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Major arms cache uncovered by Scots
guards in Basra
BASRA, Iraq -- A search team from 1st Battalion Scots Guards,
has uncovered a significant arms dump hidden in a house in North
Basra. The find, which included a mortar, a heavy machine gun, RPG
warheads, mines, grenades and thousands of rounds was unearthed
during an operation designed to quell tribal fighting between the
Halaf and Garamsha tribes in the area.
The delighted search team leader Lance Sergeant Derek Hood, from
Blackpool said, "We're all over the moon. The search was painstaking
- it took over six hours - and to find so many munitions, all in
working order, was just what we trained for. It's a great result."
The house where the weapons were found was one of more than 20
targeted in a pre-dawn operation mounted by the Iraqi Army, Iraqi
Police Service and Coalition Forces Iraq, including the Scots
Guards.
The 1st Battalion Scots Guards are currently deployed for six months
in support of Multi National Operations in southern Iraq.
The Battalion, usually based in Munster in Germany, deployed in
October 2004 to provide an armoured infantry reserve for the British
led Multi National Division responsible for southern Iraq. The
Battalion was involved in supporting the first free and democratic
elections in Iraq in January 2005.
Notes to media:
1. The Scots Guards are members of Her Majesty's Household Division
Troops. As a proudly Scottish Regiment, raised in 1642, our Soldiers
are recruited from all over Scotland and Northern England. The
Regiment also has Soldiers from all over the Commonwealth currently
serving in Iraq, including from Canada, Australia, South Africa,
Zimbabwe, Fiji, St. Vincent and The Grenadines.
2. In recent years the Battalion has served operationally in
northern Ireland and were to be seen in their celebrated bearskin
caps at Buckingham Palace and on parade at Horse Guards while
Trooping The Colour. They have conducted training exercises in
Kenya, Sierra Leone, Canada and Germany.
3. The Battalion is an armoured infantry battalion equipped with a
fleet of Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicles. It is more than 600 men
and women strong, almost all of whom are normally stationed with
their families in Munster in Germany.
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