Capt Blakeley in low pro kit on a mission in Iraq.
His small team of nine men was sent forward to recce Qalat Sikar airfield, 120km north of Nasiriyah, during the invasion of Iraq. Their task was to check its suitability as a LZ for Paratroopers. Relying on US intelligence, they were stunned to suddenly find themselves in the middle of an Iraqi camp, Capt Blakeley explained: “They didn’t do anything because it was so outrageous. They didn’t expect us to suddenly move through their position.”
The Iraqi’s soon recovered their wits and hit back. They watched as the headlights of 15 pick up trucks, each carrying a dozen of Iraq's feared Fedayeen, drove past and realised they were trapped behind enemy lines.
The team was alone and surrounded. They had to fight their way back through five ambushes, past Iraqi bunkers and machine gun positions, with RPG’s flying over them: “It was like Star Wars. The intensity of fire was like nothing I have ever seen. We were stupidly lucky.” Saved by incredible luck and valour two members of the team would earn Military Crosses.
When they tried to call for air support “I was told instantly by a senior officer there was no air. It was like swallowing acid. They didn’t say wait out, we were not told they would try. The team ‘asked again for combat recovery’ but I was told again there was nothing available. It was crushing, devastating. We were totally on our own, abandoned.”
Fortunately they were able to fight their way back to American positions, their vehicles riddled with shrapnel and bullet holes. Capt Blakeley had one through his trouser leg while another soldier had a round embedded in the pistol on his chest. They passed on grid references on all the Iraqi units they had encountered to the US Marines.
“The mission had failed but we had done our damnedest. I was “interviewed without coffee” and asked why I had continued, given the situation in Nasiriyah. When I thought of these amazing guys and what we had contributed to the intelligence picture, I was shaking with anger.”
Captain Blakely recounts his experiences in his book “Pathfinder – A Special Forces Mission Behind Enemy Lines.”
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