"Capturing the Manifold Metering Station (MMS) on the Al Faw peninsula, Iraq"

by David Rowlands

Image Size 58 x 38 cm


During Operation TELIC, the liberation of Iraq, on the night of 20th March 2003, 40 Commando Royal Marines, under the command of Lt Col G K Messenger OBE, mounted an amphibious helicopter assault to seize key Iraqi oil infrastructure on the Al Faw peninsula. It took around five hours from H hour until the area was deemed secure, and this painting shows the scene at first light on 21st March.

As the first conventional troops on the ground, the strategic significance of the operation was immense. The Commando Group's role in the success of the coalition operation in Iraq was pivotal and profound. In a two-week period of intense operations, it secured vital oil installations, cleared a large expanse of enemy held terrain, and defeated a major enemy stronghold on the outskirts of Basra, killing over 150 Iraqi soldiers and taking 440 prisoners.