Iraq 20

Commemorating the valour and sacrifice of those who fought for their country in Iraq twenty years ago.

Twenty years ago, the United States, supported by Britain and a coalition of allies, launched an invasion of Iraq, seeking to overthrow the tyrannical regime of the reviled Saddam Hussein.

The reasons given for the invasion split the nation – and the post-invasion reconstruction of the country only served to reinforce many of the strong beliefs that the war had been unjust.


Whether the war was just or unjust will ultimately become a topic for historians.

But it is unquestionable that the men and women of Britain’s Armed Forces went to war with bravery, professionalism and an unwavering loyalty to their home country.

Now, twenty years on, we would like to invite you to join us and reflect on the invasion: the honours won, the lives lost, and the lived experiences of those who served in that ancient land, as well as their families who supported them from home.

Operation Telic

Operation TELIC was the codename given to all of the British Armed Forces operations conducted in Iraq between the outbreak of the invasion in March 2003, and the final withdrawal of British troops in May 2011.

Men and women from all three service arms joined together in what would be Britain's largest military operation since the Second World War.  46,150 personnel were deployed for the invasion itself, with over 140,000 personnel serving in Iraq across the eight years of Operation TELIC.

The actions of the British Forces in Iraq were often exemplary.  A Victoria Cross, and two George Crosses were awarded for heroism, as well as hundreds more honours, medals and citations given for bravery, dedication and comradeship. 

Lives changed

Unfortunately, 179 British personnel died in Iraq during this time, mostly from insurgent activity after the collapse of the Iraqi military.  Over 3,000 were wounded, and another 2,000 reported post-traumatic stress on their return to the UK.  And many, even today, suffer in silence, troubled by their experiences. 


It is hard to estimate exactly how many people were killed in Iraq during this time: civilian casualties, from both the fighting between the Coalition and Iraqi militaries, post-invasion terrorism and civil strife, and indirect causes (such as the loss of clean drinking water), has been estimated in the hundreds of thousands.


The war changed the lives of all it touched.

Read on to hear from just some of the SSAFA men and women whose lives were changed by the Iraq War of 2003:

 

Stories from Iraq

Sir Andrew Gregory

Sir Andrew Gregory is the Controller of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity - and was Deputy Commander of the (then named) 1st Armoured Division, that entered Iraq in 2003. He explains exactly what happened in the build-up to the war, the covert planning with US Counterparts and waiting for Government orders. It was a case of exploit the opportunity, or wait for the right equipment. It was decided they had to act fast.

Andrew explains about the losses faced, the change in military tactics to avoid civilian casualties and adapt to the threat of IEDs. He also explains how he was left to run the community in the South of Iraq after a power vacuum was created. He quickly had to learn all aspects of running a city of 1.5 million people, from tomato farming to paying public sector employees.

He is urging the public to recognise the huge contribution made by those who served there and the vital support of, and stress it placed on, their families. Twenty years on, that should not be forgotten.


 

 

Lady Sally Gregory

Sally is the wife of SSAFA Controller Sir Andrew, and provides a look into the war from the perspective of an anxious loved one, waiting back home in the UK.

She was in touch with her husband by letter during the build-up to the invasion, but only learnt that it had begun by listening to the news on Radio 4. Lonely and worried, Sally moved back to the UK from their military home in Germany to be near her sons who were at school. She felt pressure to help other families on the ground, while dealing with her own fear - including learning her husband had been involved in a 100MPH helicopter crash - which luckily all had survived.  


 

 

Richard French

SSAFA Regional Fundraising Officer Richard French went to Basra in 2005. He was a sniper, fighting the Madhi Army who were developing sophisticated weapons and IEDs to attack British troops. As a sniper, he was a significant target - but also is candid about what day-to-day life was really like for him in that role.

He was also involved in a significant incident, where two SAS soldiers were kidnapped by Iraqi police to be passed to the Mahdi Army. Fortunately, they had trackers on and Richard's company were involved in trying to free them. They were attacked by a mob and petrol bombs were thrown at them. He managed to escape out of the back of a Warrior armoured vehicle which was on fire. 

Richard suffered loss in Iraq, and since leaving the Army has dedicated his life to supporting his military family.


 

 

Dean Knowles

Dean Knowles, is a SSAFA beneficiary who was supported with securing a new home and furniture for him and his daughter who has Downs Syndrome and other special needs, and who lives with him part time.

He was sent to Iraq in 2008 as a Sergeant where he was responsible for training Iraqi troops - including Saddam Hussein's former bodyguards, who were apparently very polite and hard workers. Though surrounded alone by up to 60 troops with weapons, who had once been trying to kill British troops, Dean said he never felt unsafe.

Dean lost people, and was under constant threat of attack and IEDs. Now he is still coming to terms with his tour in Iraq as well as the other tours he served on (Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, Bosnia) - and telling us how Remembrance and Christmas are the hardest times for him.


 

 

Jason Perry

As a young driver in the Household Cavalry, Jason Perry was one of the first to know Britain was going to invade Iraq – overhearing a phone call made by his Commanding Officer. He had friends in D-Squadron that were to be deployed, but he had to put sentimentality aside. He couldn't say anything.

In 2004, Jason served in Iraq himself - writing a 'death letter' before he went. The danger of insurgency was growing and he was targeted on a number of occasions, once finding bullet holes in the Land Rover he was driving, after returning to base. He knows many people injured or who died in the war, and twenty years on often questions 'why them and not me?'.


 

 

Kirsty Bushell CBE

SSAFA’s National Vice-Chair Kirsty Bushell, was pregnant with her first child during the invasion of Iraq so was responsible for running operations from RAF Lyneham in the UK. She had to help the families left behind cope with the uncertainty of war, as news came in about casualties in the region.

She says regardless of the rights and wrongs of the Iraq War, it was nation-shaping, and those who served there or supported those who served sacrificed a lot. It is now our collective responsibility to make sure they can always access help when they need it.


 

 

"Some people who were out there may think ‘what was it for?’ the loss and the trauma. They may even question if they are deserving of help, but SSAFA would never question that. No one else would either. You served your country without question and you sacrificed for it."

- Jason Perry, Household Cavalry veteran