A famed Scottish unit is moving into place near Baghdad to allow the USMC to further prepare its anticipated assault on Fallujah. The decision is not universally admired.
The Black Watch ran into a series of terrorist bombs yesterday as it moved towards the "triangle of death" around Baghdad to take over from American marines due to join an assault on the rebel city of Fallujah.Its base at Camp Dogwood, 20 miles west of the town of Mahmudiyah, also came under rocket or mortar attack as the troops moved in, a British military spokesman said.
The battle group and its vehicles were forced to stop four times by roadside bombs planted by insurgents determined to give it a bloody welcome, the spokesman said. No troops were hurt in the attacks.
One soldier was killed and three injured in a roadside accident shortly after the troops arrived, the Ministry of Defence said, but no hostile action was involved.
In e-mails seen by The Telegraph, a senior officer involved in planning the deployment called the move the "convoy of death", saying that it would be "10 miles long and an easy target for ambush".
The attacks served to underline the fears of senior officers in the regiment that Tony Blair's controversial agreement to the troops' deployment would make them the target of "every lunatic terrorist from miles around".
The Telegraph disclosed yesterday that in e-mails home a senior Black Watch officer had questioned whether the Prime Minister properly understood the risks involved.
Senior officers have been further angered by the "cynicism" of a Government willing to use the Black Watch to "backfill" for the Americans while preparing to abolish the regiment in an amalgamation of Scottish regiments.
Still, the regiment is confident as always.
The regiment was led into their final Sunday service before departure by bagpipes and drums playing the traditional Scottish song "Blue Bonnets Over the Border."The troops' self-assurance was more than matched by their commanding officer, Lt. Col. James Cowan.
"There's been much sensationalist talk about the threat we will face," he said. "Frankly, this regiment beat Napoleon, beat the Kaiser and beat Hitler.
"For the Jocks of the Black Watch this is just the latest chapter in our history and another job to be done."
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