You cannot put this book down after opening it. That, I can guarantee you. I bought this book after reading good reviews online. It took me less than 24 hours to read this—just enough to take the tiredness off me, not letting me stop, as every page gives you a first-hand account of what happened to Sniper Platoon, Y Company of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment (PWRR) when they arrived in Iraq in April 2004, having missed being in the action of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Their instructions were to conduct peacekeeping operations, but then they were in the fight of their lives in August 2004—the longest and most vicious firefight experienced by British troops in over 50 years.

The PWRR is England’s most decorated regiment, and has been in major theatres of war since 1663. Private Johnson Beharry received his Victoria Cross during this engagement, the first recipient since the last Victoria Crosses were awarded for service in the Falklands War.

Sgt. Dan Mills commanded the Sniper Platoon Y Coy when they were deployed to the city of Al Amarah and take up positions at the Cimic House which was the most defensible position within the city as it was surrounded by a river, giving it a natural barrier for attacks from several directions. This will be the place from which you will get to read one of the most engaging stories given by a British soldier ever.

For four months the PWRR was engaged in pitch battles against the insurgents, who were basically from the Mehdi Army/OMS (Office of Moqtada al-Sadr). Initially they were just allowed to bring their L-96s without their mortars, which was a regrettable decision. But from there, they beefed up the Cimic compound where they started placing defensive positions that gave them a 360-degree view of the city, and that gave them a definite advantage. But then, they were faced against a 500-strong well-armed force for their 100-strong unit.

However, it wasn’t a walk in the park for them. As the firing starts, all hands were needed, and whatever weapon they’ve got was brought to bear, L-96s, SA80s, GPMG, and the Warrior Tanks (which Beharry drove one that led to his Victoria Cross). Harassed from all sides with incessant mortar attacks that went on night and day, this would make it even be more ferocious than Black Hawk Down. During a re-supply, the OMS foot soldiers beat them to a choke point that became an almost meat grinder for the British troops and the Warrior tanks with multiple points of attack and RPGs flying all over coupled with someone armed with a Dragunov that made it even more dangerous. Beharry, with his badly damaged Warrior that had taken in 5 RPG hits and full of casualties, drove with his head protruding outside as smoke was coming out of the tank and was annoyingly noisy in the engine area due to damage. He had to reach the Cimic compound for safety and just went charging on, with RPGs flying pass and bullets clanging at the sides. He got there, helped evacuate the casualties and then passed out with an AK round embedded in his helmet.

Lance-Corporal Johnson Gideon Beharry VC (Source: Wikipedia)

Operation Waterloo was an offensive that they brought the fight to the enemy and take out enemy mortar positions, which had been getting very dangerous for the guys at the Cimic compound. Backed by Spectre Gunships, and Challenger tanks, the offensive pushed back the OMS with their main building falling to the coalition forces. When there were no Spectre Gunships available, a Barrett equipped sniper team that can call in airstrikes was sent to assist them. The reinforcing sniper team made a great show against the OMS for their ability to reach out and touch the enemy with one of the most dangerous sniper guns in the world.

The Sniper Platoon of Y Company manned the high areas of the compound, ensuring that no one from the enemy was able to get near and taking our RPG and mortar positions that would try and nail the Cimic compound positions.

The attacks of the OMS were a sustained one, from 05 August to 28 August 2004, with the 15th to the 25th of August the most intense days of fighting, isolating Y Company from reinforcements and re-supply. The men of Y Company were instructed to leave Cimic compound when it became untenable to defend it. But they didn’t budge, no man wanted to be relieved, and even suffering from heatstroke, no one would dare leave a position, preferring to sleep while lying prone to watch for enemy movements.

They almost got overrun by the enemy, which came to almost 30 metres of the Cimic gates. They suffered 6 serious injuries and one fatality, Private Chris “Ray” Rayment in an accident when he raised the barrier to allow a Pinky (a Land Rover) to get inside, but it struck the linkage that brought the barrier down on him, killing him. The OMS suffered over 200 casualties, making them an ineffective force to mount another round of assaults. A bullet left a hole on Sgt. Dan Mill’s body armour.

Sgt. Mills explains that the siege of Cimic was not only the lengthiest continuous action fought by the British Army since the Korean war, but was also the longest stand fought since World War II. Y Company had faced 85 assaults and fired 33,000 rounds, and were hammered by over 500 mortar rounds, 59 direct hits by RPGs, and six 107mm rockets. The whole 1st Battalion of the PWRR that they were attached to in the Maysan Province overall had 963 contacts, with two dead, and 48 seriously wounded.

This is one of the greatest gripping accounts of modern war, and saying it as is, and political correctness be damned. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) tried to supress this book, but was too late as Sgt. Mills have actually applied to put his accounts into a book before the ban was put into place. The Cimic siege was greatly played down by the Labour government, as the PM Tony Blair was being criticised for War In Iraq, and tried to project a situation of calmness in the region controlled by the UK forces. This book just proved to be the opposite.

A great book, and just plain in your face. Buy it.

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