[Media-watch] Army refuses to comment on Black Watch CO's emails - BBC and Daily Telegraph - 6/11/2004

[Julie-ann Davies]

 Army e-mails 'express concerns'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3988495.stm

The British Army has refused to comment on e-mails reportedly sent by the 
Black Watch's commanding officer expressing concern at his regiment's 
redeployment.

The soldiers were moved from Basra in southern Iraq to an area near Baghdad, 
where they have suffered three deaths.

Lt Col James Cowan said he expected "every lunatic terrorist from miles 
around to descend on us like bees to honey", the Daily Telegraph reported.

He also said: "I hope the government knows what it has got itself into.

"I'm not sure they fully appreciate the risks."

The 1st Battalion of the Black Watch formed a large part of the 850-strong 
deployment which replaced US marines at Camp Dogwood, 20 miles (32km) from 
Baghdad, eight days ago.

But a combined suicide and mortar attack on Thursday killed three soldiers 
and injured eight more.

'Grimly prophetic'

The Telegraph reported Lt Col Cowan as saying: "The marines we have taken 
over from have taken nine dead and 197 wounded since July. I hope we do 
better."

BBC correspondent Ben Brown said the army refused to confirm the reports, 
saying they would not comment on private e-mails.

Our correspondent added that if the e-mails are genuine they are proving to 
be "grimly prophetic".

The latest attack brings to 73 the number of UK military personnel killed in 
Iraq - 31 of those as a result of enemy attacks.

The Black Watch battle group comprises 500 men and 50 Warrior armoured 
fighting vehicles.

_____________

Telegraph Piece

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/06/wirq06.xml


Black Watch CO voiced fears
By Michael Smith, Defence Correspondent
(Filed: 06/11/2004)

The commanding officer of the Black Watch was the author of a series of 
e-mails, disclosed by The Daily Telegraph last week, that expressed concern 
over the decision to redeploy it hundred of miles north to replace US 
marines preparing for the assault on Fallujah.

Further details of the e-mails, from within the regiment, show that Lt Col 
James Cowan was also concerned about the effect on the soldiers' families.



The e-mails said the regiment expected "every lunatic terrorist from miles 
around to descend on us like bees to honey".

This assessment proved to be correct when three of his men and their Iraqi 
interpreter died in Thursday's suicide bombing.

The Ministry of Defence named the dead soldiers as Sgt Stuart Gray, 31, Pte 
Paul Lowe, 19, and Pte Scott McArdle, 22, all from Fife. Their bodies were 
flown to Basra last night en route for Scotland.

Col Cowan wrote: "I hope the Government knows what it has got itself into. 
I'm not sure they fully appreciate the risks.

"The marines we have taken over from have taken nine dead and 197 wounded 
since July. I hope we do better."

But the tone of the e-mails suggested that Col Cowan believed his men were 
more than capable of carrying out the task they had been given.

"The Jocks are well and coming at it with their usual humour," he said. It 
was a point he reaffirmed yesterday.

Speaking at the regiment's base at Camp Dogwood, 25 miles south west of 
Baghdad, he said the deaths were "a painful blow" for the "close-knit" 
regiment, most of whom fought together at the forefront of the British 
advance on Basra in last year's Iraq War.

"All three of these soldiers were our friends," he said. We will miss them 
all, as brothers-in-arms. But while we feel this blow most keenly, we are 
the Black Watch and we will not be deterred from seeing our task through to 
a successful conclusion."

The interpreter was not named in case his family becomes a terrorist target. 
But Col Cowan disclosed that the young Iraqi had postponed his wedding to 
travel with the regiment and died on the day he was to have been married.

Tony Blair and Michael Howard, the Conservative leader, paid tribute to the 
dead soldiers.

Standing beside Iyad Allawi, Iraq's interim prime minister, in Brussels 
yesterday, Mr Blair offered his "deep sympathy and condolences" to their 
families.

He expressed his "pride and gratitude to the Black Watch for the 
extraordinary and heroic job they are doing there, which is of crucial 
importance to making sure democratic elections can go ahead in Iraq".

At Camp Dogwood, the Cross of St Andrew flew at half-mast. But the Black 
Watch continued patrols.

"Yesterday was a terrible day but you can't let it stop you," said a 
soldier. "It would be a dishonour to those men."