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| Iraq |
| Welsh Cavalry help take Basra palace |
| 2003-04-07 |
| A troop from the Queen's Dragoon Guards - known as the Welsh Cavalry - gave their support to the Royal Marines' Juliet Company as they entered the palace at dawn on Monday. The capture of the palace - which was empty of people - was the culmination of the operation begun on Sunday to take control of the city. Soldiers from the Welsh Cavalry, who were at the forefront of the latest push into Basra, reported a friendly reception from the people in the city. Lt John Whelan said: "It was amazing. It was like VE Day. We stopped at junctions and had about 400 or 500 people round the vehicles. We gave them some food and then when we drove off they tried running after us until they could no longer keep up. They were all very friendly." There were also reports that local people have started taking revenge on people involved with Saddam's regime. Captain Alex Boissard said: "People are killing the police who are on the street corners. It started a few days ago. There are also reports that they are hunting Ba'ath Party officials in their building. This has been going on ever since they realised that the British were already in Basra. The locals said that all the regular army soldiers had left and any Feyadeen or Hizbollah they would deal with themselves." Major Henry Sugden, in charge of C Squadron, Queen's Dragoon Guards, said troops had had an easier passage through the town than expected. ""Rather than fighting all the way up there, we just drove up. It means Basra has completely fallen. The Shias have been out saying they will kill any Feyadeen they see. My reading is that the locals know that there is no coordinated regime structure within Basra, which is why they have come out so positively in support of us and why they are so determined to settle old scores and hunt down the Feyadeen." Hunting season now open |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #7 CYMRU! |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-04-07 14:21:09 |
| #6 *thumbs up* About time the locals took things into their own hands. Good hunting to all except the Fedayeen and Ba'athists... |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-04-07 13:35:32 |
| #5 With their lances flashing, warriors wild are crashing, Through the tyrants serried ranks, whilst onwards they are dashing Now the enemy is flying, trumping on the dead and dying Victory aloft is crying, Cambria wins the field. Come home safe, guys. |
| Posted by: Mike 2003-04-07 12:42:27 |
| #4 Reports are coming from Iranian and Kuwati news agencies that popular uprising has started in Baghdad. Bad day to be a Baathists. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-04-07 09:46:28 |
| #3 Tally Ho! Then clean out the garbage and get to living like normal human beings and not under the trunchions of the Ba'athists. Congradulations, Brits on a well executed and methodical plan in some extremely difficult circumstances! |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-04-07 09:34:55 |
| #2 --and no limits! |
| Posted by: Dar Steckelberg 2003-04-07 09:16:33 |
| #1 Good hunting! |
| Posted by: George 2003-04-07 09:09:40 |