www.militarycontact.com built for the Sumerian moon god Nanna. The ancient city of Ur is also the birthplace of Abraham, the ancestor of the Hebrews and a common patriarch for Jews, Christians and Muslims. Then we trek past more open and dusty plains until we arrive at our destination, where we can unload our weapons and relax. I speak to our driver, Trooper Steven Maxwell, who has spent the whole trip shut inside his cockpit, watching the world around him through his array of periscopes. The friendly 20-year-old is all smiles as he offers me a lukewarm can of Coke and we chat about his job. “You have to keep very alert, always scanning for possible vehicle and roadside bombs and suspicious people,” he says. “But the people seem to be happy to see us here, and hopefully they realise we are here to help them by providing security. But you always have to be alert for that one person who wants to cause us grief.” I also get to talk to Sergeant Rolfe, who turns out to be very polite and friendly. “I really enjoy convoys,” he says. “I can’t say there’s anything I don’t like about them. It gets you out and about, you’re always covering new ground and seeing new faces.” He too is taken by the warm reception the Australians are receiving from Iraqi children. “Kids are easily influenced and they’ll do what other people are doing,” he says. “So if the kids are waving, that means other people are doing it around them and that’s a good thing.” There has been a delay in gathering the passengers and trucks, and the sun is low in the sky before we leave the base for the return journey to Camp Smitty. I offer my hatch to our passengers so they can see Iraq first-hand, but none of them stays crouched for long in the hatchway. “There’s not much to see,” is the usual comment. I resume my watch but the light is failing so I exchange my camera for rifle. As we pass the darkened villages the men are gathered by the dusty coffee shops to talk about the days events while the women finish outdoor chores. Soon it is dark and I can see Sergeant Rolfe is keeping an eye on the targeting monitor of his remote weapon station, which allows him to see far ahead of the convoy for possible dangers. Suddenly he stiffens and I see Trooper Flynn point his rifle towards an object looming in the dark. Up ahead I see a car parked on my side of the otherwise deserted road, sitting at an odd angle and facing us. I can see two small points of light in the car like the lights of a CD player – but these 30
seem far more sinister. Trooper Maxwell takes evasive action and we speed safely past the vehicle without incident. The entire convoy passes harmlessly and we continue to Camp Smitty through the moonless night. Finally we arrive at the camp and unload the passengers. The Regimental Sergeant Major is there to meet us and later, in the mess hall, Commander of the Al Muthanna Task Group, Lieutenant Colonel Roger Noble, checks on the welfare of his soldiers. Like the shepherd in the bible, he wants to make sure his entire flock is safe. It is late when I return to my bunk, and I can see the look of relief on the faces of my tent-mates. I strip off the body armour and stow away my equipment – and reflect on the day’s convoy duty. There were so many positive things, but they were always shadowed by the menace of the few who want to make life a misery in Iraq. But it is with the help of organisations like the Al Muthanna Task Group that the Iraqi Army will be trained to protect their country, independent of foreign help. Slowly I ease myself onto my sleeping bag, and ask myself – was today’s trip worth the danger. “You bet,” I answer. Just like Trooper Flynn, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. www.issuu.com/CONTACTpublishing