A container crane at work in Camp Smitty. Camp Smitty was a multinational camp located ...

A container crane at work in Camp Smitty. Camp Smitty was a multinational camp located approximately seven kilometres from the town of As Samawah. The camp was originally set up at a disused railway workshop just south of Samawah by US forces (the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment USMC), in early 2003, and was later named in honour of Sergeant Edward Smith, a US Marine who was killed after his truck was hit with an improvised explosive device. The camp was handed over to an incoming Dutch battalion on 31st July 2003. The Dutch enlarged the facility and retained the name 'Smitty' in respect for the Marines. The Dutch occupied Camp Smitty until March 2005, when it was handed over to the British. In April 2005, Australian troops of the Al-Muthanna Task Group (AMTG-1, based on 2CAV), arrived and shared the Camp with the British. Several rotations of Australians occupied Camp Smitty until July 2006, when it was handed back to Iraqi control. The Australian unit occupying the camp at that time was AMTG-3 (based on 2RAR), and they moved to Tallil Air Base near Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar Province, where they occupied a new role and designation, becoming Overwatch Battle Group-1 (OBGW-1).