Infantry to deploy without its armoured protection

By Greg Ansley

DARWIN -- New Zealand infantry will almost certainly move into East Timor without the protection of armoured personnel carriers, as the massive buildup of supplies and equipment continues. Although the timing of Victor Company's deployment from Darwin remains uncertain, it is expected to leave within days.

The more than 200 soldiers will operate initially as light foot infantry, equipped only with Steyr rifles and machineguns.

They will carry all their supplies on their backs as the area is stripped of the most basic requirements for survival.

Reports from Timor over the weekend suggest that the devastation of outlying towns may be as great as, or even greater than, the razing of Dili.

Although operating mainly in Dili at night in unsecured areas of the city, the militias are reported to be active in areas beyond the reach of the United Nations peacemaking force.

Four APCs, armed with .50 heavy machineguns and 7.62 light machineguns capable of laying down covering fire for 1800m, are at present in the New Zealand compound at Robertson Barracks, outside Darwin. But the specially armoured vehicles, which can protect soldiers from all weapons known to be in use by the militia, will not be shipped to Timor for some time after the company deploys.

A further 21 APCs will be shipped with four-wheel-drive vehicles and other heavy equipment aboard the chartered Dutch ship Edam Gracht.

However, the first of four RNZAF Iroquois helicopters, equipped for door-mounted machineguns, was readied for action in Dili on Saturday, with another flown in yesterday and the other two due to arrive by tomorrow. HMNZS Canterbury has also replaced Te Kaha in the multinational fleet patrolling the waters off Timor and the tanker Endeavour was expected to arrive over the weekend.

Canterbury is expected to be used mainly as an electronics and communications centre.

The urgent move of Victor Company with only the most basic equipment to Dili has underlined the enormous pressure placed on the Defence Force.

The two RNZAF C130 Hercules involved in the Darwin-Dili airlift have been diverted to a round-the-clock transtasman airbridge which is effectively tying up the Air Force's entire transport fleet in a concerted rush to get equipment on the ground. Heavy gear such as the 13-tonne APCs is being shipped to ease the strain on the Hercules and reduce the chance of sorely stretched aircraft having to be taken out of service.

Already, RNZAF Hercules have flown in almost 200 tonnes of supplies, with more arriving every day and the heaviest still to cross the Tasman on the Edam Gracht.

In Darwin, logistics staff, who left New Zealand at one day's notice and arrived only two days before Victor Company, have worked 20-hour days to set up a stores depot catering for a vast range of equipment, from razors and ration packs to kevlar helmets, engine parts and clothing.

Full details of the responsibility each member of the UN force will carry for supplies and equipment have yet to be negotiated, but Australia will supply most bulk items such as diesel fuel and water. New Zealand APCs alone will each chew through up to 200 litres of diesel a day and have had to be tuned especially for the tropics.

By the time Victor Company arrives New Zealand will have about 380 personnel on the ground in Timor, requiring a minimum 4500 litres of water a day.