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 their 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 worldwide 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
1 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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
2 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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.
3 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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
4 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 Qantas Jumbos, which contained the main body.
Operations
Situation
Operation Solace was to provide Humanitarian Relief 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 emanated 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 occasions were of an administrative nature and both received prompt and positive actions. "Rockets" were dispatched 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.
5 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 Landrovers 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.
6 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 man’s 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 high ground. 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
7 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 alongside his heroes, Sterlo and Brett Kenny. Never mind Dave maybe in some other 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, that’s 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.
8 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 everyone’s 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 dispatched 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
9 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 affected 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 Mombasa, Kenya. Thirty members at a time would fly to Mombasa 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 Mombasa 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 Mombasa 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 Mombasa 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
10 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 refueling. 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.
11 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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.
12 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp Forces
4. The Australian Force formed part of an organisation titled UNITAF, which was under command of General Johnston 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
13 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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.
14 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 night’s sleep. As far as sailors go, six out of six MP’s made good MP’s. Days off were also virtually nonexistent 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.
15 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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
16 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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.
17 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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.
18 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 Mombasa 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 Mombasa 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
19 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 Baidoa 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.
20 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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
21 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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 led 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.
22 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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.
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 other 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
23 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp 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
24 This is my Story – Sergeant Peter Watson RACMP – 1 RAR Bn Gp