Battle of the CIMIC House

Operation Dagger
Part of the Post-invasion Iraq
Date August 5, 2004 Location Southern Iraq Result Decisive British Victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Mehdi Army
Commanders and leaders
Major Justin Featherstone
Strength
100	500+
Casualties and losses
1 Killed	200+ Killed

CIMIC-House was a British strongpoint in the Iraqi town of Al Amarah, the residence of the former governor of Maysan province.

Determined to take the strongpoint, militia of the Shia Mehdi Army launched sustained attacks on the British positions beginning on the 5th of August 2004.

Occupied by only by Y Company of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Battle Group who were isolated 20 miles from the main battle group they faced an estimated 500 militia who launched a total of 85 assaults on the compound over the next 23 days.

Incoming fire from the Mehdi Army included 595 mortar rounds, direct hits with 59 rocket-propelled grenades and six 107mm rockets plus numerous infantry attacks. The British in return fired 33,000 rounds defending their positions in trying to repulse the Mehdi Army in what has been described as "the longest continuous action fought by the British Army since the Korean War 50 years ago".

Fighting reached a peak between the 15th and 25th of August when the intensity was such that armoured convoys were unable to reach the base to resupply the British although none of the waves of infantry attacks by the Mehdi Army got within 30 metres of the British lines. During this time commanding officer, Major Justin Featherstone, was given permission to withdraw by his superiors if he felt events on the ground required it but refused to have his men leave their posts.

At the end of fighting six British soldiers were injured seriously in the battle the only fatality on the British side was Private Chris Rayment who died when a traffic barrier fell on his head. Mehdi Army casualties at the end of the battle were estimated by the British at at least 200 dead leaving them as a seriously depleted force in Al Amarah.

Details on the battle

Video of the fighting