Operation Palliser
Encyclopedia
Operation Palliser was a British
Armed forces operation in Sierra Leone
in 2000 under the command of Brigadier (now General
Sir) David Richards
.
Initially, its scope was limited to evacuation of non-combatants onlyhttp://www.hmforces.co.uk/training/articles/2110-operations-palliser-barras-sierra-leone---part-1.
Subsequently, apparently on the initiative of Richards, it expanded into critical support of the government and eventually resulted in the end of the civil war
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8682505.stm.
(RUF) presenting a credible threat to the capital, Freetown
.
directed the deployment of a Joint Task Force
Headquarters. The JTF comprised the UK Spearhead Battalion: elements 20 Fd Sqn Royal Engineers
, 1st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, (minus its A-company, but reinforced by D-company 2 PARA and elements of 2 PARA's support company), the Pathfinder Platoon, the Special Air Service
, elements of the Special Boat Service
and Royal Air Force
Hercules
were deployed to conduct a Non-combatant evacuation
of UK, EU
, and Commonwealth
citizens. Following the evacuation the main aims were to keep control of the airport
, patrol Freetown and allow UN supplies to be flown in to the country safely.
Royal Air force Support Helicopter Force also were tasked, with combined efforts from 7 Sqn and 18 Sqn self deploying four Chinook HC2 medium lift helicopters, crews and engineering support from RAF Odiham to Lungi Airport, Freetown. The first pair of aircraft arriving in theatre under 36 hours from first call. Using practiced "fast run" techniques the aircraft were equipped with 3 Robertson extended range tanks (ERTs).
In support of the effort a number of Royal Navy
assets were diverted:
Illustrious and Fort George had been diverted from NATO exercises in the Bay of Biscay
, with RAF aircraft embarked for the exercise. Aircraft of both No. IV Squadron and 801 Naval Air Squadron
made a number of patrols in support of the mission.
A Forward Logistic Base was established in Dakar
to support the mission.
On 17 May, 2000, the rebel leader Foday Sankoh
was captured by Government forces and transported to a secure location by helicopter.
Operation Palliser ended on 15 June, 2000; however a continuing UK commitment provides training support to the Government of Sierra Leone.
(using the SAS
and paratroopers) and to stabilise the situation in Sierra Leone.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Armed forces operation in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
in 2000 under the command of Brigadier (now General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir) David Richards
David Richards (general)
General Sir David Julian Richards, GCB, CBE, DSO, ADC Gen is a senior British Army officer, currently the Chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of the British Armed Forces. He succeeded Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup in this role on 29 October 2010...
.
Initially, its scope was limited to evacuation of non-combatants onlyhttp://www.hmforces.co.uk/training/articles/2110-operations-palliser-barras-sierra-leone---part-1.
Subsequently, apparently on the initiative of Richards, it expanded into critical support of the government and eventually resulted in the end of the civil war
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8682505.stm.
Tactical situation
In spring 2000, rebel activity in Sierra Leone was escalating significantly with the rebel forces of the Revolutionary United FrontRevolutionary United Front
The Revolutionary United Front was a rebel army that fought a failed eleven-year war in Sierra Leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. It later developed into a political party, which existed until 2007...
(RUF) presenting a credible threat to the capital, Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
.
Main deployment
On 7 May, 2000, the Permanent Joint HeadquartersPermanent Joint Headquarters
The Permanent Joint Headquarters is the British tri-service headquarters from where all overseas military operations are planned and controlled. It is situated at Northwood Headquarters in Northwood, London....
directed the deployment of a Joint Task Force
Joint Task Force
Joint Task Force is a PC real-time tactics game where players command military forces in combat situations based on modern day conflicts.The game includes officially licensed vehicles and weapons systems from major defense contractors including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrop...
Headquarters. The JTF comprised the UK Spearhead Battalion: elements 20 Fd Sqn Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
, 1st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, (minus its A-company, but reinforced by D-company 2 PARA and elements of 2 PARA's support company), the Pathfinder Platoon, the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
, elements of the Special Boat Service
Special Boat Service
The Special Boat Service is the special forces unit of the British Royal Navy. Together with the Special Air Service, Special Reconnaissance Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group they form the United Kingdom Special Forces and come under joint control of the same Director Special...
and Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
were deployed to conduct a Non-combatant evacuation
Non-combatant Evacuation Operation
A non-combatant evacuation operation or NEO is an operation conducted to evacuate civilians from another country, generally due to a deteriorating security situation.-United States:...
of UK, EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
citizens. Following the evacuation the main aims were to keep control of the airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
, patrol Freetown and allow UN supplies to be flown in to the country safely.
Royal Air force Support Helicopter Force also were tasked, with combined efforts from 7 Sqn and 18 Sqn self deploying four Chinook HC2 medium lift helicopters, crews and engineering support from RAF Odiham to Lungi Airport, Freetown. The first pair of aircraft arriving in theatre under 36 hours from first call. Using practiced "fast run" techniques the aircraft were equipped with 3 Robertson extended range tanks (ERTs).
In support of the effort a number of Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
assets were diverted:
- HMS IllustriousHMS Illustrious (R06)HMS Illustrious is the second of three Invincible-class light aircraft carriers built for the Royal Navy in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She is the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier to bear the name Illustrious, and is affectionately known as "Lusty" to her crew...
with elements of 801 NAS, 899 NAS and No. 3 Squadron RAFNo. 3 Squadron RAFNo 3 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Typhoon F2, FGR4 and T3 from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.No 3 Squadron, which celebrated its 95th anniversary over the weekend of 11-13 May 2007, is unique in the RAF for having two official crests....
embarked. HMS Illustrious and her task group, Task Group 342.1, had been on Exercise Linked Seas and the group was diverted. - RFA Fort GeorgeRFA Fort George (A388)RFA Fort George was a combined fleet stores ship and tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.Fort George was ordered from Swan Hunter in late 1987. The ship was laid down in 1989, launched by the wife of the Commander-in-Chief Fleet Admiral Sir Jock Slater in 1991 and commissioned in 1993...
- HMS OceanHMS Ocean (L12)HMS Ocean of the Royal Navy is an amphibious assault ship , the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force...
- HMS ArgyllHMS Argyll (F231)The third and current HMS Argyll is a Type 23 'Duke' Class frigate. She was laid down in March 1987 by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Glasgow, launched in 1989 by Lady Wendy Levene, and commissioned in May 1991...
- HMS ChathamHMS Chatham (F87)HMS Chatham was a Batch 3 Type 22 frigate of the British Royal Navy. She has the rare honour of a motto in English; Up and at 'em, being the rallying cry of the Medway town football and rugby teams. The motto has subsequently been translated back into Latin as Surge et vince...
- RFA Fort AustinRFA Fort Austin (A386)RFA Fort Austin is a fleet stores ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.Fort Austin was laid down at Scott Lithgow in 1975, launched in 1978 and commissioned in 1979. These ships were designed to carry a wide range of stores to support other ships; ammunition, food, explosives...
- RFA Sir BedivereRFA Sir Bedivere (L3004)RFA Sir Bedivere was a Landing Ship Logistic of the Round Table class. She saw service in the Falklands War, the Persian Gulf and Sierra Leone. In 2009 she was commissioned into the Brazilian Navy, and renamed NDCC Almirante Saboia -History:The ship was originally built for army service, and...
- RFA Sir TristramRFA Sir Tristram (L3505)RFA Sir Tristram is a Landing Ship Logistics of the Round Table class. She was launched in 1966, and accepted into British Army service in 1967. As with others of her class, she was transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1970...
Illustrious and Fort George had been diverted from NATO exercises in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
, with RAF aircraft embarked for the exercise. Aircraft of both No. IV Squadron and 801 Naval Air Squadron
801 Naval Air Squadron
801 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm squadron of the Royal Navy formed in 1933 which fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Falklands War.- Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force:...
made a number of patrols in support of the mission.
A Forward Logistic Base was established in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
to support the mission.
On 17 May, 2000, the rebel leader Foday Sankoh
Foday Sankoh
Foday Saybana Sankoh was the leader and founder of the Sierra Leone rebel group Revolutionary United Front in the 11-year-long Sierra Leone Civil War, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002...
was captured by Government forces and transported to a secure location by helicopter.
Operation Palliser ended on 15 June, 2000; however a continuing UK commitment provides training support to the Government of Sierra Leone.
Operation Barras
Operation Barras was an operation carried out to rescue soldiers captured by the West Side BoysWest Side Boys
The West Side Boys aka West Side Niggaz or West Side Junglers, were an armed group in Sierra Leone, sometimes described as a splinter faction of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council....
(using the SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
and paratroopers) and to stabilise the situation in Sierra Leone.
External links
- http://britains-smallwars.com/Sierraleone/Operation-Palliser.html
- Jon Henley, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, May 29, 2003, Sierra Leone 2000: How do you ask a man of 29 with three kids and both hands missing if his life is better now?"