OPERATION MAR NONU, AFGHANISTAN, 4-5 NOVEMBER 2008 (TAPE 1) [Allocated Title]

Members of 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles (2RGR) take part in Operation Mar Nonu in the Musa Qala district, and encounter Taliban insurgent action. They are accompanied by members of the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP).

Briefing in tent at patrol base (a "rock drill", using rocks to designate units on a battlefield map). Commanding Officer of B Company, Major Ross Daines, explains the background to Operation Mar Nonu. Helmeted Gurkha soldiers set off on foot patrol through part of the "Green Zone in the Sangin Valley. Local men and children go about their business.

Evening scenes at FUP (forming-up position) before patrol sets out to search local compounds. Among them are members of the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP). Patrol enters local village; Gurkha soldier gives situation report. Captain Emily Peers searches women. Local people gather as village is searched. Brief (exterior) shots as various compounds are searched; also views of the village and surrounding area (camera is briefly rested on floor. Whilst searching this final compound, the patrol comes under attack from gunmen (not seen); a firefight ensues. Soldiers fire through doorway into surrounding desert, another fires from rooftop position. (The patrol are inside the compound, the gunmen are at positions within the desert.) The gun battle lasts for several minutes. During a lull in the firing, Captain Will Pilkington (Royal Marines) explains the situation: a platoon on open ground had been engaged by insurgents in another compound, therefore the soldiers in this compound laid down suppressing fire to allow the platoon to get under cover. Lengthy, crooked shot showing the landscape; partway through the shot, mortars can be seen landing in the distance, throwing up clouds of dust. View through doorway as mortars are launched against the compound from which the insurgents had been firing: zoom in to show a large white animal (possibly a horse) running past the wall of the far compound, partially obscured by a ridge. Further mortars are fired; soldiers fire their GPMG (general purpose machine gun) from a shell scrape. A cloud of smoke and dust rises over the compound. Soldier radios situation report. Firing continues using mortars and underslung grenade launcher (UGL).

ROYAL MARINES VIDEO PRODUCTION UNIT SHOTSHEET

The following has been copied, without amendment, from RMVPU electronic shotsheets:

Time Code Description

00:00 Bars

00:30 Rock drill

02:42 OC B piece to camera

04:18 Patrol prep

06:10 Patrol leaves

07:46 Patrol in green zone

10:00 Vehicles Mastiff and Jackal

11:00 Patrol with kids and local Afghan nationals XXX

14:50 Leaving FUP

15:50 Search first compound

16:44 ANA searching local male

17:17 Locals with patrol

18:40 Capt Emily Peers searches local women

20:40 Locals in compound XX

21:50 Enter 2nd compound

23:27 Compounds wide shot

24:00 Enter final compound ANP question Local male

24:50 Room clearance

28:00 Contact GPMG Gunner fires from doorway XX

31:10 Minimi gunner firing from roof

31:40 Contact GPMG Gunner fires from doorway XXX

33:40 Capt Will Pilkington piece to camera in contact

34:00 Firing from window

34:24 Waiting for incoming mortars (Rubish)

40:50 Mortars landing from doorway

44:10 GPMG firing from outside compound XX

44:40 Mortars landing on enemy position XXX

46:46 Fire mission XX

49:36 UGL being fired & mortars on enemy position XX

50:10 END

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