2. Australian involvement in the Gulf War
This chapter is not meant to be a comprehensive or definitive account of Australia’s Gulf War involvement, rather it covers the information of most relevance to the study and more comprehensive details can be found in other literature. [1-8]
The timelines for the Australian deployments are presented in Figure 2.2 . and in Table 2.1 . These Australian deployments are defined as operational service for the purposes of the Veteran's Entitlements Act 1986.
2.1 The Gulf Region
Kuwait occupies an area of only 17,818 square kilometres. It borders the Gulf and has a well-sheltered harbour free of sandbanks. Annual rainfall varies from one centimetre (cm) to 37 cm, occurring usually between November and April. The coolest month is January, when temperatures range between – 2.8° Celsius (C) and 28.3°C. During the months June to August (the Northern Hemisphere summer) the shade temperature can reach 49°C. The land is flat desert, with few oases and little drinking water. Most water supplies are piped from the Shatt al-Arab waterway after being desalinated. The Shatt al-Arab is the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and flows into the Gulf at Kuwait. Kuwait’s main industry is oil and it possesses 2.6 per cent of the world’s oil supplies. [7]
Figure 2 . 1 Map of the Gulf region
2.2 Australian Deployment in the Gulf War
The Gulf War commenced on 2 August 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait, and the formal ceasefire was announced by the United Nations on 12th April 1991. [9] Following an announcement on 10th August 1990 by the Prime Minister, Australia provided a naval task force to the Gulf area as part of a larger multinational response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, in support of United Nations Security Resolutions. [7] There were several different deployments. Most primarily involved Royal Australian Navy (RAN) personnel, and these included personnel on Her Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Darwin, HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Success deployed in Operation Damask I; HMAS Brisbane, HMAS Sydney and HMAS Westralia deployed in Operation Damask II; HMAS Darwin deployed in Operation Damask III; Clearance Diving Team 3; and Task Group Medical Support Element (TGMSE) deployed to USNS Comfort. Female Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel served on HMAS Westralia, in Operation Habitat and in the TGMSEs deployed on USNS Comfort.
The Royal Australian Air Force supplied transport and logistic support but did not fly combat missions. Other ADF personnel who were involved in Gulf operations included intelligence officers (mainly Air Force but some Navy and Army) and Army linguists. Some individual officers (mainly Army) were on secondment to United Kingdom (UK) and United States of America (USA) forces and deployed to the region with those forces. [6, 7]
Other ADF deployments in the region at this time included Operation Habitat and Operation Blazer. Personnel from these operations are included in the study.
2.2.1 Damask I
On 22nd August 1990, ships of the task force left Australia for the Gulf region, to take part in the blockade of the Gulf of Oman. The deployment was in response to the UN Security Council Resolution 661 imposing economic sanctions on Iraq that had been passed on 6th August. [7] The deployment consisted of the guided missile frigates HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Darwin, accompanied by HMAS Success, a replenishment ship. Five Navy Fleet Air Arm Seahawk and Squirrel helicopters were assigned to the ships. [7] Success had eight Army personnel assigned from the Air Defence Regiment and was equipped with a Bofors Robotic System 70 missile system. Darwin and Adelaide were equipped with anti-aircraft, anti-surface missiles, torpedo tubes and each had a Phalanx Close-in-Weapon-System (CIWS). Darwin had an Army linguist assigned for the deployment. [6]
When the Australian ships in Damask I arrived in the Gulf of Oman on 6th September, towards the end of the northern hemisphere summer, salt and dust haze had reduced visibility. [2] Temperatures were in the high 30s. [7] Darwin and Adelaide were deployed east of the Straits of Hormuz only. Both of the frigates were involved in firing warning shots across the bows of potentially hostile ships and then boarding and searching them. [1, 2] The frigates challenged hundreds of ships, were involved in several major visit and search operations and sank several floating objects. [1, 2] Success also challenged ships and completed 219 replenishments of coalition ships.
Chemical alarms sounded several times on Darwin although each sounding was quickly identified as a false alarm. [2] There were a number of fire alarms on Success which were also identified as false alarms. [3] During Damask I, Iran’s attitude to the ships taking part in the blockade was unknown and this added to the stress of the deployment. On 7th September, Darwin was overflown by an Iranian P3 which came to within three nautical miles of the ship. [2] HMAS Success was also overflown by an Iranian P3 on the 12th October. [3]
Darwin and Adelaide left the area of operations to return to Australia on 3rd December 1990 before coalition air strikes and the ground war began. Success left the area on the 23rd January, after the coalition air strikes had started but just before the ground war. [6]
back to top2.2.2 Damask II
The second task group took over sanction enforcement duties from Damask I in December 1990. Damask II included the guided missile destroyer HMAS Brisbane, the guided missile frigate HMAS Sydney, helicopters, three Army linguists and the supply ship HMAS Westralia with four Army personnel assigned from the Air Defence Regiment to man the Bofors Robotic System 70 missile system. Brisbane was equipped with guns, a missile system, high definition radar and two Phalanx CIWS. Sydney was equipped with the same weapons as the two other frigates Adelaide and Darwin (section 2.2.1 ). Westralia is a petroleum product tanker modified for use as a replenisher at sea.
Brisbane and Sydney reached the Gulf of Oman on 3rd December 1990. In mid December Success, Brisbane and Sydney went through the Straits of Hormuz, to the central Gulf, to enforce sanctions. Westralia replaced Success, as the supply ship, on 26th January during the ground war. From the start of the coalition air strikes on 17th January, Brisbane and Sydney acted as anti-aircraft warfare pickets and defended the US aircraft carrier Midway. [4, 5] Brisbane controlled air traffic and Sydney contributed to the anti-aircraft screen. [7]
It was thought highly likely that Iraq would launch a pre-emptive attack and there were several feints by Iraqi combat aircraft. [9] A high level of vigilance was maintained and combat training including chemical defences were practised. [9] In late December the Iraqis released contact mines into the Gulf. [9]
A Red air and surface and air warning was issued on 17th January. [4] On the 24th January, there was a Red air warning in HMAS Sydney, the ship’s log also recorded air attacks to the north and a flash to the southeast. Mines and mine-like objects were seen in the Gulf where the ships were operating in February and March. [4]
In mid February Sydney moved close to Kuwait to search for and recover allied pilots forced to eject. [9] By 23rd February, Sydney’s Seahawk was checking Kuwaiti islands and drilling platforms for Iraqi troops, observation posts and gun emplacements. [7] The ceasefire on 28th February reduced the threat of air strikes but floating mines continued to be a threat . [9] On the 12th of March SMOIL is recorded to the north east in the Ships’ log and on the 23rd March Sydney was overflown by an Iranian P3C. [4] Sydney was in a severe dust storm on 7th March 1991 which caused sea searches and mine searches to be cancelled. [4]
Brisbane and Sydney left the Gulf on 26th March 1991. Westralia left 2 months later on 28th May having completed 90 replenishments; refuelling ships from 11 nations. [6, 8] There were a number of false alarms from the Minerva system on board Westralia and the ship also experienced a small fire in the engine room on 19th July.
2.2.3 Damask III
On 13th June 1991, HMAS Darwin arrived in the Gulf for its second deployment. It carried out sea and air surveillance and escorted US aircraft carriers and merchant ships through mine cleared areas. Smoke, oil and dust clouds from burning oil wells (SMOIL) was reported in the ship’s logs on several occasions between 25th June and 10th August and a dust storm was reported on 17th July. It left the Gulf on 4th September 1991. [2]
2.2.4 Clearance Diving Team 3
A Clearance Diving Team (CDT) consisting of 23 personnel left Australia on 27th January 1991, and arrived in Muscat on 31st January. While in Bahrain the team laid a portable degaussing range in the ship repair yard. A reconnaissance party from the CDT arrived in Kuwait on 5th March via Saudi Arabia. This team took Australia’s only Iraqi prisoner during reconnaissance of Doha port, west of Kuwait City. Because of the sabotage of the Kuwaiti oil wells by the Iraqis, the team worked in a thick oil slick at Mina Ash Shuibah, the deep water port south of the city. This resulted in difficulty with visibility and required extensive cleaning of equipment after use. Approximately 400 miles of the Gulf shoreline was oiled [10] but Kuwait city (Ras al Shuwaik) was reported to be relatively free of oil.
The team lived and worked against a background of black smoke (SMOIL) from the burning oil wells. They also operated under time pressure to open the harbour for humanitarian relief supplies and to land heavy equipment. After clearing Mina Ash Shuibah the team went on to clear the Naval base and then Kuwait City’s port. By this time, atmospheric conditions had improved and the sun had made its first clear appearance for two weeks. Some team members worked at Mina Ahmadi, the oil terminal, where atmospheric pollution was worse than in Kuwait city. The atmosphere was so bad that operations had to be cancelled on 16th March. Members of the team were also involved in various shore-based tasks, including recovery of missiles and small arms from “Death Valley”. The team found bodies of four Iraqi swimmers off shore, human remains were also found in ships that were surveyed. The team laid over 200 Jackstays, rendered 30 demolition charges safe, dealt with 60 sea mines, cleared over 230,000 pieces of ordnance including silkworm missiles and cleared seven ships and many buildings. By 19th April the team had completed the task of clearing the Kuwaiti coastline. The team returned to Australia on 10th May. [6]
back to top2.2.5 Task Group Medical Support Elements on USNS Comfort
The Australian Defence Force raised the Task Group Medical Support Elements under RAN medical command as a contribution to the coalition medical support requirement. The TGMSE's were assigned to the American hospital ship USNS Comfort. TGMSE 1 was composed of 20 members comprising doctors, nurses and health administration personnel, predominantly Navy supplemented with Army and Air Force personnel, including members of the Reserve forces. TGMSE 1 assumed duty on the 13th September 1990 and completed service on 4th January 1991. TGMSE 2 were deployed 31st December and TGMSE 3 on 13th January, the two later Elements remaining until 15th March 1991, after the ground war. A total of 59 Australian servicemen and women participated in this effort. [11]
USNS Comfort remained on task in the Gulf following the ship’s arrival in September 1990, except for one brief period in the Gulf of Oman. Comfort was based at Bahrain, but spent the majority of the time undertaking duty to the north in Gulf waters. The Australian TGMSE personnel undertook normal medical duties and participated in operational medical exercises and drills including training for the handling of casualties of biological and chemical warfare. Although large numbers of casualties did not occur, medical personnel were required to manage seriously injured and ill personnel including gunshot wounds and the mortally injured casualties from the explosion on USS Iwo Jima. The mechanical failure of air conditioning plant on USNS Comfort resulted in TGMSE members experiencing extremes of temperature and humidity below decks for several days (Kerry Delaney personal communication).
On 26th February the ship sailed to Khafji on the border between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. At this time, there were 2-3 weeks when the sky was darkened with SMOIL, visibility was reduced to less than 70 metres and personnel wore surgical masks for protection when on deck because the ship was enveloped in thick black smog (personal communication ADF personnel). Comfort was located between Iraq and Dahran when a sustained SCUD missile attack resulted in 29 US fatalities. [11] There was a report that USNS Comfort was targeted by a silkworm missile although hospital ships were afforded protection by screening frigates. [11] A number of ships were damaged as a result of mines and one such mine was disabled ahead of Comfort on 4th March. [11]
The Australian doctor in Command of TGMSE 2 and 3 ordered personnel not to take anti-malarials or Nerve Agent Pre-treatment Set (NAPS) tablets after consultation with senior US Navy colleagues (personal communication ADF personnel).
2.2.6 Operation Habitat
Operation Habitat was deployed to Kurdistan in northern Iraq on 16th May 1991. The Operation, comprising approximately 75 ADF personnel, provided humanitarian support to the international relief effort for Kurdish refugees. Personnel were primarily Army with a few Air Force members. Operation Habitat included medical, dental and preventive health teams.
The medical teams treated 2766 Kurds and the dental team treated 265 Kurds. The preventive medical team conducted health surveys, water and bacteriological testing and undertook pest control and fumigation programmes. [6] The Operation Habitat personnel lived in tented accommodation but were supplied with food via the British Supply Chain in operation for UK Operation Safe Haven. Some of the personnel passed through Kurdish villages destroyed by the Iraqis possibly by chemical warfare (personal communication ADF personnel). The mission was completed on 30th June when the teams left for Australia. [6]
2.2.7 The United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM)
Australia sent five members of the ADF to support Operation Blazer in March 1991, to oversee the identification and destruction of the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Over a period of some years, members of UNSCOM visited suspected Iraqi chemical and biological weapons manufacturing and storage facilitates. They discovered that such weapons had been made and stored by the Iraqis at several sites and in the process of discovery, they may have been exposed to chemical and biological warfare agents. Two other members of the ADF were part of the UNSCOM International Atomic Energy Agency Inspection Team.
2.2.8 Summary of ADF Deployments
The ADF deployed 1871 personnel to the Gulf according to the Nominal Roll for the Gulf War. There were no Australian deaths during the war. [7] It was public knowledge that Iraq had stockpiled chemical and/or biological weapons. ADF personnel were concerned that Iraq might use them, both this knowledge and the consequential use of respirators and protective suits were thought to be stressful. [12]
The naval contingent was the largest component of the ADF, providing the CDT, helicopter crews and supporting technicians and ships’ companies for Adelaide, Darwin, Success, Brisbane, Sydney and Westralia. RAN medical officers commanded the three Task Group Medical Support Elements deployed to USNS Comfort, and RAN Health Services personnel supplemented by Army and Air Force made up these medical teams. Other Navy personnel served with USA and UK forces while on exchange, one of whom was awarded a bravery medal after a rescue mission inside Iraq (personal communication ADF personnel).
Army personnel were deployed as missile gunners and linguists with Damask I and II, the Army also deployed with USNS Comfort, in Operation Habitat and seven men were with UNSCOM. [6] Army intelligence officers served in the Gulf area over undisclosed dates. Nine Army personnel served with UK forces during Operation Desert Storm and a further nine with the US Army or Marine Corps; they were on exchange with the unit when it was deployed to the Gulf. [6]
The Air Force did not have a direct combat role in the Gulf War but a number of Air Force personnel served there, drawn from many squadrons and units. The primary roles were those of logistic support such as transport for Operation Damask and Operation Ozone (Operation Ozone involved the evacuation of Australian and other Commonwealth persons from the war zone). Flights were made to many parts of the Gulf region including Riyadh, Amman, Muscat and Bahrain.
Some members of the Air Force were based in Riyadh for liaison purposes. Air Force personnel from 33 squadron were based in Cyprus over the period and personnel from 37 squadron were deployed to Cocos (Keeling) islands and then Singapore. [6] Air Force intelligence officers (mainly photographic interpreters) served in Gulf area over undisclosed dates. [7] Twelve members of the Air Force were on exchange with the UK and USA and served with those forces. Air Force personnel also served in Operation Habitat and in the TGMSEs on USNS Comfort. [6]
back to top2.2.8.1 Nominal Roll
Following the Gulf War, DVA compiled a Nominal Roll of all Defence Force personnel who served in the operations listed above. The Nominal Roll includes people who were on permanent posting and temporary attachment.
More details on the Nominal Roll are presented in the Cross-Sectional Study Methods and the Recruitment chapters.
Figure 2 . 2 Gulf War Timelines
Go to Figure 2.2 (gif format image, 14 kb)Go to Figure 2.2 (jpeg format image, 109kb)
Download PDF file of Figure 2.2 (pdf file, 64kb)
|
Date
|
Event
|
|---|---|
| 2 Aug 1990 | Iraq invades Kuwait |
| 8 Aug | Initial U.S. Air Force fighter planes arrive in Saudi Arabia |
| 10 Aug | ADF committed to Gulf Naval Task Force |
| mid Aug | Darwin and Adelaide leave Sydney |
| 22 Aug | Success, Darwin and Adelaide leave Rockingham, Australia |
| 6 Sept | Damask I in Gulf of Oman patrols east of Strait of Hormuz only. Five RAAF Seahawk and Squirrel Helicopters on board Success arrives in region |
| 13 Sept | TGMSE 1 RAN Task Group Medical Support Element joined USNS Comfort |
| 14 Sept | Darwin fires 100 rounds of warning shots across a ship’s bows |
| 24-26 Sept | Darwin rest and recreation (R&R) Muscat |
| 24-27 Sept | Adelaide R&R Muscat |
| 8 Oct | Adelaide fires two .76mm shots using main armament |
| 21-22 Oct | Adelaide R&R Muscat |
| 21-24 Oct | Darwin R&R Muscat |
| 27-30 Oct | Adelaide R&R Muscat |
| 8-12 Nov | Darwin R&R Muscat |
| 12-16 Nov | Adelaide R&R Muscat |
| 20 Nov | Damask II deployed: Brisbane and Sydney leave Western Australia with RAN helicopters on board |
| 29 Nov | UN Security Council authorises use of "all means necessary" to eject Iraq from Kuwait |
| 28-1 Dec | Darwin R&R Muscat |
| 28-1 Dec | Adelaide R&R Muscat |
| 3 Dec | Darwin and Adelaide leave area of operations to return to Australia |
| 4 Dec | Brisbane and Sydney arrive Gulf of Oman |
| 6-10 Dec | Brisbane R&R Muscat |
| 14 Dec | Darwin and Adelaide arrive Darwin Australia |
| 16 Dec | Brisbane and Sydney go through Strait of Hormuz to central Gulf and Bahrain |
| 21-27 Dec | Brisbane R&R Bahrain |
| 23 Dec | Sydney leaves Bahrain for Gulf |
| 24-28 Dec | Success R&R Seychelles |
| 26 Dec | Sydney was in charge of the interception of the Khaldoon. Searches another ship |
| 31 Dec | TGMSE 2 RAN Task Group Medical Support Element embark USNS Comfort |
| 30 Dec- 6 Jan 1991 | Sydney goes to Dubai (UAE) for new year R&R. |
| 4 Jan | TGMSE 1 RAN Task Group Medical Support Element disembark USNS Comfort at Dubai |
| 8-11 Jan | Brisbane R&R Dubai (UAE) |
| 11 Jan | Sydney enters Gulf on surveillance and patrol, escorts Success to N. Gulf replenishing duties |
| 13 Jan | TGMSE 3 RAN Task Group Medical Support Element embark USNS Comfort |
| 12 Jan | USA Congress authorises use of force |
| 15 Jan | UN deadline for Iraqi withdrawal. Westralia leaves Australia |
| 17 Jan | Allied attack begins with Tomahawk strike at 2:38 am. Red air and surface warnings issued. |
| 19 Jan | Sydney escorts US Ship to Bahrain and 2 days later returns with another US ship |
| 23 Jan | Allies report Sea Control established. Success leaves Gulf for Australia |
| 24 Jan | Red air warning on HMAS Sydney, air attacks to the north and a flash to the south east |
| 25 Jan | Iraqis release oil into Gulf and start setting fire to oil wells; SMOIL spreads |
| 26 Jan | Westralia arrives in the Gulf, going to Muscat then to Bahrain |
| 27 Jan | Sydney escorts US ship back to Bahrain |
| 31 Jan | Clearance Diving Team arrives in Muscat from Australia. Sent on to Bahrain on Westralia |
| Early Feb | Brisbane close to Iranian coast then later in northern Gulf area south of Dorra oil fields near Kubbar Island. Sydney close to Iraqi coast |
| 5 Feb | Westralia goes into Gulf to replenish Sydney and Brisbane |
| 9 Feb | Satellite pictures show SMOIL cloud |
| 16 Feb | VII Corps moves into final attack positions |
| 19 Feb | Sydney under likely silkworm missile attack, Red air warning. Nearby US ship hits mine |
| 23-28 Feb | Westralia in Dubai to replenish Sydney, remains in central Gulf on replenishment duties after cease-fire |
| 24 Feb | Ground attack begins |
| 26 Feb | Iraqis flee Kuwait City, Success arrives in Australia |
| 28 Feb | Cease-fire takes effect at 8 am. |
| 27-2 March | Brisbane R&R Dubai |
| March | Operation Blazer sends 5 men to support UNSCOM. Sydney in Gulf of Oman on escort duty for US battleships leaving Gulf. Escort duties for replenishment ships until 14 Mar goes close to Kuwait city. Brisbane escorts US ships in northern Gulf; sights sea mines. Chemical weapons destroyed at Khamisiyah. |
| 2 March | Clearance Diving Team goes to Kuwait and starts mine clearance work in thick oil slick |
| 7 March | Sydney in severe dust storm |
| 15 March | TGMSE 2 and TGMSE 3 disembark USNS Comfort at Bahrain |
| 15-22 March | Brisbane R&R Bahrain |
| 15-23 March | Westralia in port at Dubai |
| 23 March | Westralia meets Sydney and Brisbane in Gulf of Oman, replenishes then returns to Gulf |
| 26 March | Brisbane and Sydney leave Gulf |
| 8-11 April | Westralia in port at Abu Dhabi |
| 10 April | Darwin leaves Darwin, Australia for second deployment |
| 12 April | Formal cease fire announced |
| 14 April | Brisbane arrives Darwin, Australia |
| 18-22 April | Westralia in port at Muscat |
| 19 April | Clearance Diving Team complete task |
| 2-6 May | Westralia in port at Dubai |
| 10 May | Clearance Diving Team returned to Australia |
| 14-16 May | Westralia in port at Bahrain |
| 16 May | Operation Habitat deployed to Kurdistan in northern Iraq |
| 19-20 May | Westralia in port at Al Jubayul |
| 21-24 May | Westralia in port at Dubai |
| 28 May | Westralia leaves Gulf from Dubai |
| 31 May | Damask III, Darwin (2nd deployment) leaves SE Asia for Gulf |
| 9 June | Westralia arrives Fremantle, Australia |
| 13 June | Darwin arrives in Gulf. Carries out surveillance, minesweeping protection, USS aircraft carrier and merchant ship escort through mine cleared areas. Ports of call include Muscat & Wudam (Oman), Dubai & Abu Dhabi (UAE), Doha (Qatar), Ash Shliywaikh (Kuwait) and Bahrain |
| 30 June | Operation Habitat completed |
| 11 July | Fire in Tank compound, Doha (Qatar) |
| 4 Sept | Darwin leaves Gulf |
| 21 Sept | Darwin arrives in Darwin, Australia |
back to top