Image Gallery 2009
17 February 2009
The road to Mula
The locals from the small village of Mula watched with curiosity as the massive Australian convoy took up positions around their walled compounds.
Australian engineers in Afghanistan worked in some of the worst conditions to reopen the essential supply route linking the capital city of Kabul with the south of the country.
Working day and night, through rain, sleet and snow, the troops again finished their reconstruction task, well ahead of schedule.
| 20081216ara8502859_0136 Bushmaster, Protected Mobility Vehicles, from Australia's 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF -1) lead a convoy of Afghan trucks, employed by the Task Force to move essential bridging components in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. (Date taken: 16 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081216ara8502859_0241 An Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV) passes through the markers for Qalat City on route to rebuild a second bridge in Zabol Province. (Date taken: 16 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081217ara8502859_0188 In the cold light of an Afghan winter afternoon, Australian Army vehicles occupy an overwatch position. (Date taken: 17 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0050 Not even rain, sleet, snow and freezing temperatures, can stop the work of Australian Engineers in southern Afghanistan, as they strive to replace an essential bridge destroyed by insurgents. (Date taken: 18 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0077 In some of the most miserable conditions experienced by Australian Engineers in Afghanistan, soldiers from the 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force assemble an over bridge on Highway 1. (Date taken: 18 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0097 Corporal Nick Barrand positions a roller, as Australian engineers move the 35 tonne over bridge into position in southern Afghanistan's Zabol Province. (Date taken: 18 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0104 As the massive over bridge is winched into position, Sapper Brendan Treloar negotiates a roller through the mud and rain. (Date taken: 18 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0119 Inch by inch, the frame work for the new bridge is moved into position. Engineer Troop Commander, Lieutenant Nick Trotter controls the booming of the bridge as his soldiers work in the worst conditions an Afghan winter can throw at them. Lieuenant Trotter and his soldiers are from the 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force. (Date taken: 18 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0130 Officer Commanding 1st Field Squadron, Major Mick Say mucks in with his engineers as they work in the harsh Afghan conditions to complete an overbridge in Zabol Province. With Major Say is Sapper Zachary Hurst. The two are repositioning a roller unit, as the massive 35 tonne bridge is moved from its construction area to it new home, spanning the damage caused by insurgent explosives on Afghanistan's main supply route. The officers and soldiers are drawn from the Darwin based, 1st Combat Engineer Regiment. |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0157 Sapper Mahmood Khoshnevissan and a fellow engineer, struggle with a heavy bridge roller as their troops move the 35 tonne over bridge into position near the village of Mula in Afghanistan's Zabol Province. The engineers are members of the 1st Field Squadron, the 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force's engineer element. (Date taken: 18 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0177 As the Australian engineer made over bridge inches toward its final resting place, Sapper Thomas O'Conner jacks the front panel of the structure onto a roller, allowing the bridge to move down the road towards a span destroyed by insurgent attacks. The Australian soldiers are serving in Afghanistan with the 1st mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force. (Date taken: 18 December 2008)Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0289 Bridging the gap, as Australian Engineers toil in the harsh winter conditions. Their overbridge spans across the damage caused by insurgents to this bridge near the village of Mula in southern Afghanistan. |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0337 As the sun sets in southern Afghanistan, Australian Engineers from the 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force prepare their tools for a long and cold nights work ahead of them. (Date taken: 18 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081218ara8502859_0342 Working into the cold, dark night, soldiers and engineers from Australia's 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force work relentlessly to complete their task and reopen Afghanistan's Highway 1. (Date taken: 18 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081219ara8502859_0007 The previously unpassable bridge near the village of Mula in southern Afghaistan was reopened thanks to the efforts of the engineers and soldiers of Australia's 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force. The damage caused by insurgent attacks is clearly visible on the lower bridge. (Date taken: 19 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20081219ara8502859_0016 Afghan "jingle" trucks cross the Australian built overbridge, which successfully reopened Afghanistan's main supply route, Highway 1, after insurgent attacks and winter conditions closed the road. (Date taken: 19 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
