Concrete blast wall sections, 7th Armoured Brigade murals, Iraq, 2009

Digital image by Corporal Adrian Harlen, 2009.

Concrete blast wall sections decorated with murals of 7th Armoured Brigade's armoured jerboa (desert rat) insignia commemorating service on Operation HERRICK 12 in 2008, Allenby Lines, Contingency Operating Base, Basra Air Station, Iraq, 2009.

During World War Two (1939-1945) the 7th Armoured Brigade was part of the 7th Armoured Division. According to legend, the wife of the divisional commander visited Cairo Zoo where she came across the Jerboa, a tiny jumping rodent. On her return, she produced a sketch she had made of the animal that was then was redrawn and adopted by the unit. As the Jerboa looked a bit like a rat, and the division was then serving in the Western Desert, they soon got the nickname 'The Desert Rats.' When the 7th Armoured Division was disbanded in 1953 the 7th Brigade carried on their tradition and famous title.

From a collection of photographs relating to Operation BROCKDALE, the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq in 2009.