A Fijian private from 1st Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment, waits in the back of an armoured Land Rover 'Snatch Wagon' prior to carrying out Operation RAT TRAP with Iraqi Police

Digital photograph taken by WO2 Giles Penfound, Army Media Operations, Basra, southern Iraq, Operation TELIC 4, 29 June 2004.

Operation RAT TRAP was a series of movable Vehicle Check Points designed to provide snatch searches of vehicles carrying potential terrorists or weapons. This patrol was the first in 'B' Company's area after the surprise early hand over of power the previous day. There was an air of expectation and the soldiers were very wary of the possibility of attacks from IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). This patrol came only a day after a patrol from another unit was attacked resulting in one death and two very serious injuries. The area where the soldiers were patrolling was known as IED alley, because of the numerous attacks by local militants. As a result of their aggressive and positive patrols the incidence of attacks on their base location dropped.