‘Let’s hope the boy learns his lesson,’ said Nan, beginning to clear the breakfast table.
‘Oh, I think a few people in the Corbett household have learned a lesson or two,’ said Ben, smiling at Charlie. ‘Just remember, kids, if anyone bullies you in future, online or in person, you tell a grown-up right away – Nan or me or a teacher. Don’t let it go on.’
‘Roger to that,’ Charlie concurred.
‘Yes, Dad,’ Josh agreed.
‘I promise,’ Maddie pledged seriously.
‘Looks like our little family is back on an even keel,’ Ben said, putting his arms affectionately around Josh and Maddie.
‘I wish Caesar was here,’ said Maddie, pushing her cereal bowl away. ‘He’s part of our family, too.’
‘You know the quarantine regulations, Maddie,’ said Charlie. ‘Caesar has to stay in Tarin Kowt for now.’
‘And I’ll be back with Caesar soon,’ Ben added.
‘This GRRR thing,’ said Josh, ‘will it mean you’ll only do special missions in Afghanistan?’
‘No, mate,’ Charlie answered. ‘We could be sent anywhere in the world at any time.’
‘Cool. Can I tell Hanna?’ asked Josh. ‘Or is it top-secret stuff?’
‘Hanna?’ Ben shot Nan a questioning glance.
Nan smiled. ‘Josh and Hanna Park have become good friends while you’ve been away.’
‘Ah.’ Ben paused for a moment to think. ‘I’ll clear it with Dr Park first, but I’m sure he’ll be okay with you telling Hanna about GRRR. I think both you and Maddie have proven that you can keep vital secrets.’
‘Yes,’ said Maddie, pleased with herself. ‘I only oopsed once.’
Ben frowned. ‘You what, Princess?’
Maddie looked guiltily to Josh for help.
‘That’s our vital secret, Dad,’ said Josh, with a wink at Maddie.
‘Okay,’ Ben returned with a grin.
After just two days at home, Ben returned to Tarin Kowt to rejoin Caesar, who was so excited to see him that Ben let him sleep beside his bed on his first night back. The next morning, Ben and Caesar were out on their routine jog around the base’s running track when Ben’s mobile buzzed. Coming to a stop, he took out his phone. Caller unknown. Noticing Ben’s absence, Caesar turned around and trotted over to him.
Curious, Ben put the phone to his ear. ‘This is Ben Fulton.’
‘Hello, Sergeant Fulton.’ Ben recognised the voice as belonging to Liberty Lee. ‘I have a message for you. The message is: Rice for water.’
Ben smiled and ended the call. GRRR had its first mission. Ben knelt down beside Caesar. ‘Sounds like we’re needed, mate.’
With his tail wagging, Caesar looked up at Ben with an expression that seemed to say, Ready for action when you are, boss. Let’s go!
STRIKE FORCE BLUE DRAGON
SKY TEAM
Sergeant Charlie Grover VC, SASR, team commander
Sergeant Ben Fulton, SOER, deputy team commander and EDD handler
Sergeant Angus Bruce, British Royal Marine Commandos, explosives expert
Corporal Casper Mortenson, Danish Army Hunter Corps, expert underwater diver
Corporal Chris Banner, British Royal Navy Special Boat Service, small boats expert
Corporal Lucky Mertz, SASR
Trooper ‘Bendigo Baz’, SASR
EDD Caesar, SOER
LAND TEAM
Sergeant Duke Hazard, US Green Berets, team commander
Sergeant Tim McHenry, US Army Rangers, deputy team commander
Sergeant Jean-Claude Lyon, French Foreign Legion
Corporal Brian Cisco, US Green Berets, signaller
Corporal Mars Lazar, US Green Berets, EDD handler
Private Toushi Harada, Aki Haru, Japanese Self-Defence Force, technical warfare expert
Private Wilhelm ‘Willy’ Wolf, German Kommando Spezialkräfte, combat medic
EDD Alabama, US Green Berets
Ali Moon, civilian, interpreter
DSRV-801X, THE PENCIL
Commander Dave Renzo, US Navy
Lieutenant Brad Ellerman, US Navy
HOSTAGES
Dr Park Chun Ho, Secretary-General of the United Nations
Captain Liberty Lee, Republic of Korea Armed Forces, the secretary-general’s bodyguard
Captain Rix, German Air Force, UN helicopter pilot
Lieutenant Frankel, German Air Force, UN helicopter co-pilot
Jeremy Brown, British, the secretary-general’s principal private secretary
Mikashi, Japanese, the secretary-general’s press officer
Fader, Danish, a UN official
Loubet, French, a UN official
LIST OF MILITARY TERMS
2IC second-in-command
AEW&C airborne early warning and control aircraft, such as the Wedgetail used by the RAAF’s No. 2 Squadron
Air Force One the US Air Force aircraft that carries the President of the United States of America
ANA Afghan National Army
Apache, AH-64 twin-engine helicopter gunship
bears military intelligence personnel
Black Hawk, S-70A military helicopter used as a gunship as well as a cargo and troop carrier
Bushmaster Australian-made troop-carrying vehicle, four-wheel drive; can carry eight troops plus a crew of two
carbine rifle with a shorter barrel than an assault rifle
Chinook, CH-47 twin-rotor medium-lift military helicopter that carries cargo, vehicles and troops
CIA Central Intelligence Agency; America’s overseas spy agency
clicks kilometres
copy that ‘I have received’ or ‘I understand’
Diggers nickname for Australian soldiers
doggles protective goggles for war dogs
drone unmanned military aircraft used for reconnaissance and bombing raids
DSRV deep submersible research (or rescue) vessel
DZ drop zone
EDD explosive detection dog
ETD estimated time of departure
extraction pickup of troops from hostile territory by air, land or sea
fixed-wing aircraft any aircraft that relies on wings for lift, as opposed to a helicopter
fly boys aircrew
forward operating base (FOB) a base in enemy territory
frag shell fragments from an exploding artillery shell, grenade, bomb or missilev
French Foreign Legion French Army unit used for special operations. Traditionally accepts foreigners without asking questions
Galaxy, C-5 four-engine jet military aircraft, the largest in use within the US Air Force
Globemaster, C-17 four-engine jet heavy transport aircraft used to rapidly deploy troops, combat vehicles including tanks, heavy equipment and helicopters over long distances
Green Berets unofficial name of the US Army Special Forces, because they all wear a green beret
HALO high altitude low opening; parachute jump from high altitude followed by freefall, with the parachute opening at low altitude
heelo helicopter, also written as ‘helo’
Hercules, C-130 four-engine, propeller-driven military transport aircraft similar to but smaller than the Globemaster, pronounced ‘Her-kew-leez’ and often referred to as ‘Herc’
hostiles enemy fighters
Humvee American military vehicle, four-wheel drive
Hunter Corps the special forces unit of the Royal Danish Army
ID identification
IED improvised explosive device or homemade bomb
insertion secret landing of troops behind enemy lines
insurgent guerrilla fighter who does not use a regular military uniform or tactics and who blends in with the local population
intel intelligence information
ISAF International Security Assistance Force, i
n Afghanistan
jumpmaster aircraft crew member who supervises parachutists
kal an Afghan farm compound, pronounced ‘karl’ and also sometimes spelt ‘qal’
Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) elite German military special operations force
loadmaster crew member in charge of cargo and passengers in military cargo aircraft and helicopters
LZ landing zone
M-16 American-made 5.56 mm assault rifle
M1 Abrams tank main battle tank of the US and Australian armies
malek a neutral Afghan envoy trusted by both sides
mess, the a place where troops gather to eat in a military camp
met meteorological; weather
MP5 German-made compact Heckler & Koch MPF 9 mm submachine gun
MRE meal, ready-to-eat; a sealed military ration pack of pre-cooked food
NCO non-commissioned officer; a rank in the Australian Army between private and warrant officer, including sergeant, lance corporal and corporal
op(s) military operation(s)
operator Australian SAS Regiment soldier
point the most forward position in a patrol
puppy Peltors protective earmuffs for war dogs
RAAF Royal Australian Air Force
roger ‘yes’ or ‘I acknowledge’
round bullet
Royal Marine Commandos commando unit of the British Navy’s Royal Marines
RPG rocket-propelled grenade
secure comms communications that can’t be intercepted
seek on a handler’s instruction to an EDD to find explosives
Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) elite Special Forces unit in the Australian Army
Special Boat Service (SBS) a special operations unit of Britain’s Royal Navy, specialising in small boat ops
Special Operations Engineer Regiment (SOER) Australian Special Forces unit that specialises in military engineering and that trains and operates EDDs
special ops special operations or secret missions
Spitfire British World War Two fighter aircraft
trooper lowest rank in the SASR, the equivalent of a private in other army units
USAF United States Air Force
VC Victoria Cross for Australia, the highest-ranking Australian military medal for gallantry
Zero Hour the time set down by military for an operation to begin
FACT FILE
Notes from the Author
If you have read the first book in this series, Caesar the War Dog, you will know that a real war dog named Caesar served with Anzac troops during the First World War (1914–18). That Caesar, a New Zealand bulldog, searched for wounded men and carried water to them. Another war dog named Caesar, a black labrador–kelpie cross, served with Australian forces during the Vietnam War as an Australian Army tracker dog.
The fictional Caesar in this book is based on several real dogs of moden times – Sarbi, Endal and Cairo – and their exploits. Here are a few more facts about the real dogs, people, military units, places and equipment that appear in this book and inspired the stories in this series.
EXPLOSIVE DETECTION DOGS (EDDs)
The Australian Imperial Force used dogs during the First World War, primarily to carry messages. Sarbi was preceded by a long line of sniffer dogs used by the Australian Army to detect land mines during the Korean War (1950–53) and, later, in the Vietnam War. In 1981, the current explosive detection dog program was introduced by the army’s Royal Australian Engineer Corps, whose base is adjacent to Holsworthy Army Barracks in New South Wales. In 2005, Australian EDDs were sent to Afghanistan for the first time. A number have served there since and several have been killed or wounded in action.
SARBI
Sarbi, whose service number is EDD 436, is a black female labrador serving with the Australian Army. She began the EDD training program in June 2005 and graduated from the ninteen-week training course with Corporal D, joining the Australian Army’s top-secret Incident Response Regiment (IRR) – now the Special Operations Engineer Regiment (SOER) – whose main job was to counter terrorist threats. In 2006, Sarbi and Corporal D were part of the security team at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. In April 2007, the pair was sent to Afghanistan for a seven-month deployment, returning to Afghanistan for their second tour of duty the following year.
On 2 September 2008, Sarbi and Corporal D were members of a Special Forces operation launched from a forward operating base a hundred kilometres northeast of Tarin Kowt. The operation went terribly wrong when five Humvees carrying Australian, American and Afghan troops were ambushed by a much larger Taliban force. In the ensuing battle, Corporal D was seriously wounded and became separated from Sarbi, who was also injured. Nine of the twelve Australians involved were wounded, as was their Afghan interpreter. Several American soldiers were also wounded in the battle. So began Sarbi’s time lost in Taliban territory, a saga imagined in the first book of the Caesar the War Dog series.
After being ‘missing in action’ for thirteen months, Sarbi was wrangled back into friendly hands by a US Special Forces soldier. A month later, Sarbi and Corporal D were reunited at Tarin Kowt, in front of the Australian Prime Minister and the commanding US general in Afghanistan. Sarbi is the most decorated dog in the history of the Australian military, having been awarded all the medals that Caesar receives in Caesar the War Dog.
ENDAL
Endal was a sandy-coloured male labrador who was trained by the UK charity Canine Partners. He went on to qualify as a service dog and, in the late 1990s, was partnered with Allen Parton, a former Chief Petty Officer with Britain’s Royal Navy. Confined to a wheelchair from injuries sustained during the Gulf War, initially Allen couldn’t speak, so he taught Endal more than a hundred commands using hand signals.
In 2009, Endal suffered a stroke and had to be put down. During his lifetime, Endal became famous in Britain, receiving much media coverage and many awards for his dedicated and loyal service to his master. A young labrador named EJ (Endal Junior) took Endal’s place as Allen Parton’s care dog.
CAIRO
Cairo is a long-nosed Belgian Malinois shepherd with the United States Navy SEALs (Sea, Air and Land teams), a unit within the US Special Operations Command. He was trained for insertion by helicopter, and by parachute, strapped to his handler, just like Caesar is in this book. In 2011, Cairo was part of SEAL Team 6, which landed by helicopter in a compound in Pakistan to deal with Osama bin Laden, the leader of the terrorist organisation Al Qaeda. Cairo’s job was to go in first to locate explosives in the compound. Cairo and all members of his team returned safely from the successful mission.
AUSTRALIAN MILITARY INVOLVEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN
In 2001, the Australian Government sent SAS troops to participate in coalition operations in Afghanistan following Al Qaeda attacks in America. Although those Australian troops were withdrawn in 2002, Australia resumed its military involvement in Afghanistan as part of ISAF in 2005. By 2012, Australia had 1500 troops in Afghanistan, the largest military presence of any foreign nation other than members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Most of these Australian troops have been based in Uruzgan Province, and some in Kandahar Province, and have been involved in reconstruction programs, rebuilding destroyed or run-down infrastructure in Afghanistan, the training of the Afghan National Army, and logistical support to ISAF forces. In addition, 300 members of the Australian contingent have been SAS operators and commandos from 1 and 2 Commando Regiments, involved in special operations against the Taliban and other anti-government militias.
SPECIAL AIR SERVICE REGIMENT (SASR)
The original Special Air Service was created by the British Army during the Second World War for special operations behind enemy lines, with the motto of ‘Who Dares Wins’. In 1957, the Australian Army created its own Special Air Service Regiment, commonly referred
to as the Australian SAS, two years after the New Zealand Army founded its Special Air Service.
Australia’s SAS is considered by many to be the finest Special Forces unit in the world, and its members help train Special Forces of other countries, including those of the United States of America.
The top-secret regiment is based at Campbell Barracks at Swanbourne, in Perth, Western Australia. Because its men are often involved in covert anti-terrorist work, their names and faces cannot be revealed. The only exception to this rule is SAS members who receive the Victoria Cross. The unit is divided into three squadrons, with one squadron always on anti-terrorist duty and the others deployed on specific missions.
During the war in Afghanistan, Australian EDDs and their handlers have frequently worked with Australian SAS and commando units on special operations.
BAND-e-AZHDAHAR
Band-e-Azhdahar, or Dragon Lake, really exists in Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Province, although Deep Cave was my invention.
THE TALIBAN
The Taliban is an armed political movement that originated in southeast Afghanistan and is confined to Afghan tribes that speak the Pashto language. In late 2001, foreign coalition troops joined Afghan Northern Alliance forces in driving Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters out of Afghanistan, after which an elected Afghan Government was established in the country.
Since then, Taliban forces, reinforced by other anti-ISAF militias and extremist Muslim fighters from many countries, and operating from mountainous regions of eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan, have waged a fierce insurgent war against the Afghan Government and ISAF forces.
THE PENCIL
The Pencil is based on a real mini-submarine built for the US Navy SEALs. Originally, it was intended to build twelve of these, but only the prototype was constructed, launched and tested. Due to its exorbitant cost, no more were built. The prototype was damaged in a fire, and retired. Just like the Pencil, this mini-sub had a crew of two, could carry sixteen passengers, and its hull was four times as strong as that of an ordinary submarine.
ZOOMERS
Charlie’s high-tech Zoomers are based on real prosthetic ‘blades’ used by athletes.
THE UNITED NATIONS (UN)
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