RRS 05 MARCH.pdf - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

Mastiff callsign scans for enemy positions
Cpl Carnage Carnegie and Sgt Jackal Haigne
company advance towards Kats – two
up on either side of the wadi. As we
moved down the wadi towards Kats we
began to hear distant contacts – indirect
fire, and heavy calibre weapons fire as
the ANA and PWRR callsigns sweeping
up from the south were contacted. We
didn’t have to wait long for ours. As we
rounded a kink in the wadi we moved
into view of the outskirts of Kats my ANA
callsign engaged dickers in the outer
compounds. Unfortunately, despite their
keen eyes and good observation they
used their weapons like carnival air rifles
and consequently failed to hit anything.
Then we were contacted – small arms
at first, then larger calibre weapons and
RPGs as the Taliban moved into position
to engage us. The ANA – all of a sudden
invigorated by the chance to get some
real high quality killing done – began
advancing quickly and in remarkably
good order, rolling over the first two
compounds with the momentum
of a startled panzer division. Moving
forward to get eyes on I linked up
with Sgt “Strawman”. As we poked our
heads round the corner of a compound
(ourselves resembling a cautious Scooby
and Shaggy) we saw an enemy firing
point in a window, the whiz-whiz, thudthud
was proof that he had also seen
us as a burst hit the wall in front of us.
Soon after 10 platoon made contact,
11 platoon also contacted the enemy
laying down a hail of fire and putting
pressure on an identified firing point.
As 10 Platoon moved forwards
along the right hand side of the wadi,
Mastiff callsigns rocked up the wadi bed
itself, firing as they went and eventually
forming a baseline from which to smash
enemy positions with .50cal and GMG.
Our ANA callsign moved across an area
of open ground and broke into the next
set of compounds along our axis. As I
moved across the same ground to link
up with them I was helpfully informed
over PRR, “you’re under effective enemy
fire, boss!” I looked at the floor around
me…. and so I was, the “crack-thump” of
rounds being replaced by “whiz-thud”
as it became increasingly accurate.
Following a (now slightly quicker) dash
to the opposite cover we were able
to move on, as the ANA continued to
move forward and the Mastiff callsigns
pounded the offending firing point
into oblivion. 11 Platoon continued to
advance on our left hand side with the
Mastiffs and USMC Humvees (Oorah!)
pushing up between us.
The sound of battle was by now
thunderous, and served as the most
obvious reminder that this certainly
was not an exercise. The repetitive low
thud of the .50cal and GMG on one
side, the “woosh…. bang” of volleys of
RPGs forming the retort – all set to a
background whiz and crackle of small
arms fire and the crying out of injured
and distressed dogs and livestock
caught in the crossfire.
11 platoon continued to clear
through the tightly packed streets
and alleys of the village itself, clearing
through old firing points as the Taliban
continued to “shoot and scoot”, engaging
them as they advanced. Then came a
brief lull, the mastiff callsigns moved to
their limit of exploitation and formed
their final baseline. The USMC Humvees
then moved up and parked themselves
on the high ground to the north ready to
perform their “cut-off” task.
At this point the main course of the
wadi swung left, going south into the
heart of the village itself, high open
ground rose up to the right where a
small cluster of compounds nestled in a
re-entrant. At this stage our ANA callsign
crossed the open ground unopposed
and linked up with the USMC Humvees.
As myself and Pte Haggarty made our
way across the same ground to link
up with them we were again opened
up on and the USMC vehicles were
targeted with RPGs and machine guns.
It was at this stage that it became
apparent that we’d have to deviate
from our original plan in order to deal
with these compounds. The M60’s
mounted on the Humvees began to
suppress the compounds, despite this
we continued to receive fire from the
re-entrant. One ANA was tasked to fire
an RPG. Running out from behind one
of the Humvees to an exposed position
he prepped his weapon, aimed and
fired. Two AT-4s were quickly sent down
range by the USMC (with little more
success) followed by another RPG – this
time fired with calm precision by our
ex Taliban ANA section commander,
directly into one of the Taliban positions.
This was it then, a platoon commander’s
dream: fire support from the hill, a
concealed FUP, a cluster of compounds
and a fixed enemy. We were actually
about to do a platoon attack Brecon
style! The only thing that could have
made it more familiar would be if the
enemy was comprised of two trenches
and a BMP! With a helpful burst of rapid
from the yank gunners I was able to
run/fall/roll back down the open hillside
to the rest of my platoon for QBOs. Sgt
Andy Haigne’s 3 Section moved left up
the hill to supplement the ANA and
USMC fire support base with a bit more
intimate (and accurate) fire support.
Cpl Billy Carnegie’s 1 Section was then
unleashed up the re-entrant to break
into the compounds. One HE grenade
and a burst of automatic fire later he
was in, closely followed by Cpl George
Gray’s 2 Section. By now the incoming
had stopped and the compound
THE ROYAL REGIMENT OF SCOTLAND JOURNAL – MARCH