Solomon Islands.

[harry hackedoff]

Finally, the lead elements of the Oz contingent set sail yesterday. ETA Thursday morning. Priority is to secure Honiara(Solomon capital) The bad guys are expected to thin out to the jungle and mount guerilla campaign. Rules of engagement have been spelled out clearly, but seem to follow the James T. Kirk model, "We come in peace, shoot to kill"
Nice interview with Frog Naval Attache, not best pleased at being told Kermit isn`t flavour of the month with "certain countries in the Pacific" i.e. all of them
Likely H-Hour is 0600 local, Thursday. Which is approx 1700 Zulu, Wed.
Watch this space
Aye,

[lew]

Harry what exactly is the aussie task force made up of, (no jokes please) I’m talking about n.o.'s of soldiers, ships, aircraft etc...And why other than the obvious reasons would they not want the French there???



lew

[harry hackedoff]

Harry what exactly is the aussie task force made up of

Lew, read page one.
Ref Kermit, he has a "history" in these parts! Blowing up neutral ships in friendly countries, testing of atomic weapons and, er being French, for starters.

[lew]

Ok I get it now...

So how big is the task force being sent to the Solomon Islands though, numbers of troops etc...


lew

[sharky]

Harry,

It finally made the Worlds at One on Radio 4 today and thanks to your sit reps I had the distinct feeling that I knew more of the subject than the reporter who was/is on exceptionally good expenses 'in country' covering this one.

This is Sharky Ward for News at ten, slightly pisse din Plymouth

[Brian]

Fond memories,

Good run ashore, learnt to dive, empty Robinson Crusoe beaches,
I wish we had deployed on Spearhead more often !!

I was on the Independence parade, anyone remember the rig ?? probably a first for Royal, make any First Drill squirm.

Brian

[GINGE]

Come on Brian what was the rig of the day ? Bush hat , Blues trousers, flip flops, 58 pattern web belt and of course Red lip stick, and the weapon of mass destruction of the seventys & eightys the 2'' mortar, never to be fired, (did anyone ever fire a 2" mortar?) Bag cat come on Brian we need to know.

[harry hackedoff]

Grass skirts all round
First Herkies are in the air, due to touch down 0600 followed by Oz version of assault landing ship, HMAS Minoora, due on the beach at 1200 (local timings) Solomons PM Mr Kamikeze(spelling?) has gone into hiding to avoid assassination by the baddies. Harold Keke has released three Melanesian monks he was holding captive. He is reported to be a psycho-pathic killer, but comes over as Mr Nice Guy in recent tv interview. Pidgin English is a bit difficult at times.
Expect little or no early opposition to intervention force. Searching out the Bad Guys will begin once they are established on shore.
UK tv will probably have footage on your late news today.
Oz forces have recent local peacekeeping experience, in East Timor.
Aye,

[owdun]

Ginge,the 2" mortar was a section weapon,and bloody useful too.It could be used for flighting parachute flares, smoke, and HE, and yes I fired it on numerous occasions during my GD days.


Aye Owdun.

[Sticky Blue]

Harry... Nothing on the news apart from a little bit on the BBC website. It looks as though El Prez taking a break to work on the book is all lies... He was seen leading the assault!!

From the BBc website 23/07/2003
Peacekeepers have started to arrive in the troubled Solomon Islands, the first of 2,225 troops and police expected to arrive in the coming days.
An Australian Air Force Hercules C-130 landed at Honiara shortly after dawn on Thursday, in what is the region's biggest military deployment since World War Two.

An amphibious assault ship, the HMAS Manoora, is due to land 400 troops later in the day with New Zealand and Fijian troops also expected.

On Tuesday night Prime Minister Allan Kemakeza left Honiara on a navy patrol boat on Tuesday night apparently amid fears he would be kidnapped by militant groups responsible for the law and order problems which have brought anarchy to this tiny island republic.

A spokeswoman for the peacekeepers, Katie Graham, told AFP news agency that Mr Kemakeza was being kept at a "location that is confidential".

There appeared to be some concern that armed groups responsible for the recent violence might try and kidnap Sir Allan.

Australia's Prime Minister, John Howard, warned earlier of the possibility of casualties among the peacekeepers.

The peace force, code-named Operation Helpem Fren in the local pidgin, is aimed at helping the Solomons recover from years of ethnic clashes and a coup three years ago.

[harry hackedoff]

El Prez taking a break to work on the book is all lies... He was seen leading the assault!!

Yeeeees, but whose side was he on

[Allan Buckley]

Blimey Harry Ive been knighted and didnt know it does that mean you have to buy me a drink instead of me buying you one which usually happens Allan ( sir) lympic: I name this day Gibraltar Day
Allan

[GINGE]

Hi Owden, in 12 years in the Corp, 7 in a fighting company and 5 as a PW at CTC, I never once saw a 2" mortar fired, never saw any ammo for the thing, Then along cums the all new 51mm mortar HE, Illume, Smoke and White Phosphorus , saw and fired most if it, no HE. Very good replacement for the old 2".

[harry hackedoff]

Oz advance party flew in, HMAS Minora landed her troops unopposed, huge wellcome and sighs of relief from the locals. Final make-up of intervention force is Figi,Tonga, Papua New Guinnea, Kiwis and Oz. They have begun patrolling and as yet, no reports of contact.
Nice phot Ginge
Aye,

[harry hackedoff]

Intervention force have settled in and are winning the h&m game. Amnesty in Honiara, saw some weapons being destroyed. To emphasize the friendly nature of the IFOR, it is a Police-led operation, with the military in support. The name of the Op is "Helpen Fren"( pidgin for er, helping friends)The troops have been welcomed by everone in the capital.
One of the militia groups( lead by one "Jimmy Rasta") has asked that no military incursions take place in his area untill he has had time to gather all his groups` weapons. He will then hand over control to the IFOR.
No news of Harold Keke at present, but with the troops about to expand the area of operations, it won`t be long before there are contacts.
Several small Naval assets( large LC`s etc) are expected to arrive within the next few days, and will aid inter-island mobility.
That`s about it for now, except to mention that the beach-head was used by Elmer on his Pacific Tour in WWII.
Aye,

PS Saw Torua this arvo(afternoon) as I drove past his gaff, he gave me the big "thumbs up" and was grinning from ear to ear. It`s obviously good news for him from back home I`ll see if he has any local news later this week