- A serving soldier reignited the row about equipment shortages
during the Iraq war last night, claiming he and his men had been issued
with just five bullets each for the entire conflict.
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- The unnamed soldier, who said he came under fire several
times on the frontline in southern Iraq, told Channel 4 News: "We
had five rounds each to defend ourselves. I actually crossed the border
with five rounds.
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- "The magazine held 30 separate bullets but I was
issued with five separate bullets to last the entire hostilities of the
war. We came under fire in Um Qasr three or four times. Not fire, it was
more like ricochets."
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- The soldier's claims reopen the debate on equipment shortages
in the army. Last month, the defence secretary, Geoff Hoon, faced calls
to resign following the death of Sergeant Steven Roberts, who was killed
after being ordered to hand his flak jacket to another unit because there
were not enough to go around.
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- The soldier making the latest complaints, who is reportedly
based in Germany and served in Um Qasr, Az Zubayr and Basra, risks losing
his job and pension if his identity becomes public.
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- As well as receiving just five bullets, he claimed the
unit's camouflage nets and many of their vehicles and uniforms were green,
not desert brown.
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- The report said the men were also short of maps and body
armour and instead of radios, they were issued with a mobile phone and
instructed to call if they were attacked.
-
- Last night, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said
it was impossible to comment on the specific allegations without knowing
the soldier's unit and role.
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- Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited
2004
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- http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1155599,00.html
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