W5 DECEMBER 2004
£1 .20
Royal Marines join forces with US Marines for a dramatic live-firing exercise in California: see centre pages
Royal llllflI‘l||BS SlI|l|l0|'t Black lll lI‘al|
ateh I ROYAL
NAVY
I
Picture: PO(Phot) Tarn McDonald
ROYAL
Marines are supporting efforts by the Black Watch to stabilise Iraq as part of a
l.L‘:\\' well-kttnwit is the :itt:icltmen! of Rn_v:|l t\larine.s' to tile
.-xrmy regiment:
Alpha (.'tunp:nty
:1
tmup from
operating as tlisnttntntetl trunps. atltittgside a troop. four-pronged deploy- tnurl:tr "'l'lte gllyh l)lI llraeken really ment by 40 Commando. feel as if the)‘ are doing mtiietltiiig The Somerset-hzisetl green wnrtltwlii|e." said -11! (_'tln‘s (Tapt lierels are tipertttittg in four distinct Steve Melhtntrne. parts of the l.'l)lllll|'}‘. cuntinuing “But it's more tlt:mju.~t lirackcn. tztsks. anti esetirt. palm] We are all aware that we're (lning a support The mural liiglt-prufile recent here. What you t|nn'l see j(Il'I good Britislt tleplnyitteitt in Iraq has in reports at home are things like hcen the commitment of the Black reliable power sttpplies. in liasra. Watclt to Camp l)tig\\'o(itl. ende- 'l'ltese little lliings nt:Il>;e a great nained Operation liraeken. deal of tliffcrettee. is
“llztsra is
rezilly mt
the up at the mtnnenl. ()l'etn|r.v.:. ynu neetl to he there are tlail_\' ilteitlems. aware But 1ll..'I'l'L\\'. the eit_\‘. things are cumittg along well." A eump:m_\- of Ru_\-:tls is uperating in llaglttlatl. hut tlte bulk of -10 (‘do is tleplnyed at Shaihali camp near l5:i.~'ra :Il'Ill at A2 I/.ult:t_\'r. tn tlte stiutlt til the city. Ont: nf the ntust ciicutirzigittg sigltls fur the Ru_v:t| i\larincs has been \\'att:ltin_t_: lraqi tmnps pilxfilllg nut of training. "The lcctllaztck we get is that the Itieals are ll:lpp_\' tltat we are here. in the l>:tel~:grutmd." Capt Melbourne atltletl. —
"For
Its.
(l|'J\.‘l'iIllllIl.\ are gelling
.<|igltt|_\' easier the weather is heenmittg less nl an ixxue. We're (lnwn tn the lnw fills which is real|_\' quite plea:~ant." The (.'nmm:IntJuwill he tlepltiyetl in Iran until ntitl-.l:muar_\' wltieli Itatttrally means ('ltri.~lntas :iwa_\' from home. "It's going to he :1 disjnintetl (.'hri.~lm:ts our t.'.u_w are .~pre:td tn the four winds. but that's one of tlmse things which li:tppcn.\'." saitl ('apl Mellmtirttc. "We will ntake the liest of it. but we are Innking l'nn\'artl to getting back In our —
~
families next month."
Navy News reader offer: £2 off entry for London Boat Show, see page 36