Ten minutes

Ten minutes is not very long. Ten minutes go by quickly. But sometimes time stands still and asleep and decides not to move, even though the desert sands keep shaking outside...

Ten minutes is not very long. Ten minutes go by quickly. But sometimes time stands still and asleep and decides not to move, even though the desert sands keep shaking outside. The night is calm and for an hour and fifty minutes nothing seems to forecast that time will stop for some moments. It is 23:15 of 7th April 2004 and soldier Jorge Trejo is conducting his security guard service at the box by the palms of “España” base in Diwaniya (Iraq). It is only ten minutes before he finishes his guard, and he knows that is not a long time. Until now, the guard, same as the night, has been calm, and his relief will arrive soon. What is ten minutes? Silence has been with him until now, while he has been observing with precision the geometry of the streets, some hasty people who walked avoiding the abandon of the night and some vehicles that did not look strange in this scenery.

Soldier Trejo is standing guard at the box by the palms, waiting for the minutes to pass by protected by a mountain of sandbags

Not long ago the chief of the guard, Lieutenant Merino had approached the post to make the rounds. Jorge gave him the news and informed him that the radio was running out of battery. Lieutenant Merino said to him that he would bring a new one in his next relief, and it was just ten minutes for the end. Next, he left to receive news from another post. Jorge knows that ten minutes is not very long, that time flies.

But this is Iraq, and Soldier Trejo, as part of the 6th “Saboya” nº Regiment is standing guard at the box by the palms. Some palms can be seen by the hollow, several mounds that surround the base together with an old wall and the shadow of the box, reflected by a moon with the colour of the sand, where Jorge stands guard waiting for those ten minutes to pass by, protected by a mountain of sandbags. Place and time join together so that each one of them complies with its destiny.

It is less than ten minutes until his guard is over and the relief comes. He thinks that when the service is over, he will smoke a cigarette and seat to look at the night sky for a while. The sky in Iraq soon fills with stars, calming any spirit. Sheer tranquility.

Jorge remains attentive to the movements outside. He has spotted shadows and keeps alert for any strange movement. He knows that ear is they sense at night, and he suddenly hears a sound he can easily recognise. He has heard the characteristic noise of a mortar grenade coming out of the tube. The silence of the night helps him and, without any hesitation, he informs the guard corps by radio. The grenade explodes a few metres away from him, and so he knows they are being attacked.

The attack

Jorge knows that the box by the palms is close to the heliport, and that is possibly the target of the attack for Mahdi's soldiers. Simultaneously, from the south-west, he starts receiving fire, and protects from the impacts on the box as he responds to the fire with fire. He is on his own and mortar grenades keep falling around him. He has just seen a RPG rocket flying over his head. He is the only gate and the only wall that stops the enemy from entering. He decides to remain in his post and defend it no matter what. He feels that help will soon arrive.

It is night and silence has turned into sudden clamour of battle. Jorge keeps receiving continuous RPG and fussile fire, and he thinks the attackers are placed no further than 50 metres behind the wire fence. He has finished his first magazine, he takes off his combat equipment holder, takes the four magazines left and puts the holder aside with the contempt of those who know that ammunition is the only necessary thing. He grabs a magazine, reassembles the weapon and leaves the other three magazines on the sandbags.

When he is able to, he keeps informing the guard corps of everything he sees. Behind him, beating the night, a machine gun that the EOD team has place, starts supporting him. He already knows that his partners are there, although they still cannot come any closer since the mortar fire is very intense. He knows he made the right decision from the start, withstand the attack, report it and resist until support comes. When you are alone, this is not an easy decision to make.

It is not the first time Soldier Trejo is shot, since he has already participated in several combat actions with his unit

The areas close to the post are filled with shrapnel. He has identified the origins of the dire and he reports it to the guard chief. The attackers keep throwing grenades with the intention of reaching the helicopters stationed at the esplanade. However, Jorge keeps shooting as well. He is not going to permit it, so he keeps reflecting the fire with more fire and returns the attacks with obstinate resistance, as if it were an infinite combat mirror. Shots fly from everywhere and Jorge maintains his positions, that he will defend at all costs.

It is not the first time Soldier Trejo is shot, since he has already participated in several combat actions with his unit, such as the one at the market of Diwaniyah the previous night, and the ambush in which the captain of his company would be hurt the following day. Nevertheless, since fate is never calm, not even ten minutes before the relief of the guard comes, once again he must show bravery, serenity and initiative.

He knows that defence and attack start in a soldier, in a soldier like him, who, alone at the box as he was, did what he had to do since he knew that whoever has the order to preserve their post at all costs will do so (according to the Royal Ordinances of the Armed Forces).

It is less than ten minutes until his guard is over and and for now he is only thinking in remaining alert until the end. When the relief comes, he will smoke a cigarette and seat to look at the night sky for a while. The sky in Iraq soon fills with stars, calming any spirit. Just ten minutes left, which is not very long.