General Update – End of January

Words and photos by: Lt Jon Dolphin, 7 Rifles


On Christmas Eve, I deployed to a half built Forward Operating Base (FOB), named FOB Edinburgh, on the outskirts of Musa Qal'h in the North of the Helmand Province. After five weeks living rough, I have returned to Camp Bastion and in a few days, I will return to the UK for two weeks of long awaited R&R.

My previous updates have hopefully provided a good idea of what Salonika Company has been up to in Afghanistan. This entry however will be a more personal insight into my experience of leading a platoon in an area which, two weeks before our arrival, had been labelled as the Taliban stronghold in Helmand.



Caption: Lt Jon Dolphin and 4 Platoon on patrol

How did Salonika Company find itself in Musa Qal'h?

In mid December, an extremely successful Afghan National Army (ANA) led mission swept through the city of Musa Qal’h and the surrounding area liberating it from Taliban control. The battle was a major success for the ANA and the Taliban were able to offer very little resistance. Along with other units, Salonika Company from The Rifles has now been brought into the area to provide a secure and stable environment in which the local people can start to rebuild their lives free from oppression under the Taliban. As well as providing a secure environment, we have started a number of development projects including the provision of a health centre, a 'cash for work' scheme, the construction of a bridge to improve access to the district centre and the provision of a school.

The Taliban, who originally established themselves in the region using fear and intimidation, continue to plague the local people. They send death threats to Mosques, plant landmines and roadside bombs that are indiscriminate in whom they target and they conduct cold-blooded murder of innocent civilians who they suspect of working with ISAF. During my time there, a local man who had been earning $10 a day in a scheme to help clean up and re-build the town centre was beheaded by the Taliban.

Thankfully, and with admiration for the resolve of the Afghan people, this hideous attempt to stop development in the city failed and the work to improve Musa Qal’h continues.

What tasks does Salonika Company undertake in and around Musa Qal'h?

As well as manning Observation Posts (Ops), one of the main tasks that we undertake involves patrolling in and around the Musa Qal'h countryside, towns and villages in our vehicles and on foot. We look for signs of enemy activity, set up vehicle check points and talk with the locals in order to reassure them and help them to understand how the Afghan government and ISAF are working together to try and improve the situation. We also act as convoy protection during re-supply operations.

In January it snowed!

Being able to talk and interact with the local villages has given me a real appreciation of Afghan life. In several instances, we were the first ISAF troops ever to visit them and we were very careful to make the right impression from the start. All of our soldiers have received a basic training in the Afghan culture and we make every effort to respect the way of life, their cultures and traditions.

Rfn Facciol and LCpl Rab in their WMIK.

We have built some good relationships. We visit the villages to reassure them, ask for their input on various issues and pass on any key information or messages from the local government in Musa Qal'h. Particularly in the rural areas, you quickly realise that the local people just want to get on with their lives and provide for their families. They are happy that we are there to provide the security to enable this to happen, but they are in constant fear of intimidation by the Taliban.

Cpl Neil Kelly on a convoy escort patrol.

It's encouraging to know that we are allowing the locals the freedom to make their own decisions. The instances of intimidation that we come across just spur us on to help eradicate the Taliban who have done nothing to help the people and seem intent on preventing the country and people from developing and improving their quality of life.

View from a sangar in FOB Edinburgh

Cpl Neil Kelly from Reading overlooking the outskirts of Musa Qal'h

Rfn Lowerson on Roshan Tower overlooking Musa Qal'h

Patrolling through the suburbs of Musa Qal'h

The Threat

Probably the biggest threat we face around Musa Qal'h is that of mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). We have so much fire power that it would be a very brave or incredibly stupid Taliban who would take us on directly.

We've become very good at spotting mines and IEDs and have some excellent kit that has been proven to protect us whilst out on the ground. The locals are also helping us by warning us about IEDs they’ve seen being planted.

Lt Jon Dolphin talks to the local villagers

The threat from legacy mines left over from the Russian occupation is still very real. Every day on patrol, I would pass legacy mines. Unfortunately, an American callsign strayed into a known minefield only 1km from our location in FOB Edinburgh.

My patrol had a lucky escape with a device that was placed on a route into one of the villages that we patrol. Unfortunately, the village tractor found the device which not only badly injured the driver, but also destroyed a key village asset.

The Weather

When it rained, it got muddy!

January was very cold, on some days hitting minus 10 degrees celsius without the wind chill factor. Most of us have had frost nipped ears and the morning ritual of emerging from your sleeping bag, or, 'olive green time machine' as the lads have started called them, doesn't get any easier. We have also had rain – lots of rain which has resulted in the FOB turning into a quagmire. Completing the weather spectrum, we have had snow! Despite the adverse conditions, the war goes on and we continue to fulfil our role. All of the Riflemen have conducted themselves extremely professionally.

LCpl Lindsell enjoys the snow

Christmas in FOB Edinburgh

The sun was still shining when we arrived at FOB Edinburgh. The conditions were described to us as austere and for the first 10 days we were sleeping under the stars.

A specially flown in Christmas Day meal

Although we were in the back of beyond in a make shift shelter, we made the best of the situation. Some of the lads had brought Santa hats with them and most of us had received a present or two that we had somehow found space for in our kit.

Unfortunately, on Christmas Day, there just wasn't time for a day off and so we spent most of the day filling sandbags that would provide the over head cover for our accommodation that was being rapidly constructed by the Royal Engineers.

An explosive cup of hot chocolate on Christmas morning

The padre from 40 Commando put on a good service around about mid-day in his usual up-beat, verging on comedy, style. As amusing as the service was, it was topped by the arrival at 1600ish of three chefs and a mobile kitchen. This was a complete surprise to us all and they served up a fantastic Christmas dinner complete with crackers and party hats.

Rfn Bridgewater fills sandbags on Christmas Day

It was probably the weirdest place I could ever have imagined to be tucking into roast turkey and Christmas pud. But, without a doubt, it was one of the most welcomed meals ever. Being away from home and family at Christmas is difficult and I think all of us were secretly wishing we were back in the UK. The meal was a real lift and I think everyone went to bed that night with a full belly and a smile on their face.

The Padre leads the way in the singing

Rations

Five weeks living on rations does things to you and it goes without saying that evenings in the ops room were quite windy. The operational rations contain such delights as chunky chilli chicken, lamb curry and chicken arrabiata, however, you also have to endure the various combinations of beans/sausage/bacon for breakfast every day. All the above is boiled in a foil bag.

We were able to procure some American rations for a time which were a welcome break, but even they became monotonous after a while. There's only so much variation that you can introduce with the addition of chilli sauce or mustard.

Occasionally, we would buy some local bread, chickens and goats from the locals. These made a rare treat particularly when cooked in a hot stone oven in the ground under the expert guidance of our own Fijian, Cpl Rab.

R&R

After four-and-a-bit months away on operations, I'm looking forward to getting back home on R&R. I'm looking forward to a pint of ale, seeing the family, tucking in to a crème brulee and getting out for a run with my Dalmation.

We’re doing a dangerous job out here. It's a situation that is not going to be resolved quickly and will require soldiers like myself to continue to work with the Afghan people towards a better future for a long time to come.

Having talked at length with some of the local people, drunk their tea and shared a few jokes it makes you realise that at the heart of it, the people here are just fellow human beings who just want to be allowed to get on with their lives.

Without delving into politics, the history of the country, the trade in opium, global terrorism and the teachings of Islam, at the local level, the situation seems pretty straightforward to me. We are trying to help the people to self govern and improve their standard of living through schooling, healthcare and improved infrastructure. Fighting against us, the majority of the Afghan people and the government of Afghanistan, trying to disrupt our joint efforts, is a bunch of people who seem to want to keep the country in the dark ages and rule through fear and intimidation. Sadly the situation is complicated by the factors mentioned above. Cultivation of poppies can not be eradicated without an economically viable alternative and if you’re interested in how Afghanistan ties in with global terrorism have a read of an assessment by a fella called Killcullen entitled, 'The Long War.' Makes interesting reading…

Best wishes to everyone back home. I still can't believe England lost to Wales in the Rugby