This is how it’s done:
Iranian naval forces in the Gulf tried to capture an Australian Navy boarding team but were vigorously repelled, the BBC has learned.
When Iranian Revolutionary Guards captured the British sailors and Royal Marines in March, it was not exactly their first attempt.
It turns out that Iranian forces made an earlier concerted attempt to seize a boarding party from the Royal Australian Navy.
The Australians, though, to quote one military source, “were having none of it”.
The BBC has been told the Australians re-boarded the vessel they had just searched, aimed their machine guns at the approaching Iranians and warned them to back off, using what was said to be “highly colourful language”.
The Iranians withdrew, and the Australians were reportedly lifted off the ship by one of their own helicopters.
The Brits were at a disadvantage as compared to the RAN boarding crew, caught by surprise and outgunned. The question they are no doubt asking themselves, in light of this new revelation, is why that should have been so.
How’s fuck off sound?
Well done to the boarding crew.
That said it is not necessarily a reflection on our brothers from the RN who, from all accounts, seemed to be hung out to dry.
Good to see our guys seem to have a decent ROE. I’d rather they light up some Iranians than be held captive as a bludgeon. Howard may be a useless prick but his foreign ideas aren’t too far off.
BTW- If anyone is offended by my last I might explain.
When invited to do something you do not wish to do… say… how abouts you turn the music off?
In that case How’s fuck off sound is a perfectly valid response.
Sim – I’m all for learning how to properly communicate in case I ever visit a new country. Glad to know the f-bomb is acceptable in Oz – not that I use it. Nope. Not me, I’m too much of a…oh never mind.
Shipmates,
As the son of an Australian immigrant, I concur with a hearty Bravo Zulu to the boyz from Oz.
Here in the states it’s be more of a “Git’r Done!” moment…
Respects,
Yeah, we tend to be a bit of what you lot would consider profane down here. I learnt my lesson living in Saint Louis.
Sim,
It’s alright, mate. Any nation that can make beer as good as you lot do is welcome anytime.
And it’s especially nice when you’ve got that Beccy Cole to listen to! WOW, is she good or what?
Cheers,
Lex … thank you for the lovely picture of SEALs frolicking on the beach.
Marianne Matthews
What AW1 Tim said.
FOSTERS, the sekrit weapon of Mighty Oz
The poor RN pommes apparently weren’t drinking the right kinda beer –or learning how to swear like proper sailors do …
And they would need a winch to bring onboard sailorette Lardass.
As quoted from a popular 80′something USN Recruiting Flick:
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“We were keeping up foreign relations”
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“You know, the finger!”
***
One question; why weren’t the RN guys told that the Iranians were trying this stuff? Or were they? And, if they were told, why weren’t they prepared for it?
Oh, yeah… Bravo Zulu to the RAN guys for doing it the way it should have been done. Colorful language indeed!
For the record, I’m not posting as “Zedascouves”, although similar thoughts have crossed my mind.
Jim-
As the author of the article lex posted put it:
“The point of this story is not that the Aussies were fantastically brave and the Brits were a bunch of cowards, although I’m sure some people will interpret [it that way],” he said.
“Lessons should have been drawn from what happened to the Australian crew.”
Anyone remember the old Monty Python skit where a 16th c. explorer’s skiff glides onto the beach. He steps out in his finest, plants some flag, and starts to declare, “In the name of Queen–”
Only to be rudely interrupted by a bunch of Aussies squat on the beach, hurling obscenities and those motor-oil cans of Fosters? “Bugger off, mate!”
Any skimmers here remember when some Iranian “pirates” in the late 1990s mistook the USS Blue Ridge, painted white, for a slow, fat steamer? Only, slow, fat steamers don’t carry .50 cals. Big, big mistake.
It is easy to condemn the UK sailors, when we don’t know the orders that they were operating under. For all we know the issue of what to do if approached by the Iranians was raised and that they were told not to do anything that would create an incident. As far as their conduct after they were captured goes you need to ask how much training they had in this area. I’m not sure about the current US Navy, but in the early 80′s all we had on the Code of Conduct was a one hour class in the middle of Boot Camp. I had no additional training until SERE school. These boarding crews were probably not a full time duty for their members, they were more of a collateral duty. I’ll take any and all bets that the majority of their training was in how to handle a weapon without shooting themselves or someone else. It is easy to sit here and second guess their conduct, but it isn’t fair to condemn them without knowing all of the circumstances involved. In 1986 my squadron was on the Forrestal in the Med. I was assigned to Shore Patrol duty in Naples. My assignment was to provide security to a bus running between Fleet Landing, AF South and NSA Naples. At the time there had been a few incidents including a bomb threat at NSA that wasn’t a threat, resulting in a need for higher security. I was told to report to the ship’s Master at Arms office to draw a weapon before reporting to Fleet Landing. The weapon I was issued was a .45 with a magazine welded into the butt. They wanted the look of armed security on the bus, but didn’t want to take a chance on an incident if the bus guard were to fire his weapon. This and other incidents on this cruise convinced me that our safety was secondary to the avoidance of any possible incident that might embarass the Navy or the US Government. With the current issues, in the UK, over the war in Iraq there is a need to wonder about how this incident happened.
Shipmate Collins,
With all due respect, it’s exactly that sort of attitude that got us where we are today, and that resulted in those RN boys and girls being captured.
Shoot first and worry about the consequences later. I’d rather be up on charges and have my men alive, then be tap-dancing like some sock-puppet for the cameras.
Respects,
Oh, I don’t condemn them so much as feel a bit embarrassed for them Jim. The Iranians had clearly been planning something along these lines and got the drop on the Brits. Dunno if it had been me whether I’d have been the first to start shooting, but I’d like to think they’d have had a hard time grabbing my tiller from me – make them try to head me off over and over again even as I worked my way back towards the ship. Make them demonstrate hostile intent.
The real head scratcher, as the article and some of the comments here have pointed out, is wondering how they got left unprepared, under-gunned and unsupported when the IRGCN had already demonstrated a track record for such foolishness. These guys were just at the end of the whip.
I agree with you 100% Tim, unfortunatly there are some people in positions of authority who are more concerned with their career or getting reelected than with doing what’s right. If these sailors had offered resistance and there was a fight, would their leadership back them up? When I first got into the Navy I was fortunate enough to have several officers and chiefs over me who I would have trusted to back me up in a situation like this, however later on I had several who were more interested in their next promotion or evaluation for me to trust. I have seen too many people do the right thing and then left hanging because the right thing wasn’t the popular or politically correct thing. Ask those Marines who are on trial now because of a biased article in Time magazine. Ask Scooter Libby.
The Aussies never were much for tomfoolery. The rules are a bit different with them apparently.
Good on ya, indeed.
Jim is probably right that being on a boarding team is a collateral duty. That’s another argument for beefing up the Coast Guard’s presence out there with TACLETs. Rumsfeld (sp?) didn’t like the Coasties being in theater but now that he’s gone….
Whoa!! I’m not saying anything about the Brits other than why weren’t they told about what the Iranians were doing? And, if they were told, why weren’t they prepared for it?
The conduct of the Brits prior to capture may have been questionable. What were their rules of engagement? What were their orders? Do we know for sure? We saw British Officials state that they acted appropriate to their situation. It’s what happened after the capture that seems to want ridicule. Many a military person has been left hung out to dry by their chain of command. Using colorful language is not just the realm of the RAN. Check out the response from the USS LIBERTY… http://www.counterpunch.org/stclair1126.html
Translation of witty ‘Strine phrases for future reference during boarding operations.
Whaddeva Yarekkon – I do not believe you are serious.
Farkorff Yacahns! – Please go away, you foolish individuals.
Gedthaduppya – I hope you enjoyed our demonstration of musketry.
mrkenmc,
I know this probably wasn’t your intention, but I would be really cautious about using a source that is so planely anti-semetic. I read the article that you linked, and it’s obvious that the author has no kind thoughts for Israel. In fact, due to the clear bias against Israel, I would really question the accuracy of the article as a whole.
Jim C
Jim C,
Thanks. You’re right, poor choice of source. I didn’t pay enough attention to the site, just read the article. One of the crew of LIBERTY from during that attack told pretty much the same story recently on a local radio talk show. My interest was only in the crews reaction. They didn’t snivel, surrender or take home a box of chocolates. The reason for the attach or the chain of commands response were topics for other discussions.
I’m not anti-anything. Well, except for maybe people who drive to fast while eating a burger and text messaging (especially if they are behind me). I’ll be more careful looking for sources in the future.
Ken
1 quick clarification…
I’m not anti-_________ (fill in a group of people).
There is definitely a list of philosophies, policies, and actions that I am against.
Just my 2 cents, but in the Brit situation the warship ship was, way too far away from the boarding team. In ever single boarding situation that I have been involved in we were pretty darned close to the object vessel with a helo on the other side. The Brits had a helo originally but it was detached to pursue other items of business after the initial boarding took place. They got ambushed and were out-gunned. Just a chain of errors – remove any one of them and it doesn’t happen. Good for a lessons learned though.