Battle of St Joseph Airport

Battle of St Joseph Airport
File:Stjairportbattle.jpg 4th Company under fire a
Date 8th November 2015 Location St Joseph Airport, Pepper Atoll Result Decisive Brytisc victory
Belligerents
Confederate Brytisc Fleet Sde Dovan special forces	Template:Country data Manaagnwe Militia Template:Country data FRI
Commanders and leaders
Col. Alicia Keystone Template:Country data Sde Dov Lt. Turchnyov	Template:Country data Manaagnwe Militia Captain Explosion Template:Country data FRI Eleanor Hearst†
Strength
438 Template:Country data Sde Dov 9	Template:Country data Manaagnwe Militia 400-600 approx.
Casualties and losses
1 killed, 9 wounded TOTAL - 10	Template:Country data Manaagnwe Militia 75 killed, 40+ wounded Template:Country data FRI 2 killed, 2 wounded TOTAL - 119 approx.

The Battle of St Joseph Airport was a skirmish between the Confederate Brytisc Fleet and the Manaagnwe Militia in the airport of St Joseph, Pepper Atoll. The Militia were attempting to relieve members of the Fale Revolutionary Internationale, who had hijacked a Brytisc Airways plane and forced it to land at the airport. The battle resulted in the defeat of the Militia and the successful rescue of all hostages.

Background

Early in the morning of the 8th of November 2015, members of the Fale Revolutionary Internationale managed to hijack Brytisc Airways Flight BA244 travelling from Defense to Lundene. The four terrorists overpowered Sergeant Maxille, the on-duty Gendarme, and held the crew to ransom, demanding that the flight divert to St Joseph in Pepper Atoll. The pilots duly altered course and landed, whilst the 1st Battalion of the Brytisc Grenadier Regiment and a platoon of counter-terrorist specialists from Sde Dov mobilised to the area.

Several hours of negotiations followed, until at dusk the Manaagnwe Militia arrived on-scene and opened fire upon the Brytisc and Sde Dovan military stationed around the airport.

Battle

Initial assault

At 16:57 the Militia opened fire with a salvo of mortar fire, followed in close order by sharpshooters and light infantry who emerged from the treeline to the north and targeted the floodlights illuminating the airport. Under this cover, a column of technicals and other light vehicles approached the airstrip, seizing several hangars to the north and approaching the grounded Flight BA244.

It was during this initial assault that the only fatality on the Brytisc side was incurred. Corporal Waerfurth was killed by sniper fire whilst attempting to deploy his KA-GPMG. Eleanor Hurst, leader of the FRI contingent, was also killed when she opened the forward starboard door and was hit by sharpshooter fire. Her death was accredited to Bravo Platoon, 4th Company.

The plane is stormed

Hearing the onset of hostilities, Lieutenant Turchnyov elected to storm the plane immediately in order to prevent any further civilian casualties. The KA-P7 handgun appropriated from Sergeant Maxille was found by Hurst's body, whilst Cenwulf Kolmire was shot dead after brandishing a crowbar at the rescue team. Two further FRI terrorists, Clarence Waters and Polina Turensky, surrendered and were arrested. Lieutenant Turchnyov and his soldiers remained in the airplane until the battle was over, in order to protect the hostages, all of whom were rescued unharmed.

Final stages

Suppressing fire from a Tyr IFV of the 5th Company, which had been deployed between two storage huts on the eastern side of the airfield, managed to blunt the impetus of the Manaagnwe armoured thrust until the rest of the regiment could form up for a counter-attack. By 17:25 the 1st Battalion had driven the Militia away from the airfield and the fight was over.

Aftermath

The Manaagnwe Militia withdrew under cover of darkness, having failed in their objective to rescue the FRI hijackers. Following up on intelligence gathered during the skirmish, the Fleet was able to locate and destroy a significant Milita base in the area, believed to have been the group's headquarters in the St Joseph area. This action led to the death or capture of 35 Militia members, including the death of Captain Explosion, believed to have been the regional commander of the Manaagnwe Militia and the right-hand-man of Colonel Cutuu.