Let’s roll
AMTG gets moving in south-west Iraq

A 2 Cav Regt ASLAV, part of the Al Muthanna Task Group, during a live fire practice at a coalition range in Al- Muthanna province after arriving on April 24. Photo by Cpl Robert Nyffennegger

By Cpl Cameron Jamieson

ANOTHER page of the Anzac tradition has been written in the sands of south-east Iraq.

After a trek of 400km on a day where temperatures cleared 45 degrees, the lead element of the Al Muthanna Task Group (AMTG) entered the gates of Camp Smitty on the eve of the 90th anniversary of the original Anzac Day.

CO AMTG Lt-Col Roger Noble said his soldiers had been looking forward for a long time to getting into Iraq.

“It’s been good to see it all first hand, to meet and wave to the people, and talk to soldiers from different armies along the route,” he said.

“I think it’s fantastic that we could get here for Anzac Day – though we’re not the first Australian soldiers to get around here. There were Australian pilots here during World War I ... and I’m pretty sure they would have flown over this spot at some point.”

After settling into Camp Smitty, the AMTG met with local Iraqi Army forces and the Japanese Self Defence Force contingent before beginning patrolling and training activities.