Page 52 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

Ri emen Watson and Curphey (pictured on
the left) before playing a game of football against the local civilians as part of a team from the United Nations
The Bentiu Perspective
During the deployment to South Sudan, 10 Platoon were busy working alongside the Royal Engineers to build and secure the British camp inside the Bentiu Protection of Civilians (POC) site; the site that is working to protect over 120,000 (with estimates going as high as 160,000) displaced people and is located in the Northern Liech State of South Sudan.
Not your average infantry task, the Ri emen worked hard to build weather haven tents, dig out works pits for plumbing and construct fencing. There have, however, also been some tasks more akin to that of the infantry with patrols going out to
local hospitals, schools and even to the Governor of Northern Liech State’s house.
The protection of civilians is the UN’s main effort within South Sudan, primarily within the POC sites, but also extending out to the wider communities. With the UK task force having such a wide variety of skill sets they were the obvious choice for the UN to support schools and hospitals in the local area. Less than two weeks after the main body of Ri emen had arrived in theatre, they found themselves protecting the UK medical staff as they taught local children basic hygiene lessons in some of the more remote areas of Northern Liech State.
A new and challenging working environment for the Ri emen, they had to learn and adapt quickly to living on a building site and working so closely with their engineering counterparts - something which they managed to do extremely well. Outstanding mentoring from the sappers of 39 Engineer Regiment meant that the Ri emen learnt new skills and were able to take on ever more complicated tasks.
There were more challenges for the Ri emen in Bentiu. As the rainy season approached ever nearer and as engineering works become harder and harder due to the rain, the Ri emen had to re-double their efforts to support the Engineers. As the smuggling routes into the POC site became ever more constrained due to the weather and the efforts of the UN, more and more attempts at theft seemed inevitable. However, working closely with the engineers and the medics, work was able to continue in the increasingly harsh environment. Working together was key, not just within the UK taskforce but also within the wider UN. Lieutenant Knox,
Of cer Commanding 10 Platoon
Ri emen from C Company engaging with local children from the ‘Protection of Civilians’ site
50 SECOND BATTALION
THE RIFLES
NOT YOUR AVERAGE INFANTRY TASK