Operation CATALYST: Image Gallery
27 June 2008
Pictorial essay of Australian troops in Southern Iraq who served with the AMTG and OBG
| 200505310adf8239682_215 The Adjutant of the Al Muthanna Task Group, Captain Angus Hindmarsh chats to local children that are fascinated with the new visitors to the As Samawah souk market. (Date taken: 10 march 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050415adf8252964_0002 Royal Australian Navy amphibious ship, HMAS Tobruk, loading equipment for elements of the Australian Army’s 1st Brigade deploying as the Al Muthanna Task Group. (Date taken: 15 April 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050417adf8243116_081 The first Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV) of the Al Muthanna Task Group (AMTG) arrives in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO). (Date taken: 17 April 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050421adf8243116_258 Additional components of the Al Muthanna Task Group (AMTG) arrive in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO). (Date taken: 21 April 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050424adf8243116_013 Al Muthanna Task Group (AMTG) road move from a Coalition Military base in the Middle East to its operating base at Camp Smitty - Iraq. (Date taken: 24 April 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050424adf8243116_057 2 Cavalry Regiment road move from Camp Virginia to their operating base at Camp Smitty - Iraq. (Date taken: 24 April 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050425adf8243116_087 Anzac Day Dawn Service at Camp Smitty, Iraq, commemorated by Australian, UK and Japanese troops. (Date taken: 25 April 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050427adf8243116_302 Members of the Australian Army's Al Muthanna Task Group took the first steps in their mission in Iraq with meetings in As Samawah with the Iraqi Army and Japanese Iraq Reconstruction Group. (Date taken: 27 April 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050516adf8239682_097 Kids welcome Private Lee Bailey of 5/7 Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) as he approaches a small village on the outskirts of As Samawah Iraq. (Date taken: 16 May 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050516adf8239682_194 Private Waric Mattiazzo (Darwin) of 5/7 Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) patrols the outskirts of As Samawah, Iraq. (Date taken: 16 May 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050524adf8239682_100 MAJOR Graham Todkill, with the Al Muthanna Task Group Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) team at the opening of the Salibait Bridge, south of Al Khidr in the Al Muthanna Province. The bridge is one of 29 major projects that are underway in the region that CIMIC is responsible for overseeing. (Date taken: 24 May 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050527adf8239682_109 Private Christian Goletz from Roselands, Sydney, from 5/7 RAR (Royal Australian Regiment) patrols the outskirts of As Samawah, Iraq. (Date taken: 27 May 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050605adf8239682_279 Snipers Josh Bowden and Todd Young, practice drills with a British Merlin, in As Samawah, Al Muthanna Task Group (AMTG). (Date taken: 05 June 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050615adf8239682_029 Australian Army ASLAV armoured vehicles in front of the Great Ziggurat of Ur, a four-thousand-year-old temple which is one of the archaeological treasures of southern Iraq. (Date taken: 15 June 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050616adf8239682_262 Captain Toby Storm and Sergeant Michael Groves from the Australian Army Training Team, with members of the Iraqi Army at a vehicle check-point over the recently opened Slaibat Bridge near the town of Al Khidr. (Date taken: 16 June 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20050922adf8182062 030 Corporal Russell Hocking, a Section Commander in 5th / 7th Battalion, takes up a protective position in support of Private James Robinson who is conducting a metal detector scan of an Iraqi civilian at a vehicle check point. (Date taken: 22 September 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20051001adf8182062_025 Lieutenant Colonel Paul McLachlan of Headquarters Joint Task Force (centre, hatless) and Lieutenant Colonel Roger Noble, Commanding Officer of the Al Muthanna Task Group, watch as Ali and other local children and adults enjoy the new computer systems in the refurbished community centre at As Salman. The centre has been renovated as an Australian Civil Military Co-operation (CIMIC) project. (Date taken: 01 October 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20051005adf8182062_011 Captain Tony Smith (Deployable Joint Force Headquarters) switches the power on to the village of Al Rywawsha as a village member looks on. (Date taken: 05 October 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20051005adf8182062_030 Bombardier Andrew Hamilton, 8 / 12th Medium Regiment of Darwin provides protection to the Japanese Iraq Reconstruction Support Group during the building works inspection of the Nurses Training School refurbishment. (Date taken: 05 October 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20051030adf8182062_005 Warrant Officer Class 2 Mark Johston and SGT Paul Vardanega both of the Australian Army Training Team Iraq enjoying a brew and catching up after 20 years in the Army. Both WO2 Johston and SGT Vardanega joined at the same time and completed recruit training at Kapooka. This is the first time they have served together since then. Both members enlisted from Orange NSW. (Date taken: 30 October 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20051130adf8270494_003 Australian Army officers discuss replacement under the Civil and Military Co-operation Program of a floating bridge which is an important link for the local community across the Euphrates River in As Samawah, Iraq. (Date taken: 30 October 2005) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20060615adf8243116_053 Major (MAJ) Geoff Wright, Officer Commanding (OC) of the Australian Civilian and Military Cooperation (CIMIC (left)) detachment and MAJ David Hanna from the British Joint CIMIC Group, listen as Sheik Raysaan (right) talks about local CIMIC projects. (Date taken: 15 June 2006) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20060617adf8243116_165 Captain (CAPT) Bill Boyd-Law from the Al Muthanna Task Group 3 (AMTG 3) Civilian and Military Cooperation (CIMIC) team (left), with Mr. Farhan Abdull Hussein (right), the Director General Transport. Here they discuss progress on the bus station project. (Date taken: 17 June 2006) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20061118adf8243116_016 Sapper (Spr) Daniel Craggs puts together a wooden walkway in Camp Terendak to prepare for more wet weather. The wooden walkways span areas that collect water around the Australian camp. Spr Craggs is from the 17th Construction Company located at Holsworthy Barracks, Sydney. (Date taken: 18 November 2006) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20070223adf8205214_0132 As part of a range practice a line of Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAV) from the Overwatch Battle Group (West) - Two open fire with their 25mm chain guns, as well as their .50 cal and 7.62mm machine guns. (Date taken: 23 February 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20070330adf8205214_0078 Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAV) on operations near Al Bussayah in the southern Iraqi province of Al Muthanna. (Date taken: 30 march 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20070507adf8205214_0119 A young Iraqi boy in the remote southern Iraqi village of Al Najem accepts a toy sheep and crayons from an Australian soldier, the present was given as local leaders and the Australian Overwatch Battle Group discussed funding for new school facilities. (Date taken: 07 May 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20070707army8500215_026 Warrant Officer Wayne Lampard helps an Iraqi soldier steady himself while taking aim with an AK-47 rifle during marksmanship training at Camp Mittica, in southern Iraq. (Date taken: 07 July 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20070919army8500215_ 079 The Overwatch Battle Group (West)-Three (OBG(W)-3), comprisising 60 armoured vehicles and 515 soldiers, rolls north on Operation Hooper in southern Iraq. (Date taken: 19 September 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20071023army8500215_0017 Sergerant John Smallacombe of the Overwatch Battle Group (West)-Three directs Iraqi sioldiers during a building clearance rehearsal. (Date taken: 23 October 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20071117adf8094997_014 Major Mark Armstrong from Overwatch Battle Group (West)-3 presents Mr Ahmed Ali Al Naymani (middle) and Sheik Mohamed Ajeel Alfees with mechanical tools to start a workshop for the Al Najem tribe. (Date taken: 17 November 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20071121army8500215_ 083 Lieutenant Colonel Jake Ellwood of the Overwatch Battle Group (West)-Three, cuts the ribbon to formally open the Al Faya'a Secondary School for Girls in southern Iraq. More than 300 girls attend the school that was extensively refurbished using Australian and Coalition funding. (Date taken: 21 November 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080131adf8243116_076 Private Matthew O'Toole (front) and Private James Baldwin (immediately behind), from Combat Team Waler conduct a security sweep of the derelict Al Salman jail during a sand storm. (Date taken: 31 January 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080210adf8243116_077 From left: Private (Pte) Saad Rzayii, Sergeant (Sgt) Abdul Ilah Nima, Sgt Steve Neal, Pte Waleed Khalid, Sgt Fakhir Hatem and Pte Tahir Wahed display their certificates at the end of the 'train the trainer' graduation ceremony at Camp Mittica. (Date taken: 10 February 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080306adf8246638_162 Soldiers from Overwatch Battle Group (West) 4 meet with the Mayor of Al Gharref, Mohammed Jasim Jabbur, to inspect the construction of a new school being built in the village of Al Salim. (Date taken: 06 March 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080401adf8246638_170 Lieutenant Alex Bearse, age 24 from Burra, NSW walks hand in hand with an Iraqi family during a visit to the small village of Dhi Qar. (Date taken: 01 April 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080411adf8115142_181 Private Clinton Jones, 22, of Tweed Heads NSW with an Iraqi Army counterpart at the Al Gharraf Iraqi Army Base in the Dhi Qar Province. (Date taken: 11 April 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080519adf8246638_805 (L-R) Lieutenant Sam Hattar and Commanding Officer (Overwatch Battle Group (West) - 4) Lieutenant Colonel Chris Websdane says farewell to Shiek Faleh near the city of Al Khidr. (Date taken: 19 May 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080522adf8246638_026 Soldiers from Overwatch Battle Group (West) - 4 and the Force Extraction Team assist contractors with strapping down vehicles. (Date taken: 22 May 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080527adf8246638_307 Private Beau Allen, aged 22 from Narraburra, Qld motions vehicles forward into a vehicle check point. (Date taken: 27 May 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080527adf8246638_457 Australian Light Armoured Vehicle from Combat Team Waler drives across the desert near an oil refinery on the border of Basra and Dhi Qar provinces. (Date taken: 27 May 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080529adf8143085_061 Soldiers from Combat Team Heeler prepare their vehicle for transport out of Tallil Air Base in southern Iraq. (Date taken: 29 May 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080601adf8143085_048 Lance Corporals David McKeachie (Lft) and Chad Anderson (Rht) lower the Battle Group Chauvel flag, signifying the end of operations. (Date taken: 01 June 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080601adf8246638_299 Soldiers from Combat Team Waler conduct a vehicle check point on a main supply route in Dhi Qar, Iraq during the last Australian patrol. (Date taken: 01 June 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080602adf8143085_074 An Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV) is carefully driven onto a truck for transport out of Tallil. (Date taken: 02 June 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080602adf8246638_041 Soldiers from Combat Team Heeler board the C-130 Hercules at Ali Air Base, Tallil, in southern Iraq for the first stage of their journey home to Australia. (Date taken: 02 June 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080610adf8246638_063 Soldiers from Combat Team Waler board the C-130 Hercules at Ali Air Base, Tallil Iraq for the first stage of their journey home to Australia. (Date taken: 10 June 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080611adf8246638_183 Australian Light Armoured Vehicles are ready to start the journey back to Australia from Ali Air Base, Tallil, Iraq. (Date taken: 11 June 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080611adf8246638_186 A bit of history the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry) wall being loaded for transport back to Australia. (Date taken: 11 June 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080618adf8246638_002 Commanding Officer, Overwatch Battle Group (West) 4 Lieutenant Colonel Chris Websdane receives the Australian Flag from Major Ben Passmore before leaving Tallil Iraq for the last time. The flag flew for the duration of deployments for Australian troops in Iraq included AMTG. (Date taken: 18 June 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20080618adf8246638_012 (R) Last Australian soldier in Tallil, Iraq, Commanding Officer, Overwatch Battle Group (West) 4 Lieutenant Colonel Chris Websdane boards the C-130 Hercules at Ali Air Base, Tallil Iraq for the first stage of their journey home to Australia. (Date taken: 18 June 2008) Low Res | High Res |
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