CIMIC-House
Encyclopedia
CIMIC-House was the British Army
-led Multi-National Division (South-East)
's centre of Civil-Military Co-operation
activities in the Iraqi town of Al Amarah. It was situated in the former residence of the Ba'ath Party governor of Maysan province.
Determined to take the strongpoint, militia of the Shia Mahdi Army
launched sustained attacks on the British positions at CIMIC House and the neighbouring Pink Palace, the seat of local government, beginning on the 5th of August 2004.
Al Amarah was garrisoned by fewer than 90 Soldiers from Y Company of the 1st Battalion, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
(including TA elements from 52nd Lowland Regiment
) and 60 from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Both units were part of the 1st Mechanised Brigade on TELIC IV
. The forces in Amarah were isolated some 20 miles (32.2 km) from the main Battle Group
in Abu Naji, and dependent on convoys for resupply. During the siege, they faced an estimated 500 militia who launched a total of 86 assaults on the compound over the next 23 days, ranging from section
strength up to a series of company
-level assaults with 100-plus fighters.
Incoming fire from the Mahdi Army included 595 mortar rounds from 230 different bombardments, direct hits with 57 rocket-propelled grenades and six 107 mm rockets plus 86 ground assaults on CIMIC (Civil-Military Co-operation) House itself. Y Company, 1
PWRR, based at CIMIC House, became the most attacked company in the entire Iraqi theatre of operations. In defending the compound, the British fired 33,000 rounds, and many Challenger 2, Warrior
, and High Explosive 81mm Mortar
shells and managed to persuade the US Air Force to drop a precision laser guided 500 lb bomb onto enemy mortar positions in open ground right in the middle of a built up-city, defending their positions in trying to repulse the Mahdi Army in what has been described as "the longest continuous action fought by the British Army since the Korean War
50 years ago". It was also the "lengthiest defensive stand since World War II
".
Fighting reached a peak between the 15th and 25 August when the intensity was such that armoured convoys were unable to reach the base to resupply the British, although none of the waves of infantry attacks by the Mahdi Army got within 30 metres of the British lines. During this time commanding officer, Captain Charlie Curry, was given permission to withdraw by his Commanding Officer if he felt events on the ground required it but refused to have his men leave their posts.
At the end of the siege, six British soldiers were injured seriously in the battle, the only fatality on the British side was Private Chris Rayment who died when a traffic barrier fell on his head, after the linkage was caught by a 'Pinky' (long-wheelbase Land Rover Wolf
) which was entering the camp in a convoy, under heavy enemy fire.
Mahdi Army casualties at the end of the battle were estimated by the British to be at least 200 dead, leaving them as a seriously depleted force in Al Amarah, incapable of attacking the British in large numbers for the remainder of the coalition occupation of the town. CIMIC House was handed over to the Iraqis at the end of August 2004, with the British consolidating their forces in Camp Abu Naji.
Among the soldiers defending CIMIC house was a large contingent of Territorial Army soldiers who were mobilised to serve with the PWRR and QRL Battle Groups in April 2004. They included Territorial soldiers from the 52nd Lowland Regiment
and Soldiers from various different squadrons of the Royal Yeomanry
regiment. Although these reservists contributed significantly to the defence of CIMIC house, their efforts were largely overshadowed by the regular PWRR (Y Company).
Books on the siege
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
-led Multi-National Division (South-East)
Multi-National Division (South-East) (Iraq)
Multi-National Division was a British commanded division responsible for security in the south east of Iraq from 2003 to 2009. It was responsible for the large city of Basra and its headquarters were located at Basra Airport. The division was initially responsible for the governorates of Al...
's centre of Civil-Military Co-operation
Civil-Military Co-operation
Civil-Military Co-operation is the military function through which a commander links to civilian agencies active in a theatre of operations.-History:The United States Army has, since the Second World War, maintained Civil Affairs units...
activities in the Iraqi town of Al Amarah. It was situated in the former residence of the Ba'ath Party governor of Maysan province.
Determined to take the strongpoint, militia of the Shia Mahdi Army
Mahdi Army
The Mahdi Army, also known as the Mahdi Militia or Jaish al-Mahdi , was an Iraqi paramilitary force created by the Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in June 2003....
launched sustained attacks on the British positions at CIMIC House and the neighbouring Pink Palace, the seat of local government, beginning on the 5th of August 2004.
Al Amarah was garrisoned by fewer than 90 Soldiers from Y Company of the 1st Battalion, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
"PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...
(including TA elements from 52nd Lowland Regiment
52nd Lowland Regiment
The 52nd Lowland Regiment now forms the 6th Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, also known as 6 SCOTS. Due to its erstwhile association with the 1st Regiment of Foot, it is the senior Territorial line infantry battalion in the British Army...
) and 60 from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Both units were part of the 1st Mechanised Brigade on TELIC IV
Operation Telic order of battle
This is the Operation Telic order of battle, which lists the British forces that took part in Operation Telic, including*the 2003 Invasion of Iraq,*subsequent operations during the occupation and military government of the country, and...
. The forces in Amarah were isolated some 20 miles (32.2 km) from the main Battle Group
Battlegroup (army)
A battlegroup , or task force in modern military theory, is the basic building block of an army's fighting force. A battlegroup is formed around an infantry battalion or armoured regiment, which is usually commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel...
in Abu Naji, and dependent on convoys for resupply. During the siege, they faced an estimated 500 militia who launched a total of 86 assaults on the compound over the next 23 days, ranging from section
Section (military unit)
A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
strength up to a series of company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
-level assaults with 100-plus fighters.
Incoming fire from the Mahdi Army included 595 mortar rounds from 230 different bombardments, direct hits with 57 rocket-propelled grenades and six 107 mm rockets plus 86 ground assaults on CIMIC (Civil-Military Co-operation) House itself. Y Company, 1
PWRR, based at CIMIC House, became the most attacked company in the entire Iraqi theatre of operations. In defending the compound, the British fired 33,000 rounds, and many Challenger 2, Warrior
Warrior Tracked Armoured Vehicle
The Warrior tracked vehicle family is a series of British armoured vehicles, originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured vehicles. The Warrior started life as the MCV-80 project that was first broached in the 1970s, GKN Sankey/Defence winning the production contract in 1980....
, and High Explosive 81mm Mortar
L16 81mm Mortar
The United Kingdom's L16 81 mm mortar is the standard mortar used by the British armed forces. It originated as a joint design by UK and Canada. The version produced and used by Australia is named the F2 81mm Mortar, whilst the version used by the U.S...
shells and managed to persuade the US Air Force to drop a precision laser guided 500 lb bomb onto enemy mortar positions in open ground right in the middle of a built up-city, defending their positions in trying to repulse the Mahdi Army in what has been described as "the longest continuous action fought by the British Army since the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
50 years ago". It was also the "lengthiest defensive stand since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
".
Fighting reached a peak between the 15th and 25 August when the intensity was such that armoured convoys were unable to reach the base to resupply the British, although none of the waves of infantry attacks by the Mahdi Army got within 30 metres of the British lines. During this time commanding officer, Captain Charlie Curry, was given permission to withdraw by his Commanding Officer if he felt events on the ground required it but refused to have his men leave their posts.
At the end of the siege, six British soldiers were injured seriously in the battle, the only fatality on the British side was Private Chris Rayment who died when a traffic barrier fell on his head, after the linkage was caught by a 'Pinky' (long-wheelbase Land Rover Wolf
Land Rover Wolf
The Land Rover Wolf is a military utility vehicle in service with UK Armed Forces and the Dutch Marine Corps. The vehicle is famous for being the primary utility vehicle of the British Army....
) which was entering the camp in a convoy, under heavy enemy fire.
Mahdi Army casualties at the end of the battle were estimated by the British to be at least 200 dead, leaving them as a seriously depleted force in Al Amarah, incapable of attacking the British in large numbers for the remainder of the coalition occupation of the town. CIMIC House was handed over to the Iraqis at the end of August 2004, with the British consolidating their forces in Camp Abu Naji.
Among the soldiers defending CIMIC house was a large contingent of Territorial Army soldiers who were mobilised to serve with the PWRR and QRL Battle Groups in April 2004. They included Territorial soldiers from the 52nd Lowland Regiment
52nd Lowland Regiment
The 52nd Lowland Regiment now forms the 6th Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, also known as 6 SCOTS. Due to its erstwhile association with the 1st Regiment of Foot, it is the senior Territorial line infantry battalion in the British Army...
and Soldiers from various different squadrons of the Royal Yeomanry
Royal Yeomanry
The Royal Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the Territorial Army consisting of five squadrons and a military band:*A Squadron *B Squadron...
regiment. Although these reservists contributed significantly to the defence of CIMIC house, their efforts were largely overshadowed by the regular PWRR (Y Company).
External links
- Details on the battle
- Discussion on the battle
- Video of the fighting
- View of CIMIC-House from Google Maps
Books on the siege