holds shura with Tootal 114–15, 132
and Musa Qaleh agreement 256–7, 259–60
precariousness of position 108
promises more police 211
and requests for help 55, 60, 107–8, 110–11, 147, 148, 181, 266
warnings given by 266
Daoud (translator) 125–6, 127, 128
Dasht-e-Margo (Desert of Death) 36
Davies, Sergeant Huw 118
Davis, Corporal Jay 4, 246, 247
Davis, Sergeant Ray 66
Deerans, Private Kyle 102
Denmark 27
Department for InternationalDevelopment (DfID) 27, 42, 43–4, 265
Docherty, Captain Phil 209
Draiva, Ranger Anare 243, 252
Edwards, Private ‘Eddie’ 209, 210
Eida, Captain Alex 166, 167
11 September 2001 (9/11) 25–6, 30, 44, 223
El Gamil 10
Falklands 14, 18, 21, 30, 59
Goose Green 9
Mount Longdon 9
Farmer, Captain Hugoand ANA soldiers 211
arrival at Bastion 34
background 22–3
and building local relationships 114, 117
and death of Budd 219–21
and death of Jacko 142, 143–4, 145
and distrust of ANP 211–2
and attitude to Loden 208
and lack of water 92–3
and Operation Augustus 175, 176–7, 178
and Operation Mutay 69–71, 76–81, 83
and ‘P’ Company training 11
and patrols in Sangin 208, 212–3, 214
pursued by Taliban 216–17
relationship with locals in Sangin 203–4
and return of Taliban 201
search-and-recovery missions 60, 109
and Taliban attacks and ambushes 90, 93–4, 119, 138–9
and wounding of Edwards 209
Farooq hospital 121
Fehley, Lieutenant Tom 72, 73, 75, 112
Flynn, Corporal of Horse Michael 166
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) 27, 42, 201
Forward Air Controller (FAC) 76
Forward Artillery Observer (FAO) 76
Forward Operating Base (FOB) Jackson 145
Forward Operating Base (FOB) Price 39, 41, 99, 104, 105, 129, 159
Forward Operating Base (FOB)
Robinson 51, 53, 54, 56, 86–8, 87, 116, 119, 123, 133, 134, 193, 217, 263
Forward Logistic Element (FLE) 151, 155, 161
Fox and Fiddler pub (Colchester) 15–16
Fraser, Brigadier General David 44, 45, 178
Freakley, Major General Benjamin 45, 171, 178, 201–2
French, Captain Nick 14, 16, 96–8
French troops 53, 54
Fry, Corporal Shaun 76, 81, 119
Garmsir 203
Gereshk 36, 38, 40–2, 47, 99, 114, 129, 132, 160, 264–6, 267
Ghilzai tribesmen 21
Giles, Corporal Stuart 140, 142–3, 209
Goede, Lieutenant Barry de 65
Gordon, Private Paul ‘Flash’ 81
Groves, Corporal Danny 3, 167–8, 169, 227, 228, 230, 231, 232–5, 236, 243–4, 258
Gul, Jama 107
Gulf Wars 9, 16
Gurung, Corporal Imbahadur 191–2
Gurung, Major Trilochan 116
Hale, Lance Corporal Stuart 4, 245–6
Halton, Private Stephen 78–9
Hammond, Lieutenant Colonel David 51, 57–8
Hammond, Major Mark 5–7, 249–50, 251
Hanif, Mohammed 52
Harding, Corporal John 243
Hardy, Regimental Sergeant Major John 5, 7, 10, 17–18, 171–2, 210, 269
Harrop, Captain Ben 92
Hartley, Lance Corporal Paul ‘Tug’ 4, 247–8
Hashmi, Lance Corporal Jabron 125–6, 128, 144, 195
Hashmi, Zeeshan 128
Hasler, Flying Officer Chris 59, 61, 67, 174, 175, 176
Helmand province 11, 12, 63, 235
building and rebuilding in 267
deployment to 1, 16, 17, 19
destruction not construction in 266
difficulties working in 205–6
force package sent to 28–9
inactivity in 265–6
and local population loyalties 153
opium production in 27, 34–6
patrolling of 36–7, 38–42
reinforcements sent to 147
and securing of the Triangle 36, 51, 85, 110, 255
as Taliban homeland 26–8, 30
and withdrawal for troops 202
Helmand Provincial Reconstruction
Team (PRT) 27
Helmand Task Force 28, 45
Hetherington, Lance Corporal John 241
High Altitude High Opening
(HAHO) 148
High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) 148
Highway One 39, 159, 266
Holland 27
Hollingshead, Lieutenant Paul 64–6
Hughes, Sergeant Emlyn 126
Immediate Response Team (IRT) 5, 53
International Security Assistance
Force in Afghanistan (ISAF) 25, 26, 29, 43, 44, 227, 234, 255
Iran 23
Iraq 17, 22, 23–4, 29, 30, 33, 47, 69, 96, 131, 243
Jackson, Private Damien 70, 139–45, 171–2, 231
Jackson, Lance Corporal Karl 225–6
Jalalabad 21
Jan (Danish quatermaster) 236
Jarvie, Sergeant Dan 79, 139, 140, 141, 143, 144, 209, 215, 220
Johnson, Captain Mark 231–2, 259, 260
Johnson, 2nd Lieutenant Ralph 166
Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) 193–4, 243, 264
Joint Operational Command (JOC) 1, 3, 174
Joint Tactical Air Controller (JTAC) 65
Jouques, Lieutenant Colonel Neale 168
Jowett, Major Adam 19, 236, 237, 244, 252, 253, 258, 259, 260
Kabul 21, 26, 30, 234, 259, 265, 269
Kajaki Dam 1, 3, 4, 53, 54, 94–105, 160, 245–9, 263, 266, 267
Kajaki John 95, 98
Kandahar 1, 3, 26, 27, 44, 48, 49, 60, 72, 161, 181
Karzai, President Hamid 25, 29, 50, 110, 153, 203
Kay, Nick 201, 258
Key, Corporal Andy 98–9, 196
King’s College (London) 17
Kipling, Rudyard, Barrack-Room Ballads 33
Knaggs, Colonel Charlie 45, 107, 178, 201
Kosovo 9, 19, 37, 69
Kruyer, Sergeant Christopher ‘Freddie’ 237–8, 239–40
Lamb, Christina 99–100, 102, 105
Lanaghan, Private Andrew 78–9, 218
Lane, Sergeant Carl 215–16
Lashkar Gah 33, 36, 43, 55, 114, 151, 152, 173, 178, 267
Leong, Sergeant Major Zac 122–7, 129–31, 141, 143, 269
Limbu, Rifleman Barren 190
Limbu, Corporal Khailash Khebang 183, 186–7
Liverpool University 96
Lock, Captain Guy 264
Loden, Major Jamie 207, 208, 210, 211, 213, 214, 219, 221, 222, 223, 224
Loden, Ted 207
Londonderry 37
Long Range Desert Group 57
Lowe, Lieutenant Colonel Matt 16
McCulloch, Lance Corporal Luke 5, 6, 249–50, 252
McDermott, Corporal Tam 73, 74, 81, 82, 118, 120, 141, 219
McGovern, Lieutenant Colonel
Michael 250
Mackenzie, Captain Alex 101, 103–4, 105, 198, 199–200
McKinley, Private Peter 14, 89–93, 208–10
McKinney, Sergeant Ally 230, 231
MacLachlan, Corporal Scott 72, 73, 74–6, 81, 82
McMellon, Sergeant Paul 101, 103
Maiwand 255–6
Malayan Emergency 24, 25
Mallet, Lieutenant Andy 12, 14, 112, 118, 122, 176, 177, 213, 219, 222
Manchester University 47
Manning, Lance Corporal Damien 149
Manoeuvre Outreac
h Groups (MOGs) 242
Martin, Lieutenant Paul 251
Mason, Bombadier Thomas 87
Mussetti, Captain Rob 89
Matanasinga, Ranger Panapassa 249
Mathers, Lieutenant Angus 190
Ministry of Defence (MoD) 42
Mitchell, Corporal Scott 103
Mountford, Sergeant Craig 21–2, 31, 195, 196, 197, 198
Muirhead, Lance Corporal Paul 243–4, 251, 252
Musa Muckers 235–6, 242–4
Musa Qaleh 147
and allocation of resources to 110
American convoy incidents 88, 155–6
American deployment in 149–51
ceasefire in 257–8
civilian casualties in 205
conditions in 239–40
Danish withdrawal from 236–7, 238
lack of equipment and
ammunition in 252–3
location 151
morale in 242
Pathfinder deployment in 153–4, 156–69
police in 153–4
prison complex at 151–2
problems associated with 148–9
reinforcements sent to 237–8
rumours of withdrawal from 232, 234–5
strategic importance of 152, 266
Taliban attacks on 2, 5–7, 52, 55, 86, 227–8, 230, 233–4, 238–9, 240–4, 249–50, 251–3
Taliban reoccupation of 267
tribal elders’ initiative 256–9, 263
withdrawal from 253–4, 255–61
National Directorate of Security 184
Newell, Sergeant Major Andy 53, 149, 150, 151, 158, 160, 162, 163, 164–5
Nicholls, Lance Corporal Ross 166 9/11 see 11 September 2001
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) 43
North Africa 10
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
(NATO) 25, 26, 29, 37, 50, 234, 255
Northern Ireland 14, 16, 37, 39–40, 63, 69, 71, 90, 96
Northern Ireland Civil Rights
Association 37
Now Zad 207, 265
and allocation of resources to 59, 110, 148
deployment to 55–6, 147, 181–2
Gurkhas in 182–92, 203
and Operation Mutay 63–83, 85
reinforcements sent from 164
relative peace in 55, 263
security in 267
strategic importance of 266
Taliban attacks on 3, 56, 182–92, 203, 229
withdrawal from 179, 255
Oman 30–1, 63
Omar, Mullah 52, 111, 181
Operation Augustus 171–9
Operation Baghi 224–6
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 44, 95
Operation Mar Chichel 167
Operation Market Garden 10
Operation Mountain Thrust 63, 171
Operation Mutay 93, 145, 182, 210
aftermath 85–6
as cordon and search operation 63, 82
evaluation of 82–3
main action 67–82
participants 63–4
peripheral attacks 64–7
Operational Mentoring Liaison
Teams (OMLTs) 51, 57, 86, 94, 211
Owen, Private Anthony ‘Zippy’ 81
Pakistan 26, 128, 212
Parker, Private Peter 93
Pathfinders 52, 53, 220, 227, 238
bad experiences 149
deployment to Helmand 149
formation 148–9
in Musa Qaleh 149–69
training 148
Pearson, Corporal Stuart 4, 245–6
Permanent Joint Headquarters(PJHQ) (Northwood) 34, 45, 192, 203, 255
Personal Role Radio (PRR) 77
Philippson, Captain Jim 87, 88
Pike, Hew 18
Pike, Major Will 23
and abandoning of Sangin 131, 132–3
and attacks on compound 124, 126, 127, 133–5
background 18
Belfast experience 39–40
and compound at Sangin 110, 111
and death of his men 130–1
knowledge of Afghanistan 30
and Operation Augustus 172, 173, 174, 176
and Operation Mutay 67, 68, 69, 71, 76, 78
and reasons for being in Afghanistan 29–30
relationship with locals 113, 114, 119
rescue of 123–4
search-and-recovery missions 54, 60, 88, 89
Poll, Corporal Quentin ‘Prig’ 69–71, 72, 77–80, 124, 138–41
Price, Corporal Brian 251–2
Pritchard, Lance Bombardier ‘Ginge’ 242
Prosser, Corporal Chris 33, 56
Prosser, Private Dave 4, 245, 247, 248, 249
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) 27, 43–4
Provisional IRA 37
Pun, Rifleman Yam Roka 189
Pynn, Captain Harvey 210
and attack on Sangin Compound 120
background 42
checks out local healthcare 114
deals with British casualties 125–9
and death of Jacko 142–3
and exhaustion of the men 134
idealistic streak 43, 205
leaves Sangin 205–6
as MO 43
and proposed withdrawal from Sangin 132–3
provides help to pharmacy and
hospital in Sangin 121–2, 204–5, 210
and regrouping of the Taliban 137
and rescue of wounded governor’s son 109–10
and setting up of CAP 112
watches Taliban attack 194
quick-impact projects (QIPs) 43–4, 184, 265
Radford, Lance Corporal of Horse Andrew 166
RAF Brize Norton 12
Rai, Rifleman Ananda 64
Rai, Rifleman Nabin 189
Randle, Private Adam 70, 77, 139, 140
Regional Command South 26
Reid, Defence Secretary John 21, 25, 27–8, 29
Reidy, Sergeant Brian 109, 124, 142
Rex, Major Dan 183–4, 185, 187, 189, 190–1
Richards, General David 25, 36, 44, 234, 255–6, 259
Roberts, Corporal Guy 218
Roberts, Lance Corporal Paul 91, 109, 124, 142
Robinson, Lance Corporal Tony 160, 163–4
Route 611 53, 58
Royal Air Force, 1st Airborne
Division 10
Royal Air Force (RAF) 60, 67, 157 1st Airborne Division 10 18 Squadron 59
Royal Marines 5, 24942Commando 29, 264
Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch 216
Royal Navy 174
Sandhurst 16, 18, 19, 23, 96
Sangin 86, 152
concerns regarding 131–3
deployment to 107–21
destruction of 266
edgy atmosphere in 58
Hesco ramparts in 214, 251
and nearby convoy attacks 53, 88, 105
and Operation Augustus 171, 172–8
patrols in 58, 208–11, 212, 214–26
proposed abandonment of 131, 132–3
relative peace in 203–5, 263
and rules of engagement 159
search-and-recovery missions to 5–6
security in 267
Taliban attacks on 3, 124–31, 133–5, 193–204, 249
Sangin effect 49, 51, 55, 60
SAS 23, 57
Scrivener, John 239
Second World War 14
Arnhem 10
Merville (Normandy) 10
Sharp, Lance Corporal 139
Sharp, Private Craig 197, 218, 222, 223
Shatt al-Arab 23
Sheinwald, Sir Nigel 256
Shimmins, Corporal James 117
Sierra Leone 9, 19
Sight Unit, Small Arms, Trilux (SUSAT) 77
Smart, Lance Corporal Johnathon
‘Billy’ 77, 138, 141
South Ayrshire 90
Stacey, Captain Mike 237, 241, 249
Stirrup, Sir Jock 256
Stockton, Sergeant Major Andy 87
Suez 10, 14
Summerscales, Sergeant Adie 160
Sunday Times 99, 105
Sutcliffe, Justin 99, 101, 105
Swann, Captain Mark 38, 40, 41–2, 57–8, 67
3 Para 6
area of operations 36
camaraderie 13
campaigns 9
cartoons of 15–16
compound at Sangin 111–13
courage and achievements of 267–8
and death of Jacko 141–5
deployment to Afghanistan 1, 9
fighting core 28–9
hearts-and-minds activities 38–44, 45–8, 82
hierarchy of 18–19
history of 9–10
homecoming 268–9
honours and awards 9, 11, 59, 164, 166, 207, 222, 250, 268, 273–6
improved conditions for 49
individualism of 16
ink spot strategy 36–7
in Iraq 23–4
jumping 12–13
leadership 16–18
‘live today, die tomorrow’ attitude 16
milling 13
motto 10
operational boundaries 29
opinion of ANA 211–12
pre-deployment training 29–32
psychological difficulties 213, 223–4
rapid reaction missions 86–105
reflections on tour of duty 265–7
reputation 37–8
and rules of engagement 159, 205
search-and-recovery missions 53–4, 60, 88, 89, 107–11, 116–17
superiority and pride 14–15
training and selection 10–13
withdrawal of 264–5
‘A’ Company 18, 23, 33, 38–9, 41–2, 53, 60–1, 67, 69, 72–83, 85, 88, 91, 94, 108–11, 117, 129, 131, 133, 137–45, 150, 171–3, 197, 199, 200, 203, 204, 207, 211, 220, 226, 264–5
‘B’ Company Group 18, 55–6, 88, 134, 137, 166, 167, 168, 181, 193, 199, 200, 203, 207, 224, 225, 264, 265
1 Platoon 23, 77, 90, 109, 122, 138, 176, 212, 215, 217, 218, 221
2 Platoon 41–2, 67, 69, 72–83, 112, 122, 176, 177, 209, 213
4 Platoon 193, 225
5 Platoon 116, 225
6 Platoon (Guards Platoon) 156, 159
10 Platoon Royal Gurkha Rifles 63–6, 68, 183
Fire Support Group (FSG) 99, 100, 103, 111, 119, 122, 137, 242
Fire Support Team 74
Mortar Platoon 245, 249
‘C’ Company Group 18, 19, 46, 92, 99, 104, 167, 168, 172, 200, 224, 225, 249, 264, 265
‘D’ Company 18, 56
‘E’ Company (Easy Company) 2–3, 236, 238–44, 251, 252, 253, 257, 259, 260–1, 265
Unattached Resources
Patrols Platoon 33, 56, 57–8, 67, 68, 167, 200, 243, 258, 264
D Squadron Household Cavalry
Regiment 34, 49, 166, 242, 258, 264
1 Battalion 7 (Para) Royal Horse
Artillery 28, 51, 56, 86–8, 158, 159, 166, 167, 195, 236, 242, 243
1 Section 138, 218
3 Section 77, 218
’Ops One’ company 53, 63
Support Company 4, 18, 56, 245
3 Para Page 31