AAC Pilot shot but lands ok in Iraq [Archive]

Lynx206

10th Nov 2004, 21:34

I have just seen the following on TimesOnline:

Two soldiers hurt in Iraq attacks

Two British soldiers have been injured, one seriously, in separate attacks close to the Camp Dogwood military base, south of Baghdad. The Ministry of Defence said a Lynx helicopter pilot was badly wounded when his aircraft came under small arms fire on a mission at 11.20am local time. A spokesman said the Army Air Corps soldier was transferred by US helicopter to a military hospital in Baghdad and confirmed that his family have been informed.

Does anyone have any further information?

Helicopter pilot injured in Iraq

The Lynx pilot was able to fly the helicopter back to Camp Dogwood
A Lynx helicopter pilot has been seriously wounded in an attack in Iraq, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
The Army Air Corps helicopter was hit by three rounds at an undisclosed location at 1120 local time.

He has been taken to a US military hospital in Baghdad and his family have been informed.

Meanwhile, a Black Watch soldier suffered non life-threatening injuries in a mortar attack on Camp Dogwood.

An MoD spokesman said: "The pilot was wounded, but his co-pilot was unharmed and able to fly the helicopter safely back to Camp Dogwood.

"A US helicopter transferred the man to their military hospital in Baghdad.

"Though we can\'t be certain of his precise condition, his family have been informed."

- Coutesy of BBC Online News

Governormalfunction

10th Nov 2004, 22:00

Go to Mil Aircrew, there's a whole load of info on there.

SilsoeSid

11th Nov 2004, 09:30

A multi-national crew by all accounts!

sarboy w****r

11th Nov 2004, 10:10

Silsoesid,

Do you know if it was a British national that was injured in the incident? I know the only non-Brit Lynx pilot there, that's all.

SBW

X-QUORK

11th Nov 2004, 12:20

Is it likely that a name will be given?

Chicken Leg

11th Nov 2004, 14:12

He is a British National and thankfully his injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

Isn't it amazing though that within minutes of this incident being announced, some people are looking for someone up top to blame.

QUOTE:
The injuries sustained start me wondering about kit availability. Lets hope it's not yet another round of 'chest armour / Arm'd seats not available'.

We're at war for crying out loud. These unfortunate type of incidents happen. It doesn't always have to be deficiencies or poor kit or insufficient training that resulted in somebody getting hurt. Maybe it was the fault of the man who actually aimed the weapon and pulled the trigger!
:mad:
Now that's a radical thought.

SilsoeSid

11th Nov 2004, 17:15

Info from 'the other site'.
-----------------
Something else happened. Not allowed to post the other incident info.
'Other site' now also edited :suspect:
--------------------

SS.

MarkD

11th Nov 2004, 18:10

No Mi-24s available? Plenty of armour on those beasties... Anything in the inventories of the Eastbloc new best friends of W?

northernmonkey

11th Nov 2004, 18:16

Silsoe.... wasn't that sent to you confidentially via PM / E-mail?

Why is it everyone else managed to keep a lid on it like requested, yet you have to spurt it all over the internet.

SilsoeSid

11th Nov 2004, 18:37

northern monkey,

That was an open forum reply that I posted. I see now that it has been edited over there.

As I gather you all have been told to keep quiet about it I shall edit my previous post.

I did not know about the action after the 'shooting incident' until it was posted on the other site.
Perhaps your own house needs to be put in order!

Regards,

SS

Governormalfunction

11th Nov 2004, 18:50

Chicken Leg,

"We're at war for crying out loud."

I thought the war was over, and we were keeping the peace?

Does that make them fair game? Just a thought......

SilsoeSid

11th Nov 2004, 19:44

northern monkey;Why is it everyone else managed to keep a lid on it like requested, yet you have to spurt it all over the internet.

From todays online 'Squaddies favourite' paper;
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004522353,00.html

------------

"The Army Lynx helicopter was raked with gunfire on a trip from Dogwood to Baghdad.

The chopper’s brave co-pilot narrowly averted disaster by regaining control of the stricken aircraft and landing it back at the Scots regiment’s HQ.

Rebel fighters used the cover of dense palm trees ten miles north-east of the base to attack the Lynx as it flew overhead at 100ft.

Troops in and around Camp Dogwood were also bombarded in four separate missile and mortar strikes.

A first barrage of four rockets exploded inside the compound around 2.15pm and a soldier was hit by shrapnel in the arm.

The attack also left a Lynx helicopter on the ground badly damaged"

-----------------

Todays Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1353535,00.html

Camp Dogwood was struck by four missile and mortar attacks yesterday.

The soldier was hit by shrapnel when the first barrage of four rockets exploded inside the camp. A second Lynx helicopter was badly damaged on the base’s main helicopter landing site.

--------------------------

Daily Record
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=14858297&method=full&siteid=89488&headline=scots-guards-go-in-name_page.html

One soldier was hit by shrapnel in the arm during the first barrage. The same impact left a second Lynx helicopter on the ground badly damaged.

----------------------------

Keeping a lid on it! Tell the press!
Then again, SS is always the easy target! :mad:

SilsoeSid

12th Nov 2004, 00:11

A well educated reply from one of the AACs finest!

An Attack Helicopter Pilot after a year in the job. :confused:
Or are you making it all up on previous posts........

30 Dec 2003 "I'm a (training) Army Pilot "
01 Feb 2004 "I'm an AAC officer and I did not join the Army to fly."
09 Nov 2004 Attended Attack Pilots Dinner.

.....or simply a wannabee?

The point missed, Rotary Pongo, is that I was chastised for mentioning the Lynx being mortared at Dogwood, when some thought this was privileged information. Nothing to do with the injuries sustained.
As you can see this information is available freely on t'internet.

Obviously RP has just got back from town, telling everyone who will listen, he is an Apache Pilot. Not realising that the fair maidens of Andover are used to Pilots being in their midst and that he would never be able to compete with the legacy left by numerous Lynx crews who have gone before him. ;) :yuk:

Another Rotary Pongoism;
"9 Feb 2004 "Banter is amusing...abuse is not."
Do as I say, not as I do :=

Another for the bandwagon eh RP.

Sleep tight,

SS

Always_broken_in_wilts

12th Nov 2004, 00:26

Keep the post's coming SS, your retoric whilst shooting down twerps and "outing wannabee's" is a joy to read:ok:

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

Lynx206

12th Nov 2004, 05:33

Aussie pilot lands UK Helo after attack

An Australian Army pilot serving on exchange with the British Army in Iraq has safely landed a helicopter in which he was the co-pilot after it was hit by small arms fire south of Baghdad on Wednesday morning (10 November).

Captain Scott Watkins took control of the British Army Lynx helicopter after the British pilot was injured in the attack.

The aircraft was hit by three rounds of small arms fire while flying in support of the British Black Watch Battle Group south of Baghdad.

After taking control of the helicopter, Captain Watkins was able to land it safely at a Coalition base, Camp Dogwood south of Baghdad. The injured British pilot was then immediately evacuated to a Coalition military hospital in Baghdad where he is receiving treatment.

Captain Watkins was unhurt in the attack.

Captain Watkins is serving with the United Kingdom Joint Helo Force, Multi-National Division – South East which is based in Basra in southern Iraq.

He is more than a year into a two-year exchange posting with the British Army Aviation Corps. Before going to the United Kingdom, Captain Watkins served with the Australian Army’s 161 Reconnaissance Squadron based in Darwin, Northern Territory.

He has been in Iraq for just over two months. Captain Watkins said his tasks in Iraq were varied.

"Tasks range from flying people to different locations around the area of operations, to doing a bit of overhead protection for convoy moves and trying to provide an eye in the sky on operations in Basra and other places," Captain Watkins said.

The Commander of Australian Forces in Iraq and the Middle East Area of Operations, Brigadier Peter Hutchinson, said the best wishes of all Australians were with the British pilot injured in the incident.

Brigadier Hutchinson said that Captain Watkins was one of two Australian Army members serving on exchange with British units in southern Iraq. Neither of these two is serving directly with the Black Watch Battle Group deployed south of Baghdad.

A further seven Australian Army officers are serving in various staff positions with the Headquarters of the Multi-National Division – South East which based in Basra.

There are approximately 920 Australian Defence Force personnel deployed throughout the Middle East Area of Operations as part of the Australia’s commitment to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Iraq. Of these, about 250 are based inside Iraq.

Governormalfunction

12th Nov 2004, 07:06

SS,

As always a most entertaining reply......are those flames I can see squirting out of the arse end of Rotary Pongo?

Army Officer eh? WOW.....he must be good!

Keep 'em coming SS.

Gov.

Anton Meyer

12th Nov 2004, 09:17

Please guys, no more bickering.

The main thing is the individual concerned is well. If you know him, he will tell you the facts of the story over a cold one sooner than you think, and he has the evidence to prove it.

I must say though, I was amazed at how quickly the news - and several important pieces of information - got out so soon.

Please, for the sake of future individuals and those trying to manage the incident, could the flow of gen wait for 24 hrs?

SilsoeSid

12th Nov 2004, 11:45

Anton, I respect what you are trying to say. However I think you'll find that most of us do not post anything here that is not already available from other public means, for obvious reasons, as per your last sentence.

When you say;
"I must say though, I was amazed at how quickly the news - and several important pieces of information - got out so soon."
You'll actually be stunned how quickly the news is found out in the first place!

Lets not forget the Sky/BBC/Reuters/Indy etc. reporters that are in theatre, sending this stuff back home.

Regards,

SS

(Rotary Pongo I see is trying to rustle up some more 'insurgents' from 'the other site').:suspect:

Thud_and_Blunder

12th Nov 2004, 11:50

What other site is this that you speak of, Sid? Wouldn't be the one that sounds like the plural of the 18th letter of the alphabet, by any chance? Can't be bothered to taint my monitor with the drivel over there, be a good chap and post us a precis will you?

Ta ever so :ok: :E

Rotary Pongo

12th Nov 2004, 12:11

SS

Do you really not have anything better than to do?

Who ever said I was AH?

Shame, what was it about getting your facts right. I'd love to go through all the rude, obnoxious stuff you keep putting on here and ARRSE but unfortunately I have friends and a life.

Anton Meyer

12th Nov 2004, 13:04

SS,

I was only really referring to the medical Listing posting.

All I can add is that the individual concerned stated that there was all sorts of info flying around after the Lynx crash a few weeks ago and it led to distress for the NOK.

I know for a fact that that didn't happen on this occasion, but we cannot let it happen again. EVER.

SilsoeSid

12th Nov 2004, 13:37

T & B,
Sorry, I don't think the good folk here deserve the indignity of seeing the bigoted drivel from the site of the 18th plural.

R.P.
Probably. But not at the moment. ;)
As you claim to have attended the Attack pilots Dinner, it would seem logical that you would lay claim to being an Attack Pilot. Why else were you there?
Unfortunately your friends and the life you say you have, may not be so sturdy as you would like to think. If your life and friends are there, why are YOU here? Walter (Mitty). :suspect:
Any rude and obnoxious stuff that you may think I have put here, (the other site is of no consequence here), is purely your own opinion. Perhaps it is posted to get a reaction. :{

Anton,
Point taken.

SS

Sloppy Link

12th Nov 2004, 18:50

SS creating chaos again, imagine my surprise. He must be on shift again.

sitting_duck

12th Nov 2004, 23:01

It is very good news that right hand seat is on the mend and not as bad as was thought. Big chuck up to Scott and Im sure there was a DG in the back who did sterling work too. I for one will buy them all a crate of wife beater on their return. Safe flying and happy returns to the remainder. I just hope we dont hear or see anymore excitement with the Corps in this excursion. Good luck all.

*
To fill a couple of gaps regarding SS

I take it you were some passed over SSgt

RP, he didnt reach the giddy heights of that rank. You too can be proud of achieving Sgt after 22+ years!!!! He was even a very late Sgt too from what I hear. Not sure if it was even Sub rank. Not exactly on flight levels when it comes to high flying. Could it be because he was a lazy over opinionated fat knacker whos BFT time was recorded on a calender? The thought of passing or even attending a senior cadre made him break into a barrage of down graded excuses and reasons why he was better than his peers without being able to produce the required results. I can understand why he feels bitter on his leaving the service as almost everyone who joined after him who saw him as a Cpl, gained at least two ranks on him while he was still the same rank 10 years later.

To be heard in the SS household;
'Daddy, what did you do in the war?'
'Never went but have a disgruntled and bitter opinion on everything and am confused why Im 'misunderstood' by everyone except my butt buddy, ABIW'.

SS, btw im not one from the plural of the 18th letter, just a long standing 'observer' who has decided to post now, before you kick off with your usual diatrade of Pferd Scheiße.

SilsoeSid

12th Nov 2004, 23:19

Excellent SD,

Nice to see you made it here at last.

Obviously I have at some stage upset you, before or after I left the service I'm not too sure.

I respect your opinion of me, as that is all it is, your opinion.

As far as my leaving as a Sgt is concerned, it is clear that you are more affected by it than I am.
Oh and it was Sub by the way.;)

BFT times recorded on a calendar:confused:
Well, it's the PT Corps that decide which 'calendar' that would be used and if they set a pass mark and I succeed, what is the problem there?
After all being an ex APTI there was a time that I may have even taken you for your BFT. :ok:

I have at no time during my Mil career been downgraded for anything and have always produced the results required, I question if we have worked together?

The fact that others passed me on their way up does/did not embitter me.
Consider this, that I may have passed on my experiences to assist them in doing so. Is that such a bad thing to have done? I don't think so.

As for not having gone to war.
I'm sure that you will know as much as anyone, that is all down to which unit you are serving with at the time and which unit is sent. The two don't necessarily match up.
I don't remember seeing too many stories about people screaming to move units to enable them to go to war. (Although there is a tale of one guy who took leave and stowed away on a boat to the Falklands. An Air Tech I believe.) Those that went were told that their unit was off. There were no preference of posting papers going around as far as I'm aware.

During the Falklands, I was in Canada with my unit.
During Gulf 1, I was on exercise, with my unit.
I was in Kuwait for Op Driver that turned into an exercise, with my unit.
During actions in Bosnia/Kosovo, I was somewhere around the world, with my unit.
During Sierra Leone, I was in Germany, with my unit.
During Gulf 2, I was a civi.
During present actions, I am still a civi.

As you can see, my units weren't asked to go. Nothing I can do about that,is there? :confused:
I did manage to go to these places, but they'd stopped fighting by then.

I guess I was setting myself up for this kind of attack, quite rightly so.
After all, if I can't take it then I shouldn't be handing it out, should I!

Thank you for sharing your opinion.

Kind Regards,

SS

edited to enable posting in small chunks

sitting_duck

12th Nov 2004, 23:26

Problem reading SS? Ive been an avid reader here for years. The only problem I have is continually seeing your utter tosh postings on this invaluable site. Every village has one I suppose. Trouble is, every village has SS as theirs.

Do you actually read anything prior to posting messages or are you happy with everyone thinking you are a Black and Decker?

Away with you. Will try harder to bite lip and not allow SS types to mar my enjoyment of pprune.

SilsoeSid

13th Nov 2004, 06:55

SF;

Seems like you are involved.

It is clear that we have a differing opinion on Bosnia, as during my tour it just seemed like we were running a taxi service mainly from Sarajevo to Banja Luka, with the odd trip to Zagreb.

In our case, the body armour was still in the stores back in Germany, as the threat wasn't considered to be there. FACT!
This was made clear when I asked for it prior to a task to Sebrinica.

I guess the medal was for flying a Mk9 back to UK via Pisa, Nice and Lyon.

Still, I guess we all have opinions.

SS

cobaltfrog

13th Nov 2004, 15:48

Jesus, I thought Eastenders and Coronation street were bad!!
:ok:

Governormalfunction

13th Nov 2004, 18:45

Cobalt,

Sit back and take it all in, it's gonna get worse before it gets any better!

northernmonkey

13th Nov 2004, 19:18

Silsoe is our resident Blanch Hunt
http://www.corrie.net/profiles/characters/hunt_blanche5.gif

And I imagine ABIW to be a bit of a Gareth Keenan

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38673000/jpg/_38673957_keenan.jpg

Daedal_oz

13th Sep 2005, 22:14

Australian pilot's cool under fire wins DFC
By Frank Walker
September 11, 2005

AN AUSTRALIAN army officer is to be awarded Britain's Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery in taking control of a British helicopter while under heavy fire in Iraq.

Major Scott Watkins was on secondment to the famed British Black Watch regiment south of Baghdad last November when the helicopter he was co-piloting came under machine-gun fire from the ground.

At least three rounds struck the Lynx helicopter, one of the bullets ripping into the cockpit and hitting the pilot, Captain Keith Reesby.

Watkins, a captain at the time, took the controls and flew the helicopter through heavy fire for six minutes to get back to base.

Later he modestly dismissed his swift action as just doing his duty, but the Black Watch commander said he saved the life of his crew.

Watkins, 34, said his helicopter flew into the path of bullets aimed at a Puma helicopter that was flying ahead of them.

"I thought the bullets had come through the floor," he said. "What had actually happened was that we were banking hard to the right and they had come through the window. My gunner saw two guys in a trench firing up from 100 to 200 metres away.

It was extraordinarily unlucky. We have Kevlar seats and Kevlar protection at the sides. There is a five-centimetre gap between and that is what one of the bullets went through."

Two more bullets damaged instruments, making flying hard as Watkins weaved and dodged rocket-propelled grenades fired from the ground.

"We fly low to avoid giving people on the ground too much time to prepare an attack," he said. "But I'm afraid there are so many people on the ground with guns that something like this will happen."

The wounded Black Watch pilot was a close friend of Watkins. A bullet passed through Captain Reesby's arm into his chest, narrowly missing his heart, but the helicopter's swift return to base saved him.

The Chief of the Army, Lieutenant-General Peter Leahy, yesterday congratulated Watkins on the award, which will be presented soon.

Watkins had proved himself to be a cool and courageous pilot, General Leahy said.

The Royal Air Force award is the third-highest British military award for bravery. It is rare for it to be given to an army officer.

Watkins' wife, Karen, was four months pregnant at the time. She was at a British army base in Germany with their 2½-year-old daughter, Brienna, as her husband was in the last six months of a two-year secondment to the Black Watch.

(Comment: actually, he was on exchange to the AAC.)

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/09/10/pilot_courage_narrowweb__200x243.jpg

wg13_dummy

13th Sep 2005, 22:31

Fantastic news that Scotty is getting a gong! Well done that Aussie.

(....was in the last six months of a two-year secondment to the Black Watch.....

Its great to see Journo research is on par as usual!)

Two's in

14th Sep 2005, 02:46

Well, the real uplifting story (as always) is that in the midst of genuinely stirring tales of derring-do, true professionalism, and the sort of operational flying we would all aspire to, Sid and Doris Bonkers from the Army Aeroplane Club give everyone who ever wanted a shot at us to just shake their heads sadly and smile wryly.

ChristopherRobin

14th Sep 2005, 06:35

eh? you'll have to explain that one, two's in.

The Helpful Stacker

14th Sep 2005, 07:03

You'll actually be stunned how quickly the news is found out in the first place!

Lets not forget the Sky/BBC/Reuters/Indy etc. reporters that are in theatre, sending this stuff back home.

Indeed.

Its always amazed me the restrictions placed upon service personnel in theatre when anything 'dodgy' happen ("so I won't be phoning my wife to let her know it wasn't me blown up today then?") when it seems the in bedded media types just head to the EFI, keep their ears to the ground then send back via sat phone everything they hear. In fact 9 times out of 10 they knew what was happening before we did.

I understand the reasons behind such restrictions but in the time when every other person has a mobile phone that works out there and all the press are running around with all-singing all-dancing sat phones IMO its a bit of a wasted effort really. All it creates is worry in the families of those who can't use a mobile to let them know everything is alright.

Oh, and good effort to the Aussie pilot for bringing the Lynx back safely.

SASless

14th Sep 2005, 09:00

If you want to read about a real "Gutsy" pilot.....the link below will take you to a story about a Blackhawk Pilot that got hit by an RPG. I saw this pilot on Television the other night in a program about Soldiers recovering from their wounds.

To say this Soldier is an example to the rest of us is an understatement....I have never seen such private courage and sheer raw spirit as I saw during that interview and video.

Take a moment to read the article.....it is worth it.

Our current generation of war fighters are doing us proud....my hat is off to them all.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Mar/17/ln/ln01p.html

Nimbus265

15th Sep 2005, 09:57

This is really great to see..... but a quick PS on the end....let's also not forget the actions of the medics at Dogwood who tended to the crew immediately after the incident, who's quick and thoroughly proffesional actions typically go unrecognised. (Mrs Nimbus265 was one of them!)

Daedal_oz

15th Sep 2005, 14:47

let's also not forget the actions of the medics at Dogwood who tended to the crew immediately after the incident, who's quick and thoroughly proffesional actions typically go unrecognised. (Mrs Nimbus265 was one of them!)

Quite right too.

Mate, she is a bloody champion...and you are a lucky bastard!:)

Arthur's Wizard

17th Sep 2005, 12:52

I concur with most of the posts above.

Silsoe Sid is indeed a prat!:rolleyes:

SilsoeSid

18th Sep 2005, 09:57

Merlin; Arthurs Wizard - Member for a year and 5 posts. First post, you guessed it, Global Eagle!! :suspect:
Silsoe Sid is indeed a prat!
I wonder why this is.
Is it because I;

Updated pprune viewers with gen on thread title "AAC Pilot shot but lands ok in Iraq", from the site of the 18th plural and the press reports?

Or because I said;
"The injuries sustained start me wondering about kit availability. Lets hope it's not yet another round of 'chest armour / Arm'd seats not available'."

Based on my experience in Bosnia and there not being any body armour available to myself or crew?

From my earlier post;
"In our case, the body armour was still in the stores back in Germany, as the threat wasn't considered to be there. FACT!
This was made clear when I asked for it prior to a task to Sebrinica."

May I remind you that British Squaddies are still dying because the kit to protect them is not being issued.
I refer to IR jammers for neutralising roadside bombs!! Link (http://www.sundayherald.com/51792) Link2 (http://scotlandtoday.scottishtv.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1_1_1&newsid=8935)

One newspaper report suggested the equipment request was turned down because the kit was unavailable, when in fact the base at Basra had stocks of the equipment waiting and ready to be used.

But then again I'm sure you must have your own reasons to name call SS.

As an aside, may I ask you to read the WHOLE thread before making your profound statements, Ta!

Have a lovely day,
SS