Error by British officer led to capture of his patrol

A British army officer will face disciplinary action for “an error of professional judgement” that led to the rebel capture of his 12-man patrol on 25 August, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Thursday. A review of security measures for British forces in Sierra Leone indicated that the patrol leader, Major Alan Marshall, diverted from a planned and authorised journey to visit the village of Magbeni, some 49 km northeast of Freetown, on the banks of the Rokel Creek. There, his patrol was overwhelmed in five minutes by 25 West Side Boys manning truck-mounted twin machine guns. According to the ministry, a court martial was unlikely “but a range of measures are available to the Commander-in-Chief in dealing with any professional effor of judgement”. The patrol comprised 11 members of the 1st Royal Irish Regiment and their Sierra Leonean army liason officer who had travelled from the Benguema training camp to visit a Jordanian battalion at Masiaka, 51 km due east of Freetown. Such visits are part of routine liaison with adjacent friendly units to get early warning of any attack or threat, according to the ministry.