by Richard Kemp
and the battle group’s aggressive approach 412
Casburn, Pte A 420
Casey, Pte PJ 417
Catterick, Yorkshire 377, 380, 386
basic training 364
Infantry Training Centre 289, 295, 317
Chadwick, LCpl DW 420
Chandler, Cpl DW 422
Chapman, Pte GJ 416
Charlesworth, Pte Michael 247, 416
Chatfield, LCpl Sven PM 385, 416
Chechnya, pro–Taliban fighters from 43
Chinah, Afghanistan 351
Chumbley, Pte Luke A 258–9, 261, 417
Churchill, Sir Winston: My Early Life 139
Clark, WO2 S 377, 423
Clarke, Pte AS 417
Clarke, Cpl DA 422
Clarke, Lt Tom A 113, 277, 419, 429
CLU (command launch unit) teams 284–5
Cobb, Pte SD 419
Coding, Cpl P 423
Colby, Cpl 1
Cole, Cpl W 422
Coleby, LCpl PJ 416
Coleing, WO2 DGF 421
Coleman, Capt Tom GBP 134–5, 405, 422, 429
Operation Silicon 44, 94, 97
and movement of Taliban from Musa Qalah to Sangin 215
intelligence officer 251
and the Sangin cart bomb 252–4
preparations for air assault mission 255–6
at a Sangin shura 266
meeting with Salaam 269–74
plan to strike the Taliban mortar team 274–6
mentions ‘Farouk’ callsign 293
Collins, CSgt IL 421
Colours 372
compounds 127 234 129 234 245 159 469 342, 350 518 115
Cook, Pte N 420
Cooledge, LCpl AD 357, 418
Cooper, Pte LB 117, 118, 119, 419
Cooper, Pte WP 420
COP Zeebrugge see Zeebrugge, Combat Outpost
Copperwheat, Pte AJ 417
Coram, Pte CEJ 418
Corless, Pte Scott A 71, 222, 418
Corner, LCpl E 420
Cornish, LCpl PMG 423
Coruchen, Pte MAGR 423
Cowie, Maj Nick 333, 335
Cowley, Pte TR 417
Cox, Pte Thomas A 72, 418
Cress, Pte JDC 418
Croft, Pte Terry 15–16, 17, 417, 429
Cromie, Lt GR 421
Crook, Gdsm DK 417
Cucciniello, Dmr M Jonathan 287, 319, 320, 421
Culshaw, CSgt P 419
Cumberbatch, Pte Curtis WD 306, 318, 420
Curtis, Dmr KP 419
Curtis, Cfn LJ 422
D–Day (6 June 1944) 410
Daniels, Pte AGI 423
Danish Recce Squadron 40, 45, 212
Dare, Pte RA 421
Davey, LCpl George 209, 399, 418, 429, 428
Davidson, Gdsm M 418
Davies, Cpl James R 392–3, 414, 416
Davies, Maj Steve 93, 94
Davis, Pte JP 419
Davitt, Pte CA 420
Dawes, Maj Andrew 87
Day, Sgt MR 423
Day, Pte MS 418
Dean, Pte B 421
Deane–Drummond, Maj Gen Anthony 340
Debuc, Cpl RP 423
Deh Adan Khan, Green Zone, Afghanistan (DAK) 43, 67, 74, 79, 85, 87, 987
Deigan, Dmr RA 417
Dell, Pte O 417
Denning, Lt Nick GV 13, 214, 429
reassuring calmness 13
extraction of Holmes 25–9
Operation Silicon 54, 63
Operation Palk Ghar 383–4, 392, 396
Dennis, LCpl SWJ 423
Desert of Death see Green Zone
Dexter, Pte MS 419
Dickenson, Cpl MJ 417
Dickerson, Pte PJ 418
Dindyal, Pte ADS 423
Dire Straits 347
Dodds, Pte O 416, 423
Doherty, Pte RJ 418
Donnachie, Pte Clay J 6, 7, 371, 372, 417, 429
Donner, Pte TID 422
Dowd, Pte SL 418
Dowles, LCpl AJ 419
Down, Pte C 423
Down, Pte CL 418
Dowsett, Pte DJ 421
Drane, Pte AP 418
Drinkwater, LCpl WG 419
Driver, 2Lt MO 418
Duckett, LCpl JM 416
Duffy, Sgt JG 419
Duffy, Pte Matthew 16–17, 21–2, 414, 429
a team medic 17
friendship with Gray 17, 22, 23
and Gray’s death 34, 35
Duffy, Pte NJT 417
Duggan, Sgt B 420
Duke of York’s Royal Military School, Dover 99
Duncan, Cpl AN 421
Dunster, Pte JJ 419
Durdle, Cpl BA 421
Dyer, Sgt 204, 205
EastEnders (TV soap) 258–9
Eastern Desert 255
Eastwood, Cpl M 420
Edwards, Pte Derwin 414
Edwards, Pte DL 421
Eggleton, Cpl JS 420
Eggleton, LCpl PMG 420
Ehret, LCpl Karl H 414, 419
Elgumaty, LCpl HI 422
Elizabeth Barracks, Pirbright, Surrey 39, 280
Ellis, Pte BE 416
Ellis, LCpl L 422
Emery, Gdsm CR 419
Emmett, Pte Benjamin J 332, 419
Emmitt, Pte SP 423
Enemy at the Gates (film) 400
Ensinger, Pte ML 418
Essex Ridge 113, 350, 357, 360
Estonian armoured infantry company 40, 213, 217–18, 279, 375
Evans, Sgt Adrian M 323, 414, 420
Evans, LCpl AM 417
Evans, LCpl David 390, 422
Everitt, Cpl MP 419
Facal, Pte Kennett JF 114, 117, 118–19, 126, 419
Fairclough, Pte LM 421
Falcon Squadron, 2nd Royal Tank Regiment 333, 334
Falklands War 357, 407
Fallowfield, Capt DJ 422
Farouk 293, 319, 371, 375
Farrar, LCpl A 419
Farrugia, Cpl Darren J 308, 310, 312–17, 318, 414, 420
Faupel, CSgt Andrew 9, 414, 417, 429
leads the fire support group 30
supports the company’s movement back to the DC 30
Operation Silicon 95
Operation Palk Ghar 391
Fay, Cpl DJ 421
Feltham, Pte B 417
Fenn, Pte 423
Fermin, Pte R 422
Ferrand, LCpl JWC 423
Ferrand, Cpl Tim L 419, 430
Mazdurak raid 115–18, 126
at Putay 299–303
at Regay 316
Calder’s patrol to Putay 337
Field, Cpl SR 392, 416
Filipo, Cpl KT 423
Findley, Pte SD 423
Findley, LCpl Terry 372, 417
fire support groups (FSGs) 30, 38, 39
and Operation Silicon 60, 61, 66, 74, 81, 83, 85, 92, 94
and the Mazdurak raid 113, 121
under fire in Heyderabad 146, 153
at Waterloo patrol base 189
explosion in Jusulay track area 286–93
at Putay 297, 298, 302, 303
and the attack on Inkerman 321
Mazurak patrol 341, 350, 351, 353, 359
and ‘friendly fire’ attack 357
and the search for Foster 360
Operation Palk Ghar 386, 389–92
Alpha 371
Bravo 187
Charlie 39, 121, 277, 331
Delta 81, 94, 95, 97, 137, 218, 221, 224, 281, 293, 331
Firmin, Capt AM 421
Firmin Pte R 423
First World War 407
Fish, LCpl TA 417
Fisher, Pte C 423
Fisher, Cpl 196, 197
Fisher, Pte Craig L 31–4, 38–9, 417
Fisher, Capt K 421
Flanagan, Pte DA 417
Flegg, Pte DF 417
Fletcher, Pte J 423
Flight, LCpl MC (Jock) 7, 417
Flounde
rs, Pte C 423
FOB Fox 240, 279
Taliban attacks on 213, 215, 279
B Company 215–16, 217, 220, 238
rocket attack on (23 June 2007) 217–18
described 218
FOB Inkerman 403
battle group occupies 247
occupied by the ANA 277
becomes B Company’s bleak new home 247
C Company rehoused in 277, 280–83
Carver expects attacks 279, 296–7
described 280–81, 331
attack on 321–31
Calder takes temporary command 330–31
reorganization of defences 332
further attacks on 332–3, 382, 383, 400
FOB Robinson 38, 177, 178, 187, 199, 203
and Broomfield’s 6 Platoon 135
B Company’s circuitous return to 184, 185–6
described 186, 200, 206
‘Snake Pit’ 200, 207
‘Arm Pit’ 206, 208
mortaring of 271
gunners fire at Meean Rud wadi 329–30
GMLRS based in 401
Fong, Spr Ronald 164–7, 429
Ford, Pte TM 419
Forward Line of Enemy Troops (FLET) 99
Forward Operating Base see FOB Fosker, Cpl Shaun 414, 419
Foster, Pte Robert 140–41, 177, 418, 429
Operation Silicon 70, 76–7, 93
strong, brave and dependable 155
at the bridge 155, 156
sent to unjam his rifle and check on his section 156–7, 167, 168
and Barke 344, 345
protective of his sister 345
Mazdurak patrol 348, 350, 352
killed in F15 ‘friendly fire’ attack 357, 380, 408, 410
search for his body 359–61, 363
memorial ceremonies 372–3
his funeral 408
Fox, Pte TC 421
Foxall, Gdsm LA 419
Frampton, Pte TS 421
Franklin, Cpl A 423
Freebairn, LCpl C 422
Freeman, Pte ADA 420
Freeman, Pte Anthony 414
Freeman, WO2 Mark A 91, 421
Freeman, Cpl MJ 423
Freiss, Gdsm 418
‘friendly fire’ 353–62, 380, 406–7, 408
Fryer, Pte Scotty C 148, 160, 179, 183, 419
FSGs see fire support groups Galliano, Pte MR 418
Gamadze, Pte AS 419
Gandamack, Battle of (1842) 410
Garcia, Pte RL 422
Gardner, Sgt Stuart 253–4, 268, 415, 422
Garner, LCpl DA 417
Garner, Pte Ed W 127, 299–300, 303, 419
Garrett, Pte Scott M 306, 310, 313–14, 318, 413, 420
Garvie, CSgt A 423
Gayler, Cpl Lee D 39, 279, 420
Geater, Pte Luke J 150, 151, 347–8, 356, 418
Gent, Dmr Dan T 363–4, 365, 367–8, 369, 370, 375, 420
George, Pte CJ 418
George, Cpl G 418
Gereshk, Helmand Province 45, 99, 131
Taliban attacks 42, 211, 277
described 42
and Deh Adan Khan 43, 67
fighters available to Taliban in Gereshk valley area 43
Operation Silicon 47, 48, 98
and patrol bases 94, 97, 213
bridge at 216
Lorimer’s objective 279
Ghazalli, Pte SJ 419
Gibbs, Pte Jordan 115, 414, 419
Gilchrist, Pte T 423
Giles, Pte CS 417
Gillasbey, Pte ALP 416
Gillmore, Pte Paul 138, 157, 158, 161, 167, 176, 178, 418
Glover, Pte Anthony R 18, 19, 259, 261, 262, 389, 390, 417
Glover, Capt DJ 421, 423
Goddard, Pte D 418
Goggin, Gdsm JD 421
Gomer, Cpl W 422
Goodchild, Cpl Simon 415, 422
Goodey, Lt Graham J 9, 20, 21, 414, 417, 430
and the wounded Fisher 31, 32
Operation Silicon 82
A Company air assault mission 255, 260, 263
Operation Palk Ghar 388
Goodman, Capt Will 177, 184, 430
Operation Silicon 54, 57, 68, 83
in Heyderabad 172, 173
efforts to extract Seal–Coon’s men 174–5
Goodship, LCpl Ian W 322, 325–6, 329, 421
Goodwin, Pte C 417
Gordon, Pte Craig R 116, 117, 119, 120, 122, 123, 124, 297, 412, 419
Goude, Maj Dave 407–8
Gough, Pte BAA 419
Gould, Pte WJ 421
Granfield, WO2 D 422
Grange Cook, LCpl D 421
Graves, Pte A 416, 423
Gray, Pte Chris 13–14, 398–9, 415, 417, 430
an outstanding soldier 13
a Minimi gunner 1
wounded 14–17, 22–5
friendship with Croft 15
friendship with Duffy 17, 22, 23
at Camp Bastion 33
death of 34–5, 38, 212
Gray, Helen 34
Gray, Katie 34
Gray, Liam 34
Gray, Nathan 34
Green, LCpl JM 421
Green, Pte JM 420
Green, LCpl PJ 417
Green, Pte Ross C 224, 243, 244, 418, 423, 430
Green Zone 136, 209, 285–6, 292, 295, 298, 398, 405, 406
described 40–41, 55, 76, 213, 280, 288–9, 297
complexity as an operating environment 41
Operation Silicon 42, 43, 45–8, 52–5, 58, 59, 60, 62, 64, 66, 79, 80, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 90, 94–7
first civilian encounter 77
6 Platoon without water in 77–8
Carver’s plan 211
Chinook shot down 213, 260
Operation Ghartse Ghar 215, 216, 217, 221–32, 233, 238, 277
observing a river crossing point 284
dash towards an explosion 287, 288–9, 290, 294
Hicks and 295, 296
C Company approaches Regay 306–7
Calder’s patrol 334
successful patrol from Inkerman 363
Operation Palk Ghar 375, 376, 381, 383, 384, 386
Greenfield, Pte WJ 420
Greenland, Pte DR 418
Grenadier Guards 63, 97, 121–2, 123, 124, 333
Grice, CSgt JA 420
Griffiths, Cpl J 422
Griffiths, Pte MS 421
Groves, Cpl LL 420
Gurung, Pte D 423
Gurung, Pte I 423
Guy, Cpl A 422
Habibollah Kalay, Afghanistan 45, 59, 60, 97
attack on 80–85, 86, 87, 406
assessed as a significant Taliban stronghold 80
clearance of the village completed 90
Haggar, Capt Dave J 332, 419
Haldenby, Pte J 223, 418
Haley, Cpl NP 422
Hall, Maj IL 421
Hall, Capt Pete 357, 358
Hammond, Pte MP 417
Hancock, Pte GM 420
Handley, Pte R 418
Hannam, Cpl TRD 416
Hardy, Sgt A 422
Hardy, Pte Scott H 394, 416
Hare, Pte Oliver H 224, 245, 418
Harman, Pte A 419
Harmer, Capt Charlie 8, 30, 394, 397–8, 430
Harper, Pte S 418
Harris, Pte Luke 337, 419
Harris, Pte SL 419
Harris Barnett, Pte WR 421
Harrison, Gdsm AEB 121–5, 297, 412, 420
Harrison, Pte CA 416
Harrison, Gdsm CA 417
Harrison, Pte RF 418
Hartland, Sgt C 417
Hassan, Sgt JR 419
Hassell, Pte Neil 18, 31
Hassell, Pte NF 417
Hastings, Gdsm L 417
Hastings, Pte RF 418
Hautfleisch, Pte GUR 420
Hawking, Professor Stephen 282
Hawkins, LCpl Alex (‘Stephen’) 282–3, 285, 286–7, 289–93, 296, 318, 319, 331, 365, 421, 430
> Hay, Sgt A 423
Hay, Capt 351
Hazell, Cpl CG 417
Head, Sgt ST 420
Heal, Cpl MJ 422
Healey, Cfn C 422
Heavens, Gdsm 418
Heirsher, Pte J 418
Helmand Province, Afghanistan 37, 38, 42, 99
a main centre of the Taliban insurgency 40
a symbol of resistance to the Kazai government 40
described 40–41
Lorimer’s first priority 211
Lorimer’s next focus 211
necessary to have dogged determination in 230
electric power supply 404
Helmand Reaction Force (HRF) 246, 360, 361
Helmand River 40, 42, 98, 101, 211, 212, 214, 216, 227, 247, 249, 288, 375, 376, 397, 403
Henning, Pte Patrick L 286, 290, 421
Henson, LCpl RJ 422
Henty, LCpl SR 420
Herrick 6 operation 40
Heyderabad, Afghanistan possibly a hotbed of Taliban 134–5
Aston, Seal–Coon and Howes get to know the area 136
civilians seen sitting outside the village 143
B Company in 143–78, 187, 208, 408
Hicks, Capt David C 414, 419, 430
military career 295
Mazdurak raid 111, 121, 125
explosion incident 286, 288, 290
in charge during Messenger’s R and R 294, 295–6
at Putay 297, 298, 300–303
at Regay 306, 309, 310, 311, 316, 317
writes a eulogy for Rawson 318, 332
Rules of Engagement 320
Taliban attack on Inkerman 322, 325
seriously wounded 326, 327–8, 329
death of 332, 338, 371
eulogies to 332
Hicks, Pte Sam D extraction of Holmes 25, 28, 381
friendship with Oliviero 381
Operation Palk Ghar 386–7, 388, 389, 393, 394, 397
Highton, LCpl KJ 420
Highway 611 280, 297, 334
Hill, Cpl Ashley R 415, 430
Operation Silicon 52, 53–4, 84
Hill, Pte CA 416
Hill, Pte DJ (Josh) 78–9, 418
Hill, Sgt Jamie J 420, 430
Operation Silicon 52, 64, 83
Hill, Pte JF 419
Hill, Pte JP 418
Hilton, Pte B 419
Himfen, Pte J 422
Hines, Pte DG 419
Hlubi, Pte Y 418
Hodgson, Sgt J 421
Hogg, Gdsm ST 346, 419
Hogston, Cpl DJ 423
Holdon, Pte L 416
Holland, Pte RJW 419
Holly, CSgt D 422
Holmes, Chloe 2
Holmes, Sgt Christopher J (‘Larry’) 6, 8–14, 381, 410, 415, 416, 430
pinned down by heavy fire 1–4, 21
hard, proactive and aggressive 5
friendship with Alexander 21
battle to extract him 23, 24, 25–9
respect for Biddick 29
and Daz’s antenna 30–31
and Hornigold 377–80, 384
Operation Palk Ghar 383, 396–7, 398
Holmes, Jordan 2
Holmes, Sally 2
Holt, Pte T 416
honours and awards 414–24
Hood, Pte M 422
Hopkin, CSgt C 420
Horn, Cpl SC 422
Hornigold, Pte Kane H 377–9, 384, 386, 397, 416