This is a list some the British
forces that served in Sierra Leone. It is NOT our intention to ignore
any unit which served. We wish to get the facts correct and produce
a accurate list of all the units who served. If you find your unit is not
mentioned below please take a moment to fill out the form below. We wish
to get the facts correct.
Please
check that the unit is not already listed below before you submit
Please click here if you are looking for old comrades or information on relatives/friends activities while with the armed forces. Any submission using this form which has obviously not read the FAQ will be deleted.
Commander of British Forces in Sierra Leone: Brigadier David Richards
Royal Navy
Name
Pennant
Number
Class
HMS
Illustrious
(R06)
Invincible Class Aircraft Carrier, arrived off Freetown on 12th May 2000 and returned to Portsmouth, arriving 14th June 2000.
HMS
Ocean
(L12)
Ocean
Class Helicopter Assault Ship, Amphibious Ready Group arrived 15th May 2000? and left for the UK on 21st June 2000.
HMS
Argyll
(F231)
Duke
Class (Type 23) Frigate, arrived on station off Freetown 14th May 2000 and was relieved by HMS Iron Duke on 30th September 2000.
HMS
Iron Duke
(F234)
Duke
Class (Type 23) Frigate, took over from HMS Argyll on 30th September 2000 off Freetown. HMS Iron Duke returned in March 2003 as part of Operation Keeling.
HMS
Norfolk
(F230)
Duke
Class (Type 23) Frigate, Norfolk was the ship that landed the rescue squad for president Kabbah, who was evacuated out to the ship for his own safety. We were the first ship to attend the conflict, re routed from a nato northern hemisphere exercise. We landed the close protection and intellegence squad who had to land in appalling conditions (corpses everywhere). Those lads were there to see the aftermath of the straffing of rebels hiding amongst civillians by ecomog forces. We were relieved about (?) 8 weeks later by HMS Richmond, we then continued onto the norforlant exercises, The ships helicopter was getting constant missile lock alarms, and the ships boats were fired upon (accidently ) by Nigerian (ecomog) friendly forces. Thanks to David Gill for this entry.
HMS
Chatham
(F87)
Broadsword
(Type 22) Class Frigate, Amphibious Ready Group arrived 15th May 2000? left for the UK on 21st June 2000.
RFA
Fort Austin
(A386)
Fort
Grange Class Fleet Replenishment Ship
RFA
Sir Bedivere
(L3004)
Sir
Bedivere Class Logistic Landing Ship, Amphibious Ready Group arrived 15th May 2000? left for the UK on 21st June 2000.
RFA Sir Percivale
(L3036)
Sir
Bedivere Class Logistic Landing Ship
RFA
Sir Tristam
(L3505)
Sir
Bedivere Class Logistic Landing Ship, Amphibious Ready Group arrived 15th May 2000 left for the UK on 21st June 2000.
A number
of aircraft are deployed aboard these vessels including
Sea
King ASW and AEW Helicopters
801 Naval Air Squadron, 7 x Sea Harrier FA2's on HMS Illustrious
3 (F) Squadron, RAF, 6 x Harrier GR7's on HMS Illustrious
847 Naval Air Squadron, 2 x Royal Navy Lynx ASW Helicopters
847 Naval Air Squadron, 2 x Royal Marine Gazelle Helicopters
Royal Marines
42 Commando
Royal Marines, onboard HMS Ocean as part of Amphibious Ready Group arrived 15th May 2000? left for the UK on 21st June 2000.
Two Fleet Protection Rifle Teams were deployed to HMS Iron Duke and from the ship to Sierra Leone in March 2003 as part of Operation Keeling.
Special Boat Service
539 Assault Squadron 20 Commando Battery, Royal Artillery, deployed on Op Palliser May 2000. 22 strong, under the command of 2lt Jason Rees. Scored well, captured 15 west side boys and recovered 4 long barralled weapons after fire fight from the island of Pepel. Later reports insisted that 42 commando took all the glory. 20 commando battery has never been honoured for it's outstanding achievement and contribution to op Palliser. 20 battery has now been disbanded. Thanks to all those who served with 20 Commando Battery.
Deployed as part part of L Coy, 42 Cdo RM. Our role was OPs Coy and it involved a 12 day turn around with 12 Hrs admin on board HMS Ocean after every evolution. It was split into 3 day blocks, carrying out 3 days Helo, Foot,Vehicle and Boat patrols. My unit captured after alot of conflict 15 Westside boys and numerous weapons. What a tour Hoofin.
British Army
Infantry 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment, arrived in Sierra Leone on 8th May 2000
D Company GP, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment. Deployed as part of 1 Para battlegroup onto the Aberdeen Penninsula throught deployment on 8th May and returned on 25th May 2000.
1st Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment 1st Battalion the Prince of Wales Own Regiment relieved by Royal Gurkha Rifles in December 2000.
2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment based at Benguema infantry training centre as part of the Military Advisory and Training Team (MATT), relieved by Royal Irish Regiment on 22nd July 2000.
The Royal Welch Fusiliers.
1st Battalion, The Light Infantry, arrived ? and relieved by 2nd Battalion in May 2000.
2nd Battalion, The Light Infantry, relieved 1st Battalion in May 2000.
1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets. November 2001 to January 2002.
2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, relieved The Prince of Wales Own Regiment in December 2000. The Royal Ghurka Rifles returned in March 2003 as part of Operation Keeling.
Special Air Service
Royal Regiment of Artillery. 29 Commando Regt Royal Artillery, onboard HMS Ocean as part of Amphibious Ready Group atatched to 42 Commando arrived 15th May 2000? left for the UK on 21st June 2000.
Royal Engineers 1 Troop, 10 Field Squadron; deployed as part of spearhead as engineer support to the gurkas in 2003 on OP Keeling under the command of Capt. Will Macdonald based in wellington Bks freetown before deploying to the diamond fields on op pebu in support of IMATT. Thanks to Neal Lindon for this entry.
33 Engineer Regiment (EOD) 61 Field Support Squadron, A Troop minus from 61 Fd Sp Sqn deployed to Sierra Leone on 22 Jul 00 with C Coy 1 R Irish Regt (yes the infamous unit that had 11 men taken hostage on Fri 25 Aug 00 by the Westside Boys). The RE Tp Comd was Capt Mark Mortimore (an ex RSM LE officer), I was the Tp SSgt. The troop was based out of Benguema Trg Camp along with C Coy and provided Cbt Engr Sp and life sp engineering to the Coy Group (and later on to SAS Tps at Hastings) I could tell you a whole load more about the events surrounding the Recce Patrol (Commanded by Maj Alan Marshal who was OC C Coy !!) that left Benguema on the morning of 25 Aug 00 and failed to return......but I'll save that for another day. Thanks to Duncan Machell for this entry.
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Royal Army Medical Corps 12 squadron, 3 Close Support Medical Regt RAMC sent a small paarty of medics on op keeling in 2003. The detachment was led by Lt Chris Howe, with Sgt Daz Bate and a few other soldiers. Medical support was provided on Op Pebu by L/Cpl Davies, and the majority of the troop were based in Freetown with the Gurkhas.
24 Squadron, 3 Close Support Medical Regt RAMC A small detachment of combat medcal technicians deployed in June 2000, in support of the 2 Royal Anglian training team in Benguema.
16 close support medical regiment 16 CSMR deployed with 1 para on 8 may 2000 a section plus supported the insertion. 18 medicas and doctore stayed when 1 para withdrew and 42 cdo arrived the last remainng medics from 16 CSMR withdrew 6 weeks later./font>
Royal Signals
Royal Logistics Corps 17 Port and Maritime Regimentt (mexe troop) without mexe troop nothing would have moved! duration of tour 2000 to 2001.
,b>50 Movement Control Squadron, 29 Regiment RLC,/b>, deployed on Op Palliser as part of the 1 Para BG (spearhead Movements Detachment) on 6 may 2000. Were actually on the 3rd Herc in to theatre! Remained in Lunghi airport for the full tour, where we supported first 1 Para, then 3 Cdo, then 2 Royal Anglian. Detacment consisted of 1 Capt (me), 1 Sgt (Colwell), 1 Cpl (Bagnall), 1 LCpl (Wallace) and 1 Pte (Giorgione). Wallace and Giorgione later moved to Dakar to sp the FOB. Can't remember the exact dates we left, but we spent approximately 3 1/2 months in theatre. Both LCpl Wallace and myself had only just returned from Sierra Leone 6 weeks prior, having spent 3 1/2 months on Op Turner with the UN, another short notice Spearhead deployment..
Adjutant Generals Corps
Intelligence Corps 2nd Military Intelligence Battalion, Intelligence Corps 2 MI Bn supplied a number of individuals from different Sections across the UK to man the Military Intelligence Detachment during Op Basilica and Op Barras. The detachment initially worked out of Seaview House then moved to DHQ in Cockerel Barracks when the JTFHQ deployed under Op Silkman in Oct/Nov 2000.
Army Air Corps 2 Army Lynx Mk 7 Helicopters)
Royal Air
Force
Four Chinook
HC2s (Joint Helicopter Command)
24 Squadron, Eight Hercules C-130
II Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment
United Kingdom Mobile Air Movements Squadron (UKMAMS), Initially based in Dakar, UKMAMS deployed a 4-man team forward to Lunghi on the first C-130 to deploy 1 Para on 8 May 00. This team remained at the airport and was based on the far side of the runway, on the rectangular strip at the edge of the jungle. The 4 were then augmented 4 days later by another 4 personnel and then relocated to the VIP suite, on the terminal side of the airfield, which also became home for 7 Sqn (RAF) and 2 individuals from Tactical Medical Wing (TMW). UKMAMS mounted 24 hr operations from Lunghi from 8 May 00 until after the roulement of the paras.
Tactical Police and Security Services (RAF), An RAF Police detachment was in Sierra Leone Freetown airport for 10 weeks from the onset of Pallister as Air Transport Security. Thansk to Ben Skipper for this entry.
