Diggers at War

I have to tell you, I`m getting a little tired of hearing about the Aussies not doing anything in Iraq and Afghanistan. VERY tired actually. There seems to be alot of people under the misguided opinion that the Aussies are suffering less casualties because they are not in dangerous areas. Some have taken this theory of theirs a step further and told me of how the Diggers are `living it up` in the Green Zone while they are doing all the shit work. Firstly I would like to make something very clear....My government does NOT send Soldiers to theatres of war to drink beer and sit around a pool. Anytime the negators think they can do without the Aussies, just remember the role the Aussies played in the initial invasion...

SAS flew straight into battle By Tom Allard, Defence Writer May 10 2003 Members of Australia's Special Air Service regiment spent the first days of the war closer to Baghdad than any other coalition soldiers, it was revealed yesterday. They were flown in by US helicopters in a nerve-racking 600 kilometre journey, much of it at low altitude and some of it under Iraqi anti-aircraft fire, just hours after the Prime Minister, John Howard, declared Australia was formally at war. The main mission was to find and destroy suspected Iraqi ballistic missile sites because of fears they would deliver chemical and biological weapons on troops and neighbouring states. To that end, command and control facilities and radio relay stations were identified by the SAS and destroyed, typically by calling in US and British fighter jets after the SAS had "painted" the target for laser-guided bombs to home in on. The incursion deep into Iraq, and a simultaneous insertion by land into western Iraq from a larger contingent of SAS, marked the beginning of an "exceptionally heavy" first week in Iraq for the special forces, according to one of their commanders. "Virtually every day the SAS was in some of heavy contact with the enemy," said Colonel John Mansell, chief of staff at special operations command in Sydney. Those coming by land faced fire within an hour of entering Iraq. The daily firefights were "no accident", said Colonel Mansell. "The enemy was clearly seeking out the Australian force in a co-ordinated and well-drilled fashion." While many Iraqis were killed in the battles, the SAS have begun returning home with no injuries, let alone deaths. But they won't be marching in victory parades scheduled for the end of the month in Sydney and Perth - their identities must be kept secret. The public won't see them, but will be able to view an Iraqi MiG jet captured by the SAS, which will be displayed at the Australian War Memorial.

SAS role in Iraq revealed May 9 2003 Australian SAS troops were involved in one of the first ground attacks of the Iraq war, fighting and capturing Iraqi soldiers more than a day before the first US bombs slammed into Baghdad, it was revealed today. SAS commanders talked for the first time of the clandestine operations mounted by the elite special operations troops, revealing their main mission had been to destroy Iraqi Scud missile sites. A large force of vehicle-mounted SAS troops entered Iraq on the night of March 18 after Prime Minister John Howard gave the go-ahead for military operations that morning. The first allied bombs did not fall on Iraq until the early hours of Thu March 20, when the US attempted a so-called decapitation strike on Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi leadership at a suspected hideout in Baghdad. The bombing was the first signal to the world that war had started. Special Operations Command chief of staff Colonel John Mansell said a large SAS group entered Iraq under the cloak of darkness as soon as possible following the government's decision. "The intent was to insert clandestinely and get deep into the assigned area before the sun came up," he said. He said that meant skirting enemy positions and trenches, while at the same time a second group of SAS troops travelled more than 600km by helicopter to take up positions in Iraq's western desert. The first group ran into trouble just 30km inside the Iraqi border, running into a group of Iraqi vehicles. The SAS, who Col Mansell said had been determined to take the fight to the enemy, immediately opened fire on the Iraqis and took several prisoner, later releasing them. "This was one of the first ground attacks of the war," he said. The helicopter insertion was also completed successfully, with the SAS travelling on US helicopters at near-ground level, skirting Iraqi missile defences and battling poor weather. "When our people hit the ground, they were at that time by far and away the closest coalition ground elements to Baghdad, and they remained that way for a number of days," Col Mansell said. He said through subsequent operations the SAS engaged in heavy fighting, harassing Iraqi forces and targets while preventing the movement of any Scuds through the Australian-controlled area. "Virtually every day the SAS were in some form of heavy contact with the enemy," he said. "This was no accident. The enemy was clearly seeking out the Australian force in a coordinated and well-drilled fashion." In one engagement, SAS troopers called in air strikes on an enemy stronghold and in another destroyed at least half a dozen Iraqi armoured vehicles. The SAS also defeated a force of more than 50 Iraqi irregulars in civilian vehicles and trucks, firing on them with javelin anti-armour missiles and heavy machine guns, before calling in air support. But their biggest triumph was the capture of the giant Al Asad air base west of Baghdad, which they achieved with support from RAAF F/A-18 fighter-bombers. Col Mansell said the operations, which were conducted without any Australian casualties, highlighted the skills of the SAS, which has also won high praise from US president George W Bush. The first of the SAS troops are expected home within weeks. AAP

Print Email Last Update: Tuesday, April 24, 2007. 10:01am (AEST) Two Australian soldiers have been wounded after a roadside bomb attack on their convoy in Iraq (ADF) Diggers wounded in Iraq blast Two Australian soldiers have been wounded after a roadside bomb attack on their convoy in Iraq overnight, the Department of Defence has confirmed. The department says the soldiers were in the first of two Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAVs) carrying out a routine patrol in Dhi Qar province when they were attacked. One man suffered wounds to his lower legs while the other suffered less serious injuries in the explosion, which heavily damaged their ASLAV. The vehicle was then destroyed by the ensuing fire. Four other soldiers in the patrol were not injured, while the second ASLAV was too damaged to move. The soldiers were treated at the site of the attack before being evacuated by helicopter to a US hospital at the Tallil airbase. They could be transferred to Baghdad if further treatment is needed but it is not yet known whether they will be forced to return to Australia. The soldiers were based in Darwin before being sent to Iraq. Family members have been informed of the attack. Defence spokesman Brigadier Gus Gilmour says similar attacks are common in Iraq. "This is not the first time an attempted IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attack against Australians has occurred," he said. "Indeed our people in Iraq and Afghanistan face these sorts of threats on a regular basis." It is not yet known who was responsible for the attack. Meanwhile a wave of up to 15 explosions were heard in Baghdad before dawn (local time), apparently coming from the city's outskirts. A US military spokesman said he was not aware of any operation taking place at the time. The blasts sounded like mortar shells or artillery.

Story of Digger heroism emerges from Iraq Wednesday - 9 May 2007 - news.com.au THE Australian army's anonymous new hero in Iraq is a raw, young infantryman who leapt into a blazing armoured vehicle to provide cover for his wounded mates. Australia's commander in southern Iraq says he is humbled by the freshly qualified gunner's "incredible" courage and professionalism. But the brave Digger, whose patrol took fire four times in two days, does not want to be named. He was in a 50-vehicle convoy hit by light arms fire and rocket propelled grenades in two different villages as it returned to base at Tallil two weeks ago. But worse was to come 15km from home when his light armoured vehicle was hit by a remotely controlled roadside bomb. The vehicle's driver suffered a broken ankle and burnt legs and is recovering in Darwin. The commander and another crewman suffered concussion and minor injuries, but have since returned to duty. As the vehicle exploded into flames and careered off the road into a swamp, the gunner helped his wounded mates onto stretchers before leaping back to his turret to provide covering fire. In doing so he faced danger from the flames as well as two further explosions from remotely detonated bombs and the possibility of enemy fire. He returned with his patrol undeterred the following day to recover the damaged vehicle and exchanged shots in a firestorm with insurgents. "The gunner was quite incredible because he had been exposed to that (first) blast, too," said Lieutenant Colonel Tony Rawlins, commander of Australia's 540 troops in southern Iraq, who was also travelling near the head of the column. "He got back in and did what he was expected to do, and just that little bit more. "He was exhibiting symptoms of shock afterwards but he was lucid and being a very professional soldier. "There was no time to give formal orders or appraise the situation. "These guys all acted instinctively in a disciplined manner and knew exactly what to do. "They stepped up to the plate. "They did things that I would have expected from more experienced soldiers. "There was no grandstanding, nothing like that, just thorough, professional behaviour and it humbles me." Captain Tony Copley, commander of the second vehicle who raced out to try to extinguish the fire in the first, said: "It was a very courageous thing for him to jump back into a vehicle which had just been hit and was on fire. I can't say enough about him." He also praised decisive action by his own crew, saying: "I'm very lucky to have the chance to lead such fine young men." Lt-Col Rawlins noted the restraint shown by Australian troops who returned to collect the burnt-out vehicle the next day, inflicting an unknown number of casualties among up to 30 insurgents. "They weren't just out there to get revenge," he said. "The criminals hid themselves amongst innocent civilians in order to protect themselves, and we used only the force that was necessary without causing widespread collateral damage." "We could have unleashed hell," said Lance Corporal Nathan Jones, a gunner on the second armoured vehicle who took it upon himself to radio for help after the roadside bombing. His action helped ensure that US helicopters were on the scene quickly to evacuate the wounded. "It was just 18 minutes from flash to dash," said Lt-Col Rawlins. "That's phenomenal. "I have nothing but respect for them (the American pilots) because they landed those helicopters on the road next to the vehicle that was cooking and could have taken fire themselves."

Diggers under fire in Iraq Tuesday - 8 May 2007 - ABC News Online Australian troops serving in southern Iraq have come under attack during a routine security mission in Samawah City, the capital of Al Muthanna province. Lieutenant Colonel Tony Rawlins, the commander of the Australian battle group in southern Iraq, says the troops were not hurt during the attack. "As they were leaving the provincial joint operations centre, coming out through the back gate, down a side alley, they were engaged by two to three people," he said. "[There was] one rocket-propelled grenade and a small burst of fire from an AK-47." Lt Col Rawlins says the Australians fired about five shots at their attackers but did not hit them. "They fired around five rounds of small arms fire. They only caught them as they were fleeing the scene," he said. "We'll now hand it over to the authorities to investigate."

Digger slightly injured in Afghanistan Wednesday - 4 May 2007 - CPA 119/07 A Reconstruction Task Force soldier was slightly wounded during an apparent suicide-bombing attack in Oruzgan Province on Thursday evening, Australian Eastern Standard Time. An Afghan national, identified as the attacker, was killed during the incident. The wounded soldier was provided immediate first aid at the scene and has undergone further examination and treatment at the nearby Dutch Military Hospital in Tarin Kowt. All Australian soldiers in Afghanistan have been accounted for and are continuing with their operations. Details of the wounded soldier will not be released. The soldier’s next of kin has been informed of the incident. No further information concerning the attack is available at this time. Defence will provide further details once initial reporting is confirmed and the situation is clarified.

There are just the first couple of stories I pulled up when I did a search. There are many, many more. There are alot of countries actively participating in this war. This war does not belong to one country because it's troops outnumber all others.

Right up until all this crap started I always considered the Coaltion to be one force, one team with many players. Now both myself and other Aussie supporters are finding we are constantly defending the Diggers and their roles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While we understand others countries sense of loss over fallen Soldiers (and we do share this, I have lost a few Soldiers I had written to or chatted to online), we do feel that the Aussie role is being undervalued. Not one of the Coalition countries can fight this war alone, it's that simple.

So don't you think it's about time we supported the Coalition as a whole??

AC