A delivery down at the Port
Had a job to do on Saturday, coordinating two different suppliers, an AMISOM convoy, two EDD Handlers, and the Somali military altogether to be down at the Sea Port to offload their monthly sustainment rations and a further measure of their combat rations we are supplying to the nascent National Security Force...and believe me, anything like this, is like herding cats.
Anyway, it all came together, and we effected the delivery.
Here are some of the more obedient work mates I have found here. The first photo is in the back of a Casspir on the way to the Port and, it is of Infinity and Ron, two Explosive Detection Dogs who simply love their job. Their handlers are two ex-Ugandan People's Defence Force personnel and each of them have worked in both Iraq and Afghanistan:
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These are their monthly commodities, rice, macaroni, flour, beans, sugar, oil etc:
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and these are their combat rations, biscuits, dates and tinned tuna (the tuna delivery had already been made to a different location). This is only 10.5t of bikkies, there is a total of 55t to be delivered...biscuit anyone?
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These are the lads who bent their backs to get it all in pretty quick order:
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Some not so busy......
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Nothing goes un-noticed in Mogadishu and, I am sure my presence was known. Have a look here at the beautiful blue colour of the water looking from the docks back into the city...peaceful?
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15 mins before they'd launched 4 x successive 82mm mortar rounds. Three landed into the water as they kept correcting and adjusting, we heard them coming and I dived into the back of one of the armoured vehicles. The fourth landed on the outside dock area beside the World Food Program warehouse, next door to the one we were working in. It killed 3 x civilians. The most remarkable thing, except for when the rounds were coming in, everyone simply resumed as normal...so commonplace.
Anyway, c'est la vie and I have to deliver again tomorrow, which will be the last time before I head out of Mogadishu and back to Australia for some leave. Looking forward to that but, not the temperature change. The last time I was back in Melb was in Aug last year and I'd brought a dose of malaria with me...talk about the shake and shivers...hopefully not this time.
Some time with my beautiful, staunch, long-suffering but loving wife, and kids. A 20th year Reunion for our Graduation from the Royal Military College, up in Canberra, that'll be a cracker.
Then, it will be time to turn around and come back over. To a different location this time. Into Nairobi, Kenya because, I have a new job. Received a Letter of Offer yesterday. I am to be, the Engineer in Mogadishu, for the UN Support Office AMISOM (UNSOA). Looking forward to, the change of role and the different opportunities that the UN may bring my way...it feels like a new door has opened.
