Location Map:
The game begins :
The RUF had allowed supplies to get through to the besieged troops. The convoy carrying the supplies also included the Intelligence NCO from 5/8 GR who painstakingly noted down all RUF positions in and around the town and took GPS readings of the locations. This was done in utmost secrecy. This action had to be taken due to a lack of any aerial or sattelite imagery.
Meanwhile, the Indian forces started increasing their strength to include a few attack helicopters (MI 8, MI 26, 2 SAS Chinook), artillery (120mm mortars, 105mm guns) and elements of special forces (9 Para) and some British SAS troops from D squadron.
While the troops could have been flown out by helicopter, regimental pride dictated a fighting breakout which included retrieval of all personnel and all weaponary.
This buildup was forces was also done in a manner to suggest that the army was starting to remove a few troops and induct replacements. The pulling of the wool over RUF eyes had just begun.
The resuce plans were simple. Mobolise air transport, concentrate troops at Daru and Kenema. Launch simultaneous offensive action against the RUF in surrounding areas. Engage RUF positions with attack helicopters and artillery, rescue our troops, link up at Pendembu and march back to Daru.
The RUF had roughly 5000 soldiers armed with AK 47s, RPG-7s, Surface to Air missiles and Armoured Personnel Carriers. The rescue forces had less than 800, but the 800 included a whole bunch of angry Gorkhas whose pride had been wounded by the capture of their fellow soldiers and the RUF were about to learn what that meant.
Buildup of all troops and supplies was finished by sundown on the 14th of July. The shit was just about to hit the fan....
Day 1 : 15th of July 2000
At 0600hrs the RUF battalion at Kailahun was rudely shaken out of their slumber by the shells fired by Indian artillery guns. A landing zone was secured at Kailahun.
At 0610 hrs, SAS Chinook dropped 2 Para (Special Forces) 2 KMs south of Kailahun. At 0620 hrs, they landed at the besieged post at Kailahun and extracted 44 personnel including the Observers and the weapons. This landing was done in bad weather and due credit must be given to those pilots. The stage was now set for the breakout of the troops.
Breakout :
At 0650 hrs, a hot breakfast of fire assault was provided to the RUF by Indian troops using rocket launchers, grenades, machine guns and mortars. The town square was captured and used as a fire-base. As the other troops started making their way to the fire-base, the RUF started their assault. Heavy firing ensued, but the RUF post fell. Firing still continued from all sides, but the position was held till everyone had got out of Kailahun.
The column then advanced towards Geihun. 2 Para, which had been dropped off earlier, now emerged and provided fire cover to the evacuating troops.
By 0930 hours, the weather conditions had improved and the attack helicopters were brought in to play. The RUF, which had, by now, reorganised themselves, suddenly found themselves at the business end of the MI - 26s (not a fun place to be)
At 1030 hours, the column reached Geihun and met up with another company of the Indian army which had been heli-landed earlier. The Force Commander was also with the troops and ordered 60 of the troops to be airlifted out.
The Road Back :
The merged group now headed towards Pendembu, but hit a roadblock. The RUF had dug two pits, 8 feet wide and 4 feet deep. This roadblock was under fire from the RUF troops. Continuous fire, slushy roads and exploding rockets made going difficult, but the soldiers fought hard and secured the area. The pits were bridged by supplies dropped by a Mi 8 helicopter.
Pendembu was the headquarters of the RUF's 1 Brigade. It had cement houses and tall grass which meant that it was going to be difficult to clear it by the time the evacuating troops from Kailahun got there.
At 1300 hrs, an attack helicopter made 5 passes at Pendembu and destroyed the known RUF locations there. One company was deployed to capture the northern part of the town and another was tasked with the capture and securing of the South West part of the town which had more than 300 houses. This task was done systematically, and by 1630 hours, the entire town had come under control of Indian troops.
At 1730hrs, a column of troops from Pendembu heading north met up with the evacuating troops headed south from Kailahun. The troops reached the safety of the base established at Pendembu at 1900hrs.
Throughout the night, the RUF tried to penetrate the perimeter set up by our troops and were constantly sent scurrying back. The mortars were employed effectively to keep the RUF awake throughout the night and the artillery ensured that the RUF reinforcements were unable to link with the RUF force.
The game begins :
The RUF had allowed supplies to get through to the besieged troops. The convoy carrying the supplies also included the Intelligence NCO from 5/8 GR who painstakingly noted down all RUF positions in and around the town and took GPS readings of the locations. This was done in utmost secrecy. This action had to be taken due to a lack of any aerial or sattelite imagery.
Meanwhile, the Indian forces started increasing their strength to include a few attack helicopters (MI 8, MI 26, 2 SAS Chinook), artillery (120mm mortars, 105mm guns) and elements of special forces (9 Para) and some British SAS troops from D squadron.
While the troops could have been flown out by helicopter, regimental pride dictated a fighting breakout which included retrieval of all personnel and all weaponary.
This buildup was forces was also done in a manner to suggest that the army was starting to remove a few troops and induct replacements. The pulling of the wool over RUF eyes had just begun.
The resuce plans were simple. Mobolise air transport, concentrate troops at Daru and Kenema. Launch simultaneous offensive action against the RUF in surrounding areas. Engage RUF positions with attack helicopters and artillery, rescue our troops, link up at Pendembu and march back to Daru.
The RUF had roughly 5000 soldiers armed with AK 47s, RPG-7s, Surface to Air missiles and Armoured Personnel Carriers. The rescue forces had less than 800, but the 800 included a whole bunch of angry Gorkhas whose pride had been wounded by the capture of their fellow soldiers and the RUF were about to learn what that meant.
Buildup of all troops and supplies was finished by sundown on the 14th of July. The shit was just about to hit the fan....
Day 1 : 15th of July 2000
At 0600hrs the RUF battalion at Kailahun was rudely shaken out of their slumber by the shells fired by Indian artillery guns. A landing zone was secured at Kailahun.
At 0610 hrs, SAS Chinook dropped 2 Para (Special Forces) 2 KMs south of Kailahun. At 0620 hrs, they landed at the besieged post at Kailahun and extracted 44 personnel including the Observers and the weapons. This landing was done in bad weather and due credit must be given to those pilots. The stage was now set for the breakout of the troops.
Breakout :
At 0650 hrs, a hot breakfast of fire assault was provided to the RUF by Indian troops using rocket launchers, grenades, machine guns and mortars. The town square was captured and used as a fire-base. As the other troops started making their way to the fire-base, the RUF started their assault. Heavy firing ensued, but the RUF post fell. Firing still continued from all sides, but the position was held till everyone had got out of Kailahun.
The column then advanced towards Geihun. 2 Para, which had been dropped off earlier, now emerged and provided fire cover to the evacuating troops.
By 0930 hours, the weather conditions had improved and the attack helicopters were brought in to play. The RUF, which had, by now, reorganised themselves, suddenly found themselves at the business end of the MI - 26s (not a fun place to be)
At 1030 hours, the column reached Geihun and met up with another company of the Indian army which had been heli-landed earlier. The Force Commander was also with the troops and ordered 60 of the troops to be airlifted out.
The Road Back :
The merged group now headed towards Pendembu, but hit a roadblock. The RUF had dug two pits, 8 feet wide and 4 feet deep. This roadblock was under fire from the RUF troops. Continuous fire, slushy roads and exploding rockets made going difficult, but the soldiers fought hard and secured the area. The pits were bridged by supplies dropped by a Mi 8 helicopter.
Pendembu was the headquarters of the RUF's 1 Brigade. It had cement houses and tall grass which meant that it was going to be difficult to clear it by the time the evacuating troops from Kailahun got there.
At 1300 hrs, an attack helicopter made 5 passes at Pendembu and destroyed the known RUF locations there. One company was deployed to capture the northern part of the town and another was tasked with the capture and securing of the South West part of the town which had more than 300 houses. This task was done systematically, and by 1630 hours, the entire town had come under control of Indian troops.
At 1730hrs, a column of troops from Pendembu heading north met up with the evacuating troops headed south from Kailahun. The troops reached the safety of the base established at Pendembu at 1900hrs.
Throughout the night, the RUF tried to penetrate the perimeter set up by our troops and were constantly sent scurrying back. The mortars were employed effectively to keep the RUF awake throughout the night and the artillery ensured that the RUF reinforcements were unable to link with the RUF force.
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