Part 2 - Op Panther's Claw: Lt Col Stephen Cartwright, CO Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland

The final air assault and armoured thrust - 20-27 July 2009

It seemed apt that, having been involved at the very start of the British strike in Babaji, we should be allowed to take part its finale. Once again, we were given enough Chinooks to lift the aviation element of the Battlegroup in a single wave. As with our first battlegroup operation, the key lay in surprising the insurgents.

“The Battlegroup for this operation consisted of Alpha (Grenadier) Company, 3 SCOTS, C Company, 2 R WELSH mounted in Warrior fighting vehicles (their role mentioned above) and Assaye Squadron, Light Dragoons, in armoured recce vehicles; 500 personnel and 60 vehicles.

A Company swooped on the target area by Chinook, Charlie Company led an armoured punch in through the Green Zone (the first of its kind) from the east using Warrior armoured fighting vehicles. They were joined by Assaye Squadron. Our logistics tail followed up in Mastiff troop carriers and armoured trucks.

It became immediately clear that the Brigade plan had been a huge success. The isolation of the area and the success of the Light Dragoon Battlegroup’s battle in the North East had taken its toll against the insurgent. Both the aviation assault and armoured manoeuvre avoided the expected IED screen and the remaining insurgents realised that they were completely overmatched by the combat power and melted into the ‘Green Zone’.

The local population was initially cautious but slowly they realised that ISAF intended to stay in the area for good and became very helpful. In turn, we provided our doctor to start conducting medical clinics. The Light Dragoons even organised a football afternoon which attracted 30 youngsters.

Further to the west in our operational area, A Company was dominating the insurgents’ old ground. Shuras were arranged quickly and the relationships are developing well. The insurgents mounted a lame attack on the night of 24th July but they were quickly overwhelmed by the A Company. C Company did a fantastic job of clearing a supply route north, linking us up to the Luy Mandah Wadi that the Battlegroup seized at the start of the operation. They found several IEDs laid waiting for them, which their attached bomb disposal officers destroyed in situ.

Tragically, our luck ran out on 25th July when my Fire Support Group, who had re-inserted into the area in Jackal vehicles, hit an IED. One soldier was killed and several others wounded. Another IED also caused injuries. The Fire Support Group had been searching for potential polling station locations for the Presidential elections, underlining stark contrast between the aims of the Battlegroup and the insurgents’ aims in the area.

Throughout the next 48 hours it became clear that there were insurgent IED teams operating in the area and several inadvertently killed themselves whilst laying devices. A Company continued to dominate the ground, understand the locals’ concerns and kill insurgents, wherever they could find them. The Battlegroup extracted by vehicle and Chinook early on 27th July.

It has been an immense operation; emotionally and physically exhausting but exhilarating at the same time. As the Regional Battlegroup (South), I am delighted that 3 SCOTS have contributed so much to 19 (Light) Brigade’s Panther’s Claw. I am certain that everyone in the Battlegroup will look back in a few years to an extraordinary operation when we did our jobs in the most demanding environment.

The main factor of the success has been team work from the lowest infantry section to the whole Brigade.

I am very proud of my jocks, gunners, sappers, redcaps and signallers. Their contribution to the UK’s summer offensive has been outstanding. The Battlegroup’s attention now turns to other operations in Southern Afghanistan but we will never forget those that they gave their lives during this one.

Major Nigel Crewe-Read, OC C Coy, 2 Royal Welsh

The armoured thrust through Babiji 20 – 25 JULY

Accompanied by artillery from 52 (Niagara) Battery Royal Artillery, Engineers from 11 Field Squadron Royal Engineers, IED clearance teams, and military civilian reconstruction teams, we conducted a swift night move from Bastion to Forward Operating Base Price. As dawn came the Company was escorted down through the areas that had been liberated from the Taliban. It was obvious that there had been quite a fight to achieve the earlier goals of Panther’s Claw.

Crossing the line of departure, everyone was braced for what could be a very bloody fight. Breaking off the main track to avoid IEDs, the Warriors began to move into the Helmand Green Zone. This was the first time Warriors had ever actually been taken into the complex terrain of the Green Zone which consists of many irrigation ditches, flooded fields, and sprawling compounds. Not easy terrain for 36 tonnes of armour to cross without becoming stuck.

The lead platoon scouted a route ahead with the rest of the Company following behind. Engineer support was integral to the Company and proved useful in fording many of the ditches. Combat aircraft, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Attack Helicopters coordinated by the Artillery provided air cover and overwatch as the Company swept forward.

The first objective, the village of Tabella, was reached at midday and the Company formed up into assault formation. The time for the assault came and the Warriors surged forward across the open bazaar onto the objective. Meeting no enemy resistance, we dismounted from our vehicles and began to sweep through the village to check it was clear of insurgents. Conducting a thorough clearance took time, but by 1700, the village was deemed to be clear of insurgents. A local shura was then conducted with local Afghans to reassure them of ISAF’s good intentions and that ISAF would remain in the area to provide security for them.

At 0600 on the second day, 21 Jul, the clearance of the next village, Bahloy Kalay, started. This was an even bigger objective to clear than the previous village. Three platoons were tasked with this, and they made good progress through the intense heat of the Afghan day. Local Afghans greeted us and proved very friendly offering us refreshments, as well as passing us information and even lending a helping hand to repair a broken down Warrior. By evening the village was clear of enemy fighters and a further 92 compounds had been cleared. Again, a shura was held at 1630 to reassure locals of ISAF intentions.

At 0530 on 22 July, the Company handed over the secured villages to the Light Dragoons battlegroup and moved to clear a route from those villages up to the Welsh Guards Battlegroup in the North West. The Company moved down to a vast cemetery and then turned north to clear the route.

Progress was measured as the Company moved forward with dismounted patrols providing flank security, the IED clearance team working flat out, Engineers providing essential support to cross large irrigation ditches, and the Artillery coordinating the air cover. After a day of hard work the Company paused overnight in a defensive position and then moved forward again at 0500 on 23 Jul. Progress continued to be made and by 1800, the Company had reached the Welsh Guards Battlegroup, linking the two Battlegroups together.

Overall, although the operation had not involved any fighting, it was a great success. Locals stated that the Taliban had run away as soon as they saw the Warriors coming. A total of 198 compounds had been secured, 12 kms of Green Zone had been crossed in heavy armoured vehicles, and the area had been cleared of armed Taliban fighters, allowing the Government of Afghanistan’s influence to begin in this area which had once been the heartland of insurgent resistance.

Op Panther's Claw: Lt Col Gus Fair DSO, Commanding Officer of The Light Dragoons

The sweep across Spin Masjed and Babiji 4-8 Jul and 10-14 Jul 09

The clearance of Malgir and Babaji was one of the final phases of Op Panchai Palang and was very much dependant on the hard work put in across the rest of the Brigade. Having effectively sealed off the Green Zone, with the Welsh Guards blocking the West, the Danes the North and the East, and A squadron of Light Dragoons the south, The Light Dragoons Battle Group was tasked to clear the Green Zone of Taliban and free the local people from their intimidation and brutality.

This we have done. The Battlegroup broke in through a bridgehead secured by the Danish Battlegroup and fought its way South through determined enemy resistance. We subsequently cleared our way west, and have now cleared the enemy from Malgir and Babaji.

This was the most intense fighting over a protracted period I have experienced in my 20 years in the Army. The men, women and equipment delivered more than we had any right to expect. The conditions could barely have been more testing and I am humbled by the extraordinary bravery, determination and resilience that I witnessed from soldiers ranging from the young female medic who walked every inch of the way to the 49-year-old TA WO2 (Territorial Army Warrant Officer Class two) who ran a sniper team.

As a result of this operation many more Afghans are now living under the control of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; people who were previously subject to the rule of the Taliban. They can now live without the fear of the Taliban visiting in the middle of the night; they have the freedom to vote in next month’s elections; the chance to look forward to enjoying some of the rights and privileges that we are lucky enough to take for granted.

Progress such as this does not come for free, and we have paid a heavy price. The fierce fighting resulted in the deaths of Pte Laws 2 MERCIAN, LCpl Elson 1st Bn Welsh Guards, and LCpl Dennis and Tpr Whiteside from The Light Dragoons. 4 Afghan soldiers have also lost their lives fighting alongside us, and their commitment and dedication to their country’s future should not be underestimated. The cost on the enemy should also not go unreported; we have comprehensively defeated the Taliban wherever we have found him, and his losses have been far in excess of ours.

Some will ask whether the progress is worth the cost. I can answer for everyone in my battlegroup when I answer with a resounding yes. At the beginning of this tour, the battlegroup deployed to Garmsir, now under command of the US Marines. Many of the soldiers had fought there in 2007 as we battled the Taliban for control of the District Centre. The progress we saw there was remarkable. Where we had once fought in a deserted and ruined town, there is now a burgeoning market and people able to go about their day to day lives in peace. Wheat was being grown instead of poppy, and the people were able to determine their own future independent of either ISAF or Taliban control.

That progress is achievable in Babaji and Malgir, and already we are seeing people attending shuras with both ISAF and the local governance. However, the Taliban recognise the threat, and progress will not come without the continued efforts of the soldiers under my command and those that replace them. Some of them will give up their lives to achieve this, as will some Afghans we fight alongside, but we know that we owe it to those killed and injured over the last month, the people who we have liberated with the promise of a better life, and the people in the UK whose way of life we seek to defend, to ensure that we do not fail.

Op Panthers Claw: Colonel Frank Lissner, Commanding Officer of the Danish Battlegroup

Siezing the entry crossings along the Nahr E Bughra Canal - 2 and 8 July 2009

Our role in Operation Panchai Palang was to seize two of the crossing points along the Nahr e Bughra to allow the Light Dragoons Battlegroup to enter an area which was under the de facto control of the insurgents.

Prior to Panchai Palang, the insurgents in the region have skillfully and determinedly resisted any attempt by the Danish Battle Group to patrol in the area; both through fierce fighting and extensive use of improvised explosive devices, blocking all access points into the area. It had become a safe haven for the insurgents from where they launched attacks on both local Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) checkpoints and objectives in Gereshk.

Soldiers from Battle Group Center have, for the last year, both risked and lost lives patrolling in and around the operations area, and the Battle Group therefore very much welcomes the developments on the ground brought about by Panchai Palang.

This operation could indeed turn out to be the beginning of the end for the insurgents in Central Helmand.

Following the cessation of fighting in the northern areas, most of the local population has now returned to their homes and have welcomed the ISAF forces in the area. Our task is now to assure enduring security within the area assisted by ANSF, local key leaders and the population.

Operation Panther's Claw: Lt Col Doug Chalmers, CO 1st Battalion of the Welsh Guards

The Push up the Shamalan Canal - 25 June - 25 July 2009

Our battalion has responsibility for Battle Group Centre South which means we are responsible for the districts of Nad-E-Ali and Lashkah-Gar. HERRICK 10 has seen the area under the Government of Afghanistan’s control within these districts grow considerably.

Very early on in the tour a large ANA led Operation pushed the insurgents out of a town called Basharan and then kept them out. After a couple of days of fierce fighting the village was secured and has gone from strength to strength ever since. There is an increasing air of confidence in the village as they regain a sense of normality.

Within Nad-E-Ali District Centre the bazaar has continued to grow, with new shops opening every month. The residents, although still wary, have gained a degree of confidence in their future. They now believe us when we say that we are here to stay. Outside of the District Centre there is insurgent activity but it is been mitigated by joint ANA, ANP and ISAF patrols. The fact that the farmers continue to work their fields and deliver a considerable amount of produce that includes vegetables and melons, indicates that they too have sufficient confidence to stay and work their land.

Less than a month ago in one of the opening moves of Operation PANTHERS CLAW the ANP, assisted by the Prince of Wales’s Company, moved rapidly north and secured the town of Chah-E-Anjir. This is a large town that had effectively been under siege for over a year. The population is slowly gaining in confidence and we are starting to see the number of shops increase along with the variety of items for sale. It is early days but in several months it is likely to be at the same stage as the District Centre is today.

More recently the Battle Group fought up the Shamalan Canal to secure key crossings and prevent more insurgents flowing into the Babiji area. This has worked and at the moment the farmers that work around these check points have returned to their fields and started to interact with the ANA and ISAF Soldiers on the Canal.

These significant gains have been secured at a high cost in terms of lives and injuries to the Battle Group. But the sense of achievement is palpable and this does make the sacrifices easier to bear. We are now focused on deepening the confidence of the local residents in the areas that we have secured. They deserve a chance and we are giving it to them.

Operation Panther's Claw: Lt Col Stephen Cartwright, CO of The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland

Operation Claw

First air assualt into key drugs bazaar - 20 June 2009

The Battlegroup was privileged to be given the task of breaking into the Babaji area at the start of Operation Panther’s Claw. We knew the enemy had laid an IED screen to the north of the area so I decided to launch an audacious air assault of 2 aviation strike companies behind the insurgent forward defences.

To achieve tactical surprise, the Battlegroup used 10 Chinook helicopters and inserted 350 men at 3.30 am on 20 June in one wave. It was very successful and we had occupied defensive positions of our own by first light. The remainder of the Battlegroup, in armoured and wheeled vehicles, approached from the north to link up. However, the enemy were watching us and began their assaults from 7am targeting our positions with a mixture of small arms fire (SAF) and rocket propelled grenades (RPG).

These initial attacks delayed our link up but we consolidated our positions and defeated the enemy with our ability to overmatch their weapon systems. Our snipers were particularly effective in these early hours, although we did require support from guided rockets and attack helicopters. B Company to the West secured the compounds that dominated the wadi crossing and A Company to the East cleared the drugs bazaar of 15 IEDs whilst under harassing fire.

It was during this operation that an ANA soldier, Wahid, was tragically killed by an IED as the Company cleared to the extremities of the bazaar. Lance Corporal Stacey Quinn, a medic, was first on the scene, but despite her best efforts he died shortly after the explosion. Despite this setback, we successfully brought in our armoured vehicles, our logistics and the engineer equipment required to build the force protection. The aviation assault was supported by fast air, command helicopters and UAVs and given its complexity was an overwhelming tactical success.

For the next four days we consolidated our bridgehead into the insurgent held territory and pushed them further to the south. The Royal Engineers built a protective ‘Hesco’ Bastion wall across the wadi to control the population and to prevent the insurgents from escaping to the North. It was quickly nicknamed ‘Hadrian’s Wall’. B Company began to establish their operating base by building up the fortifications. Sporadic attacks continued every day and although we were in a defensive posture, the companies pushed forward with aggressive patrols to afford us the initiative that is so vital for a defensive battle.

On the second night, up to 30 insurgents assaulted A Company in the bazaar but were beaten back after a 2-hour engagement. A conservative estimate would suggest that over half of their force was killed in this engagement alone.”

C Company, in their Jackal vehicles, pushed to the West and seized the top of the Shamalan Canal in preparation for the link up with the Welsh Guards. They too had to deal with a determined and persistent enemy who realised that they were losing their dominance of the area.

After the engineer work had been completed, the majority of the Battlegroup extracted to Bastion, leaving B Company to cover the whole area with their 180 personnel. They dominated the area, constantly keeping the enemy on the back foot and won every engagement. More importantly they starting engaging with the local nationals to the north of the wadi and established positive dialogue with the aim of getting them to return to their homes as soon as the fighting had ceased. Our contribution ended when B Company handed over area to No 2 Coy Welsh Guards on 4 Jul.

Maj Iain Moodie, OC B Company, 2 RIFLES BG - blogs from Helmand, part 3

JUNE UPDATE

The two principle subsistence harvests, of poppy and wheat, are now over. The maize is already a foot high and the fighting has resumed again in earnest. It is a cat and mouse game out there in the Green Zone, but fortunately, although the mice are dangerous, we mostly play the cat. Our patrols continue to disrupt the insurgents and constrain their freedom of movement. It all seems quite predictable. We leave as early as we can to try and beat the heat and the dickers who constantly watch our every move, relaying to the insurgents where we are and where we are heading.

Gradually, during the course of the morning, once the insurgents have completed their call to prayer by the local Imam and had breakfast, they find their weapons and make their way towards the patrol to get into position. Our patrol, in many ways, is a big block of cheese. Once they are confident that they are in a safe position, especially with adequate safe routes to extract, they open up on us with everything they have got. It is very difficult to see the insurgents before the contact because of the thickness of the vegetation, the numerous compounds and rat runs all provide ample cover from view.

At this stage, the mouse has the upper hand but not for long. Once the firing points have been located, the Company puts down a staggering amount of small arms fire which results in the suppression of their firing points. We then set about trapping the mouse with artillery and mortars, using aircraft and attack helicopters to search in depth. We close the trap of indirect fire and soon we are engaging directly onto their firing points. Occasionally, an insurgent will break and dart for a safer location, only to run into the Riflemen’s fire. The game is now well practised and routine.

Life in the FOB continues peacefully and we find respite in it from all the challenges and discomfort of patrols. It is a comfortable existence however R&R is now in full swing and we are doubling up duties in order to release our comrades for their much needed break. The task is not onerous with the knowledge that they will soon be repaying the favour. The rations continue to fill us and although we have not had any frozen food for 37 days now, we are all resigned to the fact that something or somewhere is a higher priority than us. We are just grateful that we are getting out for R&R. Our E-bluey machine has been a godsend during this period and although the parcels and other mail are taking their time reaching us, the written word is nearly immediate and much appreciated.

Fashion trends are beginning to emerge whilst we are out here. Not just the normal things like 70s-style moustaches and extra-long sideburns but others too. In particular, washbags are clearly a prized FOB accessory, but not just any washbag. They have to be re-cycled claymore anti-personnel mine bags. It is amusing to see the NCOs strutting to the showers with their claymore bags across their chests, like some metro-sexual man bag. There is also a pecking order to get access to this re-cycled equipment, with the NCOs having access to the claymore bags whilst the Riflemen have been seen using 5.56mm ammo containers for theirs.

Most of us have been subjected to a haircut since we have been here now. Mostly, we have tried to leave it as long as possible but the heat and sweat has meant that most have opted for a short crew-cut. Others have resisted and seem intent on doing so until R&R and so we have a few Art Garfunkel lookalikes cutting around. Whether they are resisting a poor cut or the dire hairdressers’ chat that goes with it is unconfirmed. I had my haircut by Cpl ‘Slick’ Alford, our Forward Air Controller, the other day and most of the time I was sat in the chair was spent listening to him natter to Gunner Kean, who spends most of his time in tanning oil and army issued underwear obscenely ‘tucked in’ to maximise exposure! Their mid-cut work chat is excruciatingly painful.

We are looking forward to 5 Platoon returning shortly to the B Company fold. They have been attached to A Company in Sangin and their return will be most welcome. We have watched with interest their progress in Sangin and their contribution to the security of the town has been great. After a short adjustment we will be united at last to take the fight to the insurgents in the Upper Sangin Valley .

Throughout all of this our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of Rfn Cyrus Thatcher and Lt Paul Mervis. In addition, we thrive on the spirit, guts and determination of the injured who are recovering exceptionally well in the excellent medical facilities in the UK.

Maj Iain Moodie, OC B Company

Colour Sergeant Mike Saunders, 2 MERCIAN, blogs from Helmand - Part 17

On the 27th June the Nation has chosen to honour its Armed Forces with a day of there own, a move that is very welcome to those service personnel serving throughout the world including your soldiers here in Afghanistan.

Often I ask myself what it is that defines us as soldiers and what is it that marks us from the general public. For myself I grew up around soldiers and the military way of life and as such perhaps some of the mystique of service life is lost to me. That said now that I am serving here in a more logistic capacity I can see why people admire the actions of our troops, as I hear the recollections of fellow soldiers as they come back from the “sharp end”. Of course not everyone could or should be deployed forward and everyone out here fulfils a vital role, some of the people here will never receive the front page headlines but will never the less save lives in their quiet dedication to duty and these people are no less worthy of our admiration.

We certainly live in times where mistrust, fear and difficulty are part of every day life and I believe in these times people look for examples of the opposites of these problems so that they can lift themselves above the darkness. There are many examples of this from everyday life and service personnel are just one. It does us good to recognise the sacrifice and dedication of others no matter what they do, as it serves as a catalyst for us all to be better even in very small ways.

In a previous blog I mentioned Captain Brigham and Sergeant Mark Giles as they dealt with a large explosive device. In this weeks blog I would like to relate an incident they have recently been in as an example of the extraordinary courage and professionalism, with which your troops conduct themselves daily.

As no British soldiers were badly injured and thank God none were killed you would never normally hear of these events. I believe that this is a shame as the example set by these fighting men serve as a lasting record of all that we value in the Army. Courage under fire and leadership in adverse conditions cannot be taught and therefore the display of such qualities are worthy of recognition.

They OMLT team commanded by Captain Brigham and Sergeant Giles have recently moved to a location known simply as Patrol base (PB) south. The PB is situated in an area long dominated by insurgents, drug lords and bandits and is also key, as it dominates one of the main supply routes all of these groups use to move arms, munitions and other contraband. The PB itself is very basic providing little respite from the daily attentions of a determined insurgent force that is continually frustrated by the ISAF, ANA presence.

To cover every contact with the insurgents would take too long as this area has experienced more than 24 full engagements in just 21 days! Due to the situation they find themselves in, sitting and waiting for attacks is a fruitless endeavour so they must push out, or more accurately fight their way out of the Fob to continue to dominate the local key terrain. The proximity to their adversaries reminds me of a visit on a battle field tour to the fields of Belgium where at one point the front lines were so close that they could even hear the enemy talking and could quite easily see them as they tried to kill each other.

On the day in question Captain Brigham gave orders that the British troops and their ANA counterparts were to push out and patrol the area as a show of force and to reassure any locals that the insurgency are not the masters of this area.

Very soon after leaving the Fob the patrol was forced to cross open ground which is the reality of dominating key terrain. To say this in such a matter of fact way is to do these men an injustice, moving across ground known to be covered by insurgents with an array of weaponry is an act of courage in itself.

In the movies the soldiers saunter across the skyline, whistling and talk about home, reality is much more serious as men laden with equipment must mentally contend with the fact that any time they may be engaged from any direction, by insurgents who will fire from defended compounds that are difficult to identify and even more difficult to capture.

Not far in to the Patrol and the inevitable happens, the staccato ring and zip of small arms fire announces the insurgents intent to initiate the next round of hostilities. In an area so devoid of cover, each man does his best to make himself as small a target as possible and will seek even the smallest of covered areas to gain respite from attack. Captain Brigham and several soldiers manage to find a very small ridge and take the smallest of advantage from it, at this time little return fire is being made, as the patrol mindful of local innocent civilians will not fire until they can positively identify the insurgent position. This is in direct contrast to the insurgents who will initiate contact knowing civilians may be caught in the crossfire.

Very quickly basic skills and instincts take over and those lessons in why things are seen on the battlefield? Pay dividends. The insurgents are using a corner of a compound as a firing point and from there they are pouring a fair rate of fire into the open ground. Now that the insurgents are fixed, Captain Brigham urges his troops and the ANA present to return fire as this will be vital to any attempt to extract from what is known as the “killing area”.

Just minutes in to the engagement an ANA soldier just inches from Captain Brigham is shot, despite the danger of exposing himself to the accurate fire Captain Brigham attempts to save the mans life but unfortunately he dies right there on the ground. The Platoon Sergeant through all of this has been encouraging and marshalling his men, giving them the guidance and confidence that can only be gained from a leader who has the absolute trust of his men. Leadership in these situations is no longer an abstract concept; it is a combination of guts, training and a great belief in ones personal skills.

To assist in the extraction of the ANA soldier and in an attempt to break clear of the insurgent fire a B1 bomber is tasked to drop munitions on the compound used by the insurgents. Again every precaution is used to ensure that the use of such force is proportionate and necessary, however it is clear to Captain Brigham that more fatalities will result from inaction. The B1 drops a bomb on the compound which in itself is something to behold and makes the earth shake for miles around.

After a brief lull the insurgents begin to resume the engagement and are therefore subjected to a further attack from the bomber, this time it has the desired effect and the call sign begins to extract, this with heavy equipment and casualties is difficult and slow, but done methodically with the correct drills will save lives.

Not long into the extraction and disaster strikes again as an ANA soldier initiates an explosive device and is instantly killed. The bond between these soldiers and their mentors of the Mercian Regiment is such that the idea of leaving them on the battlefield despite the inherent danger is not even considered an option. Sergeant Giles once again takes the initiative and while his boss conducts the move out of contact, he conducts the removal of the fallen ANA soldiers. This is despite the fact that he was just meters from the explosion when it happened and was thrown a large distance only to be stopped by a wall.

The patrol eventually extracted and by virtue of their determination and grit, was able to get everyone out of the contact area. The sad loss of the two ANA soldiers was a blow to all but the insurgents were known to have been dealt a harsher blow that day.

What I have portrayed in this blog may sound like the script to a Hollywood movie, but it is a factual rendering of true events. This situation is not isolated and will happen many times to those who live, and are on the front line of the battle to secure a meaningful peace for the Afghan people.

As with most things in life that have true meaning, there is a cost, but when weighed against the eventual prize it is a cost worth paying. Freedom and all that it comes with is never free, but must be levied against the price of those who paid for it. Your soldiers in Afghanistan, once again in your name have epitomised the motto of the Mercian Regiment as they continue to

STAND FIRM STRIKE HARD

Colour Sergeant Mike Saunders, 2 MERCIAN, blogs from Helmand - Part 16

Greetings friends and readers at the Marwood, Worcester!

Today we have received an influx of new soldiers fresh from the UK and soon they will be sent forward to join what will become their close friends and colleagues. In the history of learning curves this must rate up there with taking over a plane when the pilot is taken ill. You can tell that they are new both to the Army and particular to the theatre of Operations as they have the fixed expression of a rabbit caught firmly in the headlights.

In days gone by the Colours that are the standards of the Regiment and are gifted by the Royalty were paraded through the assembled ranks. This is so that they could be recognised and become a rally point is the fiercest of battles. Today the Colours are not present on the battlefield as they once were, but I believe the soldiers of the Regiment eventually become the embodiment of the Colours and what they mean to those who have served under them.

To see these young soldiers of the Mercian Regiment is comforting as we know that the future of the Regiment will ultimately rest with them. New recruits joining the Colours in difficult surroundings and circumstances is not a new thing, since the formation of the first Regiments young men have answered the call to arms and found themselves far away from home in strange, unfamiliar and dangerous surroundings.

It is vital then that these young soldiers are given support from home and are given strong support by the Regimental chain of command. This they will receive from the highly experienced and operationally seasoned Sergeants and Corporals who will become their new family for the time being.

What then is the difference between these young men and those new insurgent recruits who have been sent up country to get blooded and experience in combat? The main difference I suppose is that our soldiers have received the best training that can be provided and they will have been made aware of the risks associated with this operation. Also they will be given the best equipment available to protect and support them in their task.

The training given to the young or old new insurgent must be rudimentary at best and non existent in most cases. It is sometimes possible to feel almost sympathetic towards these men who may be sacrificed in the name of other people’s higher ambitions.

The existence these insurgents live must be one dominated by fear and to live in fear must bring great pressure and stress. They are rejected by the majority of the community and are given no quarter by coalition forces or the Afghan forces. This is entirely right as any man who holds human life in cheap regard must count his own as such.

Regularly now we see young men who were like these new soldiers not so long back passing through our location on route to well earned leave. They are unrecognisable from those very young looking men they were before, now they look, talk and have the actions of soldiers who have seen soldiering at its toughest and can now class themselves as fighting men.


Often at night I sit and listen to music and contemplate the scale of what we are doing here, at times there seems to be no dawn from the dark and we are in a state of high tension, just waiting for the next incident or tragedy. For those on the front line living amongst the population and within striking distance of the insurgents, it must be much harder to maintain positive momentum and they have my greatest respect for their mental fortitude and personal discipline. It is perhaps the truth that our troops are not braver than everyone else, rather they are just braver for longer.

In the calm of the evening as the sun sets and the heat continues to radiate from the iron hard sand it is easy to almost romanticise the nature of conflict here and to try and somehow balance the nature of what we do and in its doing what we have become. To question the morality of intense fighting in an attempt to secure peace is futile and will raise perhaps more questions than answers. All I know as a simple soldier is that your soldiers are the very best of men, fallible, often crude and prone to aggression but there is no other way for them to be and still exist in this turbulent world.

Having a conversation with one of the OMLT Commanders the other day he reminded me that it is not always the big things that can make a difference. He reminded me how it feels to be eating rations every day and not having a fridge to get a cold drink from; even a normal toilet can be a luxury if you have spent enough time away from one, how easily we take certain things for granted in our frantic lives!

We have already taken part in several high intensity operations and we will see many more in our time. The Afghans we mentor are increasing in capability and skill which coupled with their enthusiasm and determination will make a difference.

Soon those new soldiers of you Regiment will be in the thick of it, learning the ropes from their commanders and becoming true Infantrymen. In doing so they will join the thousands who have gone before them, upholding and adding to the traditions, standards and history of this fine Regiment.

“STAND FIRM STRIKE HARD”

Colour Sergeant Mike Saunders, 2 MERCIAN, blogs from Helmand - Part 15

Greetings friends and readers at the Marwood, Worcester!

As we are now approaching the middle of our tour here I have been in a reflective mood this week. In situations as I find myself in now I believe it is important to take stock of what is being achieved and at what cost.

Over the last few weeks we are all too aware of the high cost of operations in this the most dangerous of provinces. We have collectively lost friends and many more have been injured, some very seriously.

While reading a paper the other day I was forced to pause at a picture of villagers in Wooten Bassett turning out to pay their respects yet again for another fallen soldier. Many would say that the community spirit in these darker times is diminished; however I believe such public demonstrations of solidarity show that we have not gone completely in to isolation and can still recognise great sacrifice.

Many of those assembled were dressed in blazers showing a vast array of Regimental ties, berets and an impressive haul of medals. It is interesting to me that many of these men had most likely seen conflict themselves and in doing so a line of shared experience was continued and acknowledged.

The photo reminded me that while the nature and methods of conflict have changed almost immeasurably, the British soldier had changed very little. Those men stood proud and with a respect that is rare in these turbulent times. You could see in many faces the recollection of personal triumphs, failures and great loss. All of this started me thinking on what made the British soldier and also what marked him out from everyone else around him or indeed her.

Having served over 16 years in the Army to date I have met almost every type of man and almost every type of soldier, many of whom are the finest of people and a few who were unfortunately cruel and without saving grace. The soldier is normally the person to be found in the corner of your local with his back to the wall, laughing and telling stories about some outrageous stunt or someone who was “the craziest person he’s ever met” with examples!

In writing this blog and my book I have remembered many personal events long lost to the memory and like a map they point the way my life has gone hand in hand with my service, the two being inextricably linked. Those older gentlemen on parade must have similar memories that occasionally at reunions are dusted of with the medals and are given a new shine in the telling.

It is difficult to explain to those who have little experience of soldiers why we are as we are and at times I am forced to wonder what it will be like when I must let all this go and embrace the fact that I will be an ex soldier. To sum up the events that make up a life in the Army is to tell story that is almost impossible to sum up in words. I do not consider myself extraordinary in any way and in many ways my service could be classed as routine, however such things I have seen that most could say they had done.

As I am constantly around soldiers it is easy to forget what a collection of people we are, most of whom would never normal meet under normal circumstances. And are those circumstances so different from the soldier fifty years or even 100 years ago? I am sure that those soldiers right back to the days of the foundation of the Worcestershire Regiment still moaned the same way that we do, yet in the same breath fought equally ferociously.

The core of it all is that soldiering is quite unlike any other profession as Philip Massinger said:

“To dare boldly,
In a fair cause, and for their country’s safety;
To run upon the cannon’s mouth undaunted;
To obey their leaders, and shun mutinies;
To bear with patience the winter’s cold
And summer’s scorching heat, and not to faint
When plenty of provision fails, with hunger,
Are the essential parts that make up a soldier.”

On the news and in the papers it must be easy to see the Army and its soldiers as grim faced, serious individuals. At times this is very true but there is also great humour and perhaps a large measure of humanity that comes with seeing the very best and the very worst that man will do to one another. Ultimately we are a reflection of the society that we were recruited from and we remain proud to serve that society even in these hard times.

We will continue here and we will endure the attacks from the enemy as we do what we have done before many times. Others will follow us in this place and will make memories of their own, but for now as I sit here I am thinking of home that for us, for now, will remain one more day away.

“STAND FIRM STRIKE HARD”

Lance Corporal Rhian Evans - B Coy Medic, 2 RIFLES - FOB Inkerman

I am LCpl Rhian Evans and I am the B Coy medic. I am one of five females here at FOB Inkerman and have the task of telling you what life is like here in the FOB from a female’s perspective.

I will start by telling you that it is not that different from a male’s perspective! I eat the same food even though it is the same every lunch time, consisting of noodles, rice, corned beef and a bit of tuna. I wash in the same facilities as the lads do but the females have one shower sectioned off so it is more private. I do most things just like the lads, so really it is not that different but I would like my hair straighteners and to let my hair down and to use some make up occasionally, just to feel like a girl once in a while. I will have to wait for my R&R for that and I really cannot wait!

My daily routine in the FOB is to look after the everyday needs of the soldiers on camp and the Local National ‘walk-ins’ seeking medical aid from primary care and the seriously wounded. Local Nationals come into the FOB virtually everyday with some sort of medical reasons. We had one Local National come in when he had been shot during a land dispute and on another occasion, we had two Local Nationals come in with lacerations all over their backs from a knife fight. The reason for the fight was that one of them had stolen the other’s milk. We have quite a few children come in where they have fallen over and opened their heads and needed stitches to grazes that needed dressing, so in all I think we have a well trusted medical facility for the locals to come in for treatments.

My normal day in the medical centre starts at 0745 when I go and check and feed the people in The Priory (Diarrhoea & Vomiting (D&V) isolation ward) accommodation. The Priory is a HESCO building with a tin roof next to the burns pit where all the soldiers with D&V, or just showing the signs of D&V, go. It is not nice being down there and I have been unfortunate and have been down there myself. It is hot and really boring so if you have not taken a book or your Nintendo DS down there you will be pulling your hair out after a day. The average soldier will spend about 2-3 days down there. You get treated like you have leprosy; no one wants to come near you just in case they catch it, and it’s only the Doctor that can discharge you from there.

When that is done I go back up to the medical centre where I treat the soldiers that have come in on sick parade, but hardly anyone comes in unless they are dying! So my mornings are quite boring.

On most days I go on patrols into the Green Zone or sometimes we do desert patrols, so I sort out my kit to make sure that I have everything in my medical kit sorted and re-supplied, my camelpak is filled and my stretcher is secure onto my day sack and go to orders.

FCO - Stabilisation Advisor - James Donally - Goodbye to all that

Well, my year in Musa Qala is nearly up and it’s time to say my goodbyes to my Afghan and British friends here. I must say the time really has flown by and much has happened in this small corner of Helmand, not least improved security, leading to increased freedom of movement and an uplift in business in Musa Qala.

And some basics are in place: school, clinic, some roads, improved electricity supply. But to fill the security "envelope" provided by the Afghan security forces and their British counterparts, the Afghan government needs to step in and be seen to be working full time in the district; Afghans deserve a government that listens to its people and is trusted.

Until now in Musa Qala, we foreigners - civilian and military - have sometimes seemed to be the only people the local population could approach to discuss their problems and get things done. But the Afghan government understands that it has to assume its proper place in the lives of the locals, and in other parts of Helmand this process is already under way, led by an energetic and progressive Provincial Governor.

I really believe the people of Musa Qala are ready for that next step: they are interested in the future of their country and are now gearing up for August's presidential and provincial elections. Successful voter registration earlier this year means that people are at least in a position to vote - providing they feel safe and know enough about the choices on offer.

Even if we sometimes lacked Afghan attention, we certainly weren’t short of British visitors to Musa Qala, from Ross Kemp through assorted generals to the PM, all have shown huge interest in the people of Musa Qala and the UK military who have come here to help them.

I will leave here with an enormous admiration for the British military who have hosted this strange civilian with great patience and I wish them all a safe return home. At the same time I commend our exceptionally brave and talented local staff and other local partners who I hope will remain in their country to continue to improve the lot of its people.

Colour Sergeant Mike Saunders, 2 MERCIAN, blogs from Helmand - Part 14

Greetings friends and readers at the Marwood, Worcester!

Today we have received an influx of new soldiers fresh from the UK and soon they will be sent forward to join what will become their close friends and colleagues. In the history of learning curves this must rate up there with taking over a plane when the pilot is taken ill. You can tell that they are new both to the Army and particular to the theatre of Operations as they have the fixed expression of a rabbit caught firmly in the headlights.

In days gone by the Colours that are the standards of the Regiment and are gifted by the Royalty were paraded through the assembled ranks. This is so that they could be recognised and become a rally point is the fiercest of battles. Today the Colours are not present on the battlefield as they once were, but I believe the soldiers of the Regiment eventually become the embodiment of the Colours and what they mean to those who have served under them.

To see these young soldiers of the Mercian Regiment is comforting as we know that the future of the Regiment will ultimately rest with them. New recruits joining the Colours in difficult surroundings and circumstances is not a new thing, since the formation of the first Regiments young men have answered the call to arms and found themselves far away from home in strange, unfamiliar and dangerous surroundings.

It is vital then that these young soldiers are given support from home and are given strong support by the Regimental chain of command. This they will receive from the highly experienced and operationally seasoned Sergeants and Corporals who will become their new family for the time being.

What then is the difference between these young men and those new insurgent recruits who have been sent up country to get blooded and experience in combat? The main difference I suppose is that our soldiers have received the best training that can be provided and they will have been made aware of the risks associated with this operation. Also they will be given the best equipment available to protect and support them in their task.

The training given to the young or old new insurgent must be rudimentary at best and non existent in most cases. It is sometimes possible to feel almost sympathetic towards these men who may be sacrificed in the name of other people's higher ambitions.

The existence these insurgents live must be one dominated by fear and to live in fear must bring great pressure and stress and are rejected by the majority of the community. This is entirely right as any man who holds human life in cheap regard must count his own as such.

Regularly now we see young men who were like these new soldiers not so long back passing through our location on route to well earned leave. They are unrecognisable from those very young looking men they were before, now they look, talk and have the actions of soldiers who have seen soldiering at its toughest and can now class themselves as fighting men.

Often at night I sit and listen to music and contemplate the scale of what we are doing here, at times there seems to be no dawn from the dark and we are in a state of high tension, just waiting for the next incident or tragedy. For those on the front line living amongst the population and within striking distance of the insurgents, it must be much harder to maintain positive momentum and they have my greatest respect for their mental fortitude and personal discipline. It is perhaps the truth that our troops are not braver than everyone else, rather they are just braver for longer.

In the calm of the evening as the sun sets and the heat continues to radiate from the iron hard sand it is easy to almost romanticise the nature of conflict here and to try and somehow balance the nature of what we do and in its doing what we have become. To question the morality of intense fighting in an attempt to secure peace is futile and will raise perhaps more questions than answers. All I know as a simple soldier is that your soldiers are the very best of men, fallible, often crude and prone to aggression but there is no other way for them to be and still exist in this turbulent world.

Having a conversation with one of the OMLT Commanders the other day he reminded me that it is not always the big things that can make a difference. He reminded me how it feels to be eating rations every day and not having a fridge to get a cold drink from; even a normal toilet can be a luxury if you have spent enough time away from one, how easily we take certain things for granted in our frantic lives!

We have already taken part in several high intensity operations and we will see many more in our time. The Afghans we mentor are increasing in capability and skill which coupled with their enthusiasm and determination will make a difference.

Soon those new soldiers of you Regiment will be in the thick of it, learning the ropes from their commanders and becoming true Infantrymen. In doing so they will join the thousands who have gone before them, upholding and adding to the traditions, standards and history of this fine Regiment.

"STAND FIRM STRIKE HARD"