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Bomb Hunters: In Afghanistan With Britain's Elite Bomb Disposal Unit

Page 32

by Sean Rayment


  Brown, Lance Corporal Joe 28

  Brunt, Lance Corporal Michael 117, 135

  Burnett, Lance Corporal Clayton 28

  Butler, Corporal Adam 117, 135, 138–9, 140–2, 144, 145, 147

  Cameron, David 259

  Camp Bastion xvii, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14–15, 18, 21–2, 27, 37, 40, 49, 51, 56, 57, 69, 79, 87, 88, 89, 91, 92, 93, 94, 98, 106, 107, 113, 145, 147, 148–9, 157, 158, 177, 196, 198, 216, 234, 252, 255, 256, 257, 258, 265

  Camp Leatherneck 21

  Campbell, Kingsman Andrew 106

  Canadian troops 52, 90, 98, 254

  Carter, Fusilier Louis xv–xvi

  Cat A neutralization xviii, xix, xx, 65

  Chah-e-Anjir 95, 100–1, 106, 107, 115

  Chant, Regimental Sergeant Major Darren ‘Daz’ 179, 187, 188–9, 190, 191, 192, 194, 195, 196, 199, 200, 232

  Chinook 15, 21, 28, 90, 93

  Chiswell, Guardsman Robert 245

  Clark, Guardsman David 233

  Clark, Ranger Charlie 71

  Claxton, Sergeant Dave 239

  claymore mine, improvised 75, 153, 223

  Coburn, Phil 4, 5, 97

  Cowan, Brigadier James 75

  Crossing Point One, Battle of 228–51

  Culverhouse, Lance Corporal Liam 188, 191, 192–3, 198

  Cumberland, Lance Sergeant Nathan 106, 127

  Dalzell, Lieutenant Douglas 104–5

  Danish troops 7, 14, 21, 37, 170

  Dannatt, General Sir Richard 93, 256–7

  Daoud, Lieutenant 184, 185

  Darville, Guardsman Shaun 243

  Davidson, Major Wayne 15

  Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search School, Kineton 158, 166, 167, 266

  Dobbin, Lieutenant Mike 181–4

  Donaldson, Captain John 87

  Dougerty, Sergeant Chris 232

  Downes, Company Sergeant Major Pete 236

  Driver, Captain Martin 176

  Drops (Demountable Rack Offload and Pickup System) 76, 77

  electronic counter-measures (ECM) 15, 28, 61, 116, 118, 119, 129, 132, 135, 156, 210, 262

  embedded reporting 8–9, 51, 105, 150, 163–4, 228–9

  Estonian troops 7, 250

  Ezeray, Patrol Base 76

  Farrell, Warrant Officer Class 1, Ian ‘Faz’ 96, 99

  Five Tanks 95, 102

  Forrest, Guardsman Warren 221–2

  French, Sergeant Harry 174

  front line 89–115, 102, 108

  Fullarton, Lance Corporal James ‘Fully’ xiii–xvi, xix, xx–xxi

  Fuller, Staff Sergeant Simon 204, 205, 206, 207, 209–10, 213–14, 215, 216, 262

  Garmsir 157

  Gereshk 14, 15, 37–9, 51, 109, 133, 143, 157, 170, 263

  Gould, Major Tim 49, 51, 54, 57–64, 67, 69

  Green Zone xiii, 14, 15, 43, 82, 90, 101, 107, 150, 206, 214, 215

  Green, Major Richard 229, 234, 235, 236, 237, 240, 242, 245, 249, 250

  Gulbuddin 191–4, 199, 229

  Gumbesa, Operation 37–9

  Hamer, Rupert 4, 5, 6, 11, 56, 90, 97, 125, 258–9

  Harper, Lance Corporal Gareth 233

  Helmand Province: arriving in 1–3, 6, 9; 243, 245, 270; bomb hunters in see bomb hunters; climate/conditions 3, 17, 25, 30–1, 32, 33, 38, 41, 44, 93, 111, 214–15, 232; IEDs in see IED; Taliban in see Taliban see also under individual area name

  Helmand River xiii, xiv–xv, 101

  Herrick 6, Operation 140

  Herrick 7, Operation 141

  Herrick 8, Operation 159

  Herrick 9, Operation 159

  Herrick 10, Operation 42, 143, 174

  Herrick 11, Operation 34, 63, 81

  Highway One 37

  Hill, Lance Corporal James 91, 216

  Hill, Lance Corporal Jody 76–7

  HME (home-made explosive) xviii, 67–8, 85, 128, 143–4, 213, 218, 227

  Homewood, Sapper Gareth ‘Gaz’ 117, 118, 135, 136

  ‘Hotel-18’ 75–6

  Hughes, Staff Sergeant Kim xv, xvi–xx, xxi, 266–7

  Hunt, Lance Sergeant 121, 122, 123, 147

  Hurran, Corporal Andy 206, 207, 209

  Hyde, Company Sergeant Major/Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2), Pat 75, 76–80, 81, 151, 272–3

  IED (Improvised Explosive Device): booby-trap devices 14, 85, 118, 124, 137, 138, 164, 171, 190, 211; capturing 29, 213; command 16–17, 18, 61–2, 80, 126, 151, 153–4, 156, 164, 263–4; construction of 18–19, 59–61; defusing see bomb hunters; dummy 75; Explosive Formed Projectiles 13; factories 7, 85–6; ‘force multiplier’ 157; forensic evidence 16, 17, 29, 33, 48–9, 138, 144, 161, 212, 217; high metal content 60, 67, 128; incident rates 7, 63–4, 178, 255; increased sophistication in 61–3, 87, 145–6, 253, 255; local population and 37–8, 61, 253; low metal content xix, 7, 61, 67, 128, 144–5, 172, 262; ‘killing zone’ 209; number dealt with by an individual ATOs 63–4; pressure-plate (PP) xiv, xix, 14, 18–19, 26, 31, 32–3, 35, 54, 59–60, 61, 75, 80, 85, 91, 108–9, 118, 126, 130, 136–7, 143, 151, 156, 158–9, 160, 161, 172, 208, 212; pressure-release (PR) 26–7, 29, 61, 161–2; psychological weapon 126, 157, 228; quality control 252, 253; radio-controlled 48, 61; render-safe procedure 48; robots used to deal with 66–7, 156; route-clearance 65–6, 74, 175, 190, 221, 252, 254; searching for xv, xvi, 7, 11, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 25–7, 28, 35, 38, 39, 43, 46, 54, 58, 64, 65, 70, 79, 80, 117, 119, 124, 126, 127, 129, 136, 139, 141, 150, 152, 168, 175, 177, 178, 203, 205, 206, 207, 210, 216, 219, 220, 264, 266–7; size of 67–8; surge in use/production of 7, 33, 62, 230; trip wire 62; using against Taliban 229; victim-detonated 51, 61, 62, 160, 264, 271; wooden 144–5

  Illume, Team 143

  incident control point (ICP) 17, 30, 31, 32, 35, 36, 50, 54, 80, 122, 126, 129, 131, 133, 134, 135, 137, 140, 141, 143, 144, 160, 207

  Inkerman, FOB 11, 73–4, 76, 77, 78, 81, 140, 150, 151, 154, 163

  IRA 43, 61, 62, 75, 105–6, 109, 172

  Iran 13, 63, 87, 221, 253

  Iraq 8, 12–13, 29, 57, 58, 59, 63, 65, 66, 72, 76, 87, 113, 114, 126, 165, 178, 204, 253

  ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) 15, 35, 37, 42, 64, 70, 86, 98, 103, 157, 180, 182, 197, 230, 232

  Israel, Commander 184–5

  ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) 78, 85

  Jackson, FOB 44, 46, 79, 81

  James, Major Andrew 199

  Janes, Guardsman James 232, 233–4, 235–6

  Jones, Corporal Stewart 28, 31, 32, 35

  Kabul 5, 76, 215, 231, 254, 260

  Kajaki 19, 75, 144

  Kalshal Kalay 85

  Kandahar 2, 10, 257, 258

  Karzai, Hamid 221

  Keenan, FOB 37–9

  Khan, Habiullah 100, 225, 226

  Kirkpatrick, Corporal Jamie 263

  Kitson, Lieutenant Colonel Nick 75, 79

  Knight, Sapper Bradley 07–8, 210

  Kuku, Captain Florinin 108–9

  Lacey, Corporal Richard 119, 138

  land mines 19, 29, 88, 157

  Lashkar Gah 94, 157, 182, 250

  Ley, Staff Sergeant Karl ‘Badger’ 23, 24, 27–40, 41–2, 52, 53, 54, 55–6, 63, 67, 165, 174, 271–2

  Lindsay-German, Major Iain 84, 217

  Linley, Staff Sergeant Brett 265

  Loader, Guardsman Steve 188, 192, 201–2

  Loader, Sergeant Thomas 239, 241, 245

  Lockett, Sergeant Michael 11

  Luy Mandah 229, 231–51, 236, 240, 250

  Lyons, Guardsman Pete ‘Treacle’ 188, 191, 192, 202

  Major, Guardsman James 188, 192, 201

  Malvern, Patrol Base 263, 264

  Marjah 98–9

  Markland, Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2), Dave 37, 38, 39, 53, 55, 163, 164

  Marlton-Thomas, Corporal Loren ‘Loz’ 133, 134, 135, 138, 139, 141, 142, 163

  Mastiff armoured troop carriers 24–5, 30, 65–6, 74, 76, 77, 78, 96, 114, 119, 141, 144, 151, 152, 159, 164, 170, 178, 183, 21
2, 227, 234, 235, 242, 245, 246, 249, 250, 261, 262, 263, 270

  McAleese, Sergeant Paul 267

  McChrystal, General Stanley 95, 98, 230

  McCluggage, Corporal 129

  McDonald, Guardsman Reiss 243, 245

  McLean, Lance Corporal Adam 207

  Mellors, Sapper Guy 163

  Merry, Corporal Arianne 205–6, 207, 213

  Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle 4, 5, 97

  Minimise, Operation 21

  Ministry of Defence (MoD) 2, 8, 9, 105, 165, 166, 178

  Mohammed, Wali 225–6

  Moshtarak, Operation 53–4, 81–7, 97–9, 101, 113, 163, 252

  Muir, Staff Sergeant Chris 59

  Musa Qala 20, 24–33, 35–6, 61, 63, 68, 143, 145, 156–60, 170, 176

  MUV mine 160

  Nad-e’Ali 45, 46, 54, 82, 87, 93–105, 116–47, 164, 168, 169, 170, 177, 179–203, 204–27, 214, 225, 226, 229, 231, 261, 269

  Nahr-e-Burgha canal 119, 187, 231

  Nahr-e-Seraj 263, 265

  Namarua, Lance Corporal Peniasi ‘Nammers’ 188, 198–9, 202

  National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan 225

  NATO 2, 61, 69, 81, 91–2, 93, 98, 103, 109, 126, 145, 158, 167, 178, 213, 219, 228, 231, 246, 253, 254, 255, 259, 260

  Noorhouse, Corporal Harry 238

  Northern Ireland 3, 13, 29, 32, 33, 42, 43, 49, 58, 62, 63, 65, 66, 76, 105–6, 114, 126, 164, 221

  O’Connor, Corporal Kelly 71, 79, 83

  O’Donnell, Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2), Gary ‘Gaz’ 1, 11–20, 22, 35, 45, 53, 163, 170, 178

  O’Dwyer, Staff Sergeant Kev 117, 118, 119, 122, 123, 124, 126, 127–30, 131, 135, 136, 137, 141, 145–6, 147, 152, 171

  O’Malley, Heathcliff 87, 102

  Oakland, Corporal James 143

  Pakistan 87, 169, 221, 254

  Paladin Teams 160–1, 167

  Panther’s Claw (Panchai Palang), Operation 42, 231

  Parker, Corporal Ronnie 238

  Pearson, Guardsman Jordan 233, 245

  Pendlebury, Lance Corporal Gaz 242

  Perkins, Dan 174

  Petraeus, General David 95, 254

  Pienaar, Sapper Richie 116, 117, 125, 126, 131, 132–3, 134–5, 136, 139, 147, 152, 153

  Pimon, Patrol Base 128, 250, 214, 215–16

  Pointon, Sergeant Rob 245

  Potter, Sapper Harry 266

  Price, FOB 51

  RAF 2–3, 4, 21, 22, 89, 93, 166, 258, 259

  Rawlings, Lieutenant Alex 232

  Read, Captain Dan 51, 63, 143, 150, 163, 170

  Rice, Lieutenant Paddy 107

  Ridgeback armoured vehicle 95–6, 97

  Robinson, FOB xiv

  Rose, Guardsman 238

  Rossiter, Lance Corporal Joe 116, 119, 132, 135, 210

  Route 611 73, 74, 75, 76, 150, 163

  Route Dorset 170

  Route Jupiter 236–7, 238, 242, 247

  route-clearance 65–6, 74, 175, 190, 221, 252, 254

  Rowe, Lance Corporal Ken 11

  Royal Engineer Search Advisor (RESA) xvi, 15, 22, 30, 31, 37, 82, 117–18, 121, 127, 152, 171, 204, 205, 206, 207, 209–10, 213–14, 215, 216, 262

  Royal Military College, Sandhurst 51, 188

  Sangin xiii–xxi, 6, 11, 35, 41, 42–50, 68, 72–81, 94, 105, 140, 143, 150–4, 157, 163, 169–70, 265

  Sayedabad 82–6, 99

  Schmid, Christina 49, 50

  Schmid, Staff Sergeant Olaf xvii, 41–51, 52, 53, 74, 133, 143, 149, 150, 162–3, 164–5, 170

  Shahzad, Patrol Base 99, 107

  Shankar, Corporal Israel 208

  Shawqat, FOB 82, 87, 93, 94–5, 97, 115, 116, 120, 148–9, 177, 192, 196, 198, 199, 206, 214, 215, 221, 224, 225, 226, 252, 261, 263

  Shelton, Guardsman Josh 235

  Shepherd, Captain Daniel xviii, 44, 53, 170

  Shepherd, Lieutenant Craig 236, 237–9, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249–51, 270

  Shields, Guardsman Peter 238, 245

  Shin Kalay 186–7, 190, 226

  Shorabak, Camp 91

  shuras 4, 86, 100–1

  Smith, Sapper Mark 265

  Snatch vehicles 13, 78, 91, 114

  Streatfield, Major Richard 75

  Sunday Telegraph 87

  Swan, Captain Rob 70–2, 79, 80, 81, 82–3, 84, 85–7, 174

  Taliban: adaptability 60–1, 75, 76, 128; Afghan people and 86–7, 101–2, 152; ambushes xviii, 4, 11, 18, 24, 25, 35, 43, 69, 75, 76, 77, 79, 97, 99, 102, 106–7, 110, 119, 128, 170, 181, 182, 184, 215, 229, 230, 235, 237, 263, 270; casevac procedures. Taliban target British Army xviii, 44, 69, 169, 170–1, 229–30, 234–5; children, recruitment of 75, 256; ‘dicking’ 70, 76, 153, 154, 169; IED production see IED and under individual area name; media-savvy 253; outside help 76, 87, 221; prisoners 244–5; scrutiny screen 70–1; snipers 6, 32, 63, 102, 107, 169, 174, 232, 237, 239; suicide attacks 11, 91, 223; surface-to-air missiles 2; tactics and strategy 18, 60–1, 75, 76, 218–19, 232, 253–4

  Talisman programme 65, 66

  Tangiers, Patrol Base 44

  Tapa Parang, Patrol Base 111

  Task Force Paladin 160

  Taylor-Allen, Sapper Dan 117, 135, 144–5, 153

  Telford, Sergeant Matthew 187, 190, 191, 192, 195, 196, 198, 199, 201

  Thomson, Lieutenant Colonel Rob 51

  Thornloe, Lieutenant Colonel Rupert 231

  Tor Shezada, Operation 99

  Total, Lieutenant Colonel Stuart 157

  Tracey, Sergeant Roderick 238

  United States forces 4, 5, 7, 21, 52, 74, 81, 90, 91–2, 95, 98, 99, 112, 156, 160, 167, 168, 231

  Vallon mine detectors 14, 25, 26, 27, 31, 42, 60, 108, 124, 125, 131, 132, 152, 171, 207, 208, 210, 221, 222, 224, 232, 233, 238, 261, 264

  Waheed, FOB 231, 234, 235, 240, 245, 250–1

  Walker, Lieutenant Colonel Roly 95, 97, 99–102, 179–80, 185–7, 189, 196–7, 199, 200, 269–70

  Walton, Guardsman David 108

  Ward, Sergeant Pete xvi

  Warrior vehicle 128, 177, 204, 205, 206, 207, 211, 212, 214, 215, 218, 219, 222, 223, 224

  Watson, Sapper Dave 11, 143, 163–4

  weapons intelligence specialist 33, 206

  Webster-Smith, Nicholas 187, 191, 192, 195, 198, 201

  Wheelchair, Patrol Base 44

  Wishtan, Patrol Base 44, 46

 

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