even harder to implement. We were never in the position to take over
from anybody, therefore having the wisdom of others experiences. We went in
cold and had to do a lot of our learning on the run. I believe that we were
adequately prepared as far as our soldier and Corp level skills are concerned.
We were able to offer positive assistance to our Commander and it is my belief
that we contributed to the overall success of the Operation. The Military
Police Det was severely under strength for the taskings we were ultimately
asked to perform.
64. Overall, I am satisfied that we came up
to expectations, if not having exceeded them. There is no doubt that this is
reflected back on our Company and the members I was able to deploy with. We
have all learnt valuable lessons, not only about being members of a small team
on active service, but also about ourselves.
P.J.
WATSON
Sergeant
RACMP
May 1993