Afghanistan calling The Black Watch

Mar 31 2009 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

AS The Black Watch leave for Afghanistan, PA reporter Gordon Bannerman was given exclusive access to Perth and Kinross personnel at Fort George, near Inverness.

BLACK Watch soldiers leaving for war-torn Afghanistan are better prepared and better equipped than for previous deployments.

It’s shaping-up as the Perth-based regiment’s most perilous assignment since the long-haul from Basra through Iraq’s “Triangle of Death” to Camp Dogwood, near Baghdad, five years ago.

The Black Watch 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 Scots) are the first Scottish infantry battalion to be dispatched to Afghanistan.

Based at a sprawling camp-within-a-camp at Kandahar Airfield, they will play a key role with the Regional Battlegroup South.

Around 500 battle-ready troops have been vacating their base at Fort George over recent days, bound for a six-month tour of duty, when an integral part of their remit will be hitting the notorious Taliban enemy deep in their own challenging and inhospitable heartland.

A 45-strong advance guard have hit the ground running, reporting contact with the enemy within days of their arrival.

The troops join more than 8000 British personnel in Afghanistan, with the bulk of the presence concentrated in Helmand Province.

They are part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), commanded by a Dutch two-star general.

“The lads have been living and breathing Afghanistan for the last six months and more. They are fit, they have a high level of technical expertise in all sorts of weapons systems and they have learned a great deal about the Afghan way of life,” said Major Robin Lindsay, pictured.

“There is strength in numbers and real flexibility within the battle group. They will be deployed anywhere within a sprawling region of southern Afghanistan.

“We are prepared for the whole spectrum of conflict, from war fighting and destroying insurgents to handling reconstruction and development projects

“Our forces have had a significant effect on negating the impact of insurgents on the general population.

“It’s an exciting role for us, allowing us to see much more than one small patch of Helmand. It’s a unique role.

“We’ll be working closely with the Americans and their air strength will add to our capability.

“We’ll be deployed on the ground, return to camp between ops and then it’s back out again. But it’s not all about combat ops. It’s a combination of seek and destroy and winning hearts and minds.”

Major Lindsay (37) said the battalion, led by Lieutenant Colonel Steven Cartwright, was ready for the challenges which lie ahead, with a core of experienced troops seeing service in Iraq.

In Iraq, concerns were expressed over the suitability of basic equipment but the major believes The Black Watch have been supplied with the best of kit, ranging from military hardware to wickable boxer shorts!

“We will have the new Mastif all-terrain armoured vehicles and the Jackal protected patrol vehicles, quad bikes and a lot of aviation. It’s pretty exciting.

“They offer mobility, firepower and protection – and a lot of all three.”

The troops have been fully briefed on what to expect in Afghanistan, ranging from the enemy to the terrain, and temperatures ranging from sub-zero to a sweltering 50 degrees.

Major Lindsay observed: “The Taliban are a pretty mixed bag. All sorts are operating under the Taliban banner.

“We are clearly able to beat them at the tactical level every time, we have better weapons and can amass troops quickly.

“But they are formidable opposition and it would be foolish to underestimate what they can achieve. But our training and intelligence is first rate and current.

“I believe we are better prepared to deploy on this op and maintain the tempo than on any other in the past, in terms of kit and equipment and the level of training we have received, with time spent in Kenya proving invaluable.

“We have started as we mean to continue and carry on the good work of our predecessors – and we look to be back by mid-November.”