A member of 5th/7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5/7RAR) talking to a young Iraqi ...

A member of 5th/7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5/7RAR) talking to a young Iraqi boy during a foot patrol in the almost deserted railway yards near Camp Smitty. Another Australian soldier is in the forground, walking along the road. Foot, guard and mounted patrols were undertaken by 5/7RAR on a week about roster. The patrols were usually undertaken between dusk and 11pm to maintain a presence in the town near the camp. Camp Smitty was a multinational camp located approximately 7 kms from the town of As Samawah. The camp was set up by the Americans in early 2003 adjacent to an abandoned train depot, and was later named in honour of Lance Corporal Jonothan L Smith, a US Marine who was killed after his truck was hit with an improvised explosive device. The camp was occupied by Dutch troops between July 2003 and March 2005, when it was handed over to the British. Australian troops occupied the camp in April 2005 until it was closed in May 2006 and the AMTG was relocated to Dhi Qar Province.