1st Battalion The Highlanders - Bosnia Newsletter
Since the Battalion was first warned of the Operation OCULUS tour in Bosnia last October, time has flashed past. The tempo of training prior to deployment and our operations since arriving has been breathtaking and has led to a most interesting and varied tour so far. Spread across an area the size of the North of Scotland, companies operate semi-independently to implement Lord Ashdown's objective of ensuring a safe and secure environment for the population of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Battalion Headquarters, the Echelon and A Company are co-located at Mrkonjic Grad and maintain two patrol houses at Kotor Varos and Knesevo. B Company is complete at Sipovo, and D Company is at Banja Luka with two platoons detached at Prijedor. Our tasks include patrolling, maintaining intelligence awareness, supporting the International Community, conducting information campaigns and mounting focussed cordon and search and checkpoint operations. To date, we have uncovered over 5 tons of hidden weapons and ammunition, narrowly missed apprehending a person indicted for war crimes, exposed corruption and intimidation caused by a maverick policeman and helped clamp down on smuggling operations across the international border.
Our successes have meant a stream of visitors to the Battalion. Several general officers including the CGS, General Mike Jackson and Commander Stabilisation Force, Lieutenant General Ward, as well as the Deputy Commander (Operations), Brigadier Simon Young and the MNB(NW) Brigade Commander, Brigadier Ben Barry have all visited and commented on the Battalion's approach to operations in the Balkans. We have also been blessed by visits from the Soldier Magazine News Team and Miss Caprice Bourret, the latter being the most eagerly welcomed of all that have come to see us so far. Finally, of course, the Colonel of the Regiment, Brigadier Hughie (who, incidentally, ran a close second to Caprice in the popularity stakes), also visited us!
Even on operations training has continued and the Battalion has seen a successful potential Junior NCO cadre, with forty `willing' volunteers completing the gruelling 5 week course under the watchful gaze of two of the hardest taskmasters in the Scottish Division; Captain Grant Gollan and Colour Sergeant Mick Duffus. Following shortly afterward was a four week sniper cadre from which we managed to gain ten snipers; a tremendous effort on behalf of the two School of Infantry colour sergeant instructors who ran the course and the students who put their heart and soul into passing it. Another JNCO cadre is planned, as well as company live firing packages later in the tour.
The end of the tour is looming large now we are over the half way mark but the tempo is threatening to remain as high as it has to date. A large exercise that will see a part of Commander AFSOUTH's strategic reserve being deployed into the Balkans is scheduled for the late summer, with the Battalion will play a leading role. Planning is already underway for our return to Edinburgh in October and the busy period between then and our move to Germany in 2004. Needless to say, morale is high and our spirit and drive is increasing with every success we have. I can safely say that the Battalion is in fine form and living up to the high traditions of the Highlanders and its forbears.