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Multi-National Division (South-East)
Multi-National Division (South-East)
Active	2003–2009
Country	United Kingdom
Type	Command
Part of	Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Garrison/HQ	Basra Airport

Multi-National Division (South-East) (MND (SE)) was a British commanded military division responsible for security in the south east of Iraq from 2003 to 2009. It was responsible for the large city of Basra (or Basrah) and its headquarters were located at Basra Airport. The division was initially responsible for the governorates (roughly provinces) of Al Muthanna, Maysan, Basra, and Dhi Qar.^[1] MND-SE was a subordinate division of Multi-National Corps Iraq. Multi-National Corps Iraq was itself part of Multi-National Force-Iraq.

History

In the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which had the British codename 'Operation Telic,' the British 1st Armoured Division^[2] and 3rd Mechanised Division^[3] were successively responsible for the command and control of the occupation forces in south east Iraq. After the 3rd Mechanised Division's tour of duty came to an end it was replaced by a composite headquarters still known as MND (SE).^[4]

General officers commanding

December 2003 – July 2004: Major-General Andrew Stewart, British Army
July – November 2004: Major-General Bill Rollo, British Army
December 2004 – June 2005: Major-General Jonathon Riley, British Army
June – December 2005: Major-General James Dutton, Royal Marines
December 2005 – July 2006: Major-General John Cooper, British Army
July 2006 – January 2007: Major-General Richard Shirreff, British Army
January – August 2007: Major-General Jonathan Shaw, British Army
August 2007 – February 2008: Major-General Graham Binns, British Army
February – August 2008: Major-General Barney White-Spunner, British Army
August 2008 – March 2009: Major-General Andy Salmon, Royal Marines^[5]

Major General Andy Salmon (COMUKAMPHIBFOR) handed over command of the area to the U.S. 10th Mountain Division on 31 March 2009 and the division headquarters closed on that day.^[6] After a transfer of authority on 20 May 2009, the 34th Infantry Division, an Army National Guard Division from Minnesota commanded by Major General Richard C. Nash assumed control of the sector which would eventually redesignate to become U.S. Division-South in August 2009.^[7]

Order of battle

In the months following the end of the invasion, the division expanded to include UK, Dutch, Norwegian, Italian, Japanese, Australian, NZ, Romanian, Danish, Portuguese, Czech and Lithuanian troops. As of February 2007, the Australians, Romanians, Danes, Czechs and Lithuanians remain (see Multinational Force in Iraq for further information). The UK itself had about 5,500 personnel serving in Iraq, separated into the following battlegroups, as of 1 June 2007:^[8]

Land component

Headquarters, 1st Mechanised Brigade
Messines & Cambrai Company from London Regiment (Force protection)
215th Signal Squadron, Royal Signals
Two squadrons from the Household Cavalry Regiment
Cassino Company, 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment. ROBG (1 SCOTS+1RIR), B Coy Tyne Tees Regiment Green Howards
The King's Royal Hussars
Two squadrons from the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment
1st Battalion, Irish Guards
One company from 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh
2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh
1st Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
22nd Engineer Regiment
One squadron from 23rd Pioneer Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps
3rd Logistic Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps
One company from 6th Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
3rd Close Support Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps
158th Provost Company, 3rd Regiment, Royal Military Police
22nd Battery, 32nd Regiment, Royal Artillery
34th Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps

Air component

845 Naval Air Squadron (Sea King Mk 4)
Detachment from 652 Squadron, Army Air Corps (Lynx)
No. 1419 Flight RAF (Merlin)
No. 1 and 2 Squadrons RAF Regiment
4th Force Protection Wing
No. 120 Squadron RAF/No. 201 Squadron RAF (Nimrod MR2)
No. 51 Squadron RAF (Nimrod R1)
814 Naval Air Squadron (Merlin)
No. 216 Squadron RAF (TriStar)
No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron RAF (BAe 125/BAe 146)
No. 617 Squadron RAF (Tornado GR4)
No. 23 Squadron RAF/No. 30 Squadron RAF (C-130J Hercules)
No. 101 Squadron RAF (VC10)

Maritime component

HMS Cornwall
HMS Enterprise
RFA Bayleaf
Two Mine Countermeasures vessels
Contribution to the 60-man joint US-UK 'Naval Transition Team'

References

^ Colin Robinson, The U.S. presence in Iraq: inching towards internationalized 'peacekeeping'?' Center for Defense Information, July 28, 2003
^ Graham Binns Archived 2013-07-24 at the Wayback Machine Aegis: Management (Binns commanded 1st Armoured Division and Multi-National Division (South-East))
^ Barney White-Spunner Countryside Alliance (White-Spunner commanded 3rd Mechanised Division and Multi-National Division (South-East))
^ British commander in Iraq declares 'mission accomplished' The Telegraph, 7 March 2009 (Salmon had no other command at the time other than Multi-National Division (South-East))
^ Colin Mackie, Army Commands Archived 2015-07-05 at the Wayback Machine, page 144. Accessed 3 February 2015.
^ UK troops begin Iraqi withdrawal BBC, 31 March 2009
^ Iraqis Take Lead in Southern Iraq, General Says US Department of Defense, 6 August 2009
^ Op Telic 10 - 1 Mechanised Brigade Defence Viewpoints, 22 February 2007