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Report from the frontline
Soldiers from The Black Watch launch an airborne assault
Ryan Sabey in Helmand
Fifteen soldiers have been killed in just ten days in wartorn Afghanistan. Ryan Sabey glimpsed the hell these brave troops face every day on Operation Panther's Claw.
"MOVE, move, move!" the soldier screamed, "We've got to get out of here!"
A deadly Taliban bomb had been discovered hidden in a car - and it was meant for US.
It was time to flee for our lives in the 47°C hell of Afghanistan where scores of British troops have died.
Pouring with sweat yet freezing cold with fear, I leaped into our vehicle and we screeched away from the scene of the deadly ambush.
This is life around Lashkar Gah in war-torn Helmand province, where peace turns to terror in an instant.
For photographer Luke Inman and I, it was only a hellish glimpse.
But for the 8,000 of Our Boys trying to restore freedom and stability in Afghanistan, it is the reality of every hour of every tour of duty.
Fifteen of our brave soldiers have been killed out here in just ten days to take the toll to 184. Eight died in one 24-hour period alone - the single bloodiest day on the front line for British combat forces since the Falklands in 1982.
Five of the eight who died on Thursday were killed when they were trapped in an ambush by a booby-trap bomb. The victims, from the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, died in two blasts near Musa Qualeh.
A further five soldiers were critically injured in the same incident.
Explaining the impact of such casualties Colonel Greville Bibby, Deputy Commander Task Force Helmand, told us: "When a soldier dies the whole military and civilian community in Lashkar Gah respects their passing by holding a vigil.
"At the end of the service Last Post is sounded - tragically we have heard this bugle call far too often."
Besides the military presence in Afghanistan the UK Government's Department for International Development, DFID, is toiling to rebuild infrastructure and restore security.
My own brush with near-death came as Luke and I joined soldiers on manoeuvres in Lashkar Gah, where three have died this month.
We climbed from our vehicle to be greeted by grinning Afghan children. I reached out to shake hands with one of them - then came the shout: "Move, move, move!"
Word had been received that a car rigged with a lethal IED - an improvised explosive device - was waiting to destroy us.
The calm shattered, and the smiles vanishing from the children's faces, I sprinted back to our vehicle.
In my frantic haste to don my helmet I smashed my head against the door and was utterly oblivious to what was happening as we sped off. Thankfully the battle-hardened soldiers around me were not.
Each time we navigated a corner I sighed with relief that it was not the site of another Taliban IED.
I looked at every car as a potential bomb and every person using a mobile phone as an enemy spotter calling in an attack. Finally we reached a safe house and I was ushered inside for a briefing.
My blood chilled as I was told there had been a "specific threat" against us and sat down to contemplate what might have happened.
In one corner was a TV. I glanced at the screen to see a helmeted head - and it took a surreal moment to realise that what was being broadcast wasn't Afghan TV but the Ashes from Cardiff.
Incongruously, still in my own helmet and body armour and with nerves shredded, I found myself staring at Freddie Flintoff calmly taking guard against an Aussie bowler.
Six tense hours elapsed before we finally got clearance to leave our bolthole and return to Lashkar Gah.
Yet only days later I was caught up in ANOTHER attack.
There was a thud which at first I thought was someone clumsily slamming a door. Then the alarm sounded followed by the barked order: "Get on the floor! Get flat!"
Face pressed to the cold tiled floor, a fellow Brit turned and said: "The last time this happened we were down here for two hours."
This time my helmet and body armour were several hundred yards away and there was no chance of getting to them.
For the next hour, I could only stay still and pray the Taliban rockets would not find their target. Mercifully, they did not.
The strain of operating and leading soldiers through such conditions day after day falls to men such as Major Alex Corbet Burcher of the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards.
His close friend Major Sean Birchall, commander of IX Company, was killed on June 19 and Alex was given his job. At the time the battalion's CO, Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, praised Major Birchall's outstanding qualities and leadership. Just two weeks later Lt Col Thorneloe himself was killed, the highest-ranking officer lost in action since Lt Col "H" Jones of the Parachute Regiment in the Falklands.
Alex told us: "If something happens you have to forget your problems, worry about the safety of your guys and continue with your job.
"The blokes will look to you and it offers reassurance. If they see you're carrying on regardless, they will.
"That's why I'm an officer, it's my job. That's why we get what the soldiers call 'pop star wages'."
He added: "Let's be honest, everyone has natural emotions and everyone gets scared. There's a level of anxiety but they just get on with it.
"For some it is effortless and for most it's instinctive, it just kicks in.
"There are examples of commanders being hit or killed and you get the lance corporal or the private taking over and saving the day."
Alex's friend Major Birchall died in a roadside explosion as part of Operation Zafar. He had cleared a village of insurgents and held a shura, or local meeting, which decided the school should be rebuilt.
Alex said: "Sean started that project and I will ensure the work continues. He did a lot of work to bring together IX Company and I've taken over a well-oiled machine.
"Sean was a compassionate guy, an excellent role model and shared all the hardships of his men."
Explaining the daily challenges faced by the Guards, Alex went on: "If you're going out on an early-morning patrol you will get up in the middle of the night.
"You can only do one patrol a day because of the heat. This week it has been 47°C and even in shorts and flip flops it's hard.
"So on the average day you may go on patrol for three hours but a larger patrol can last eight hours.
"If you get an IED you could be there all day and all night waiting for it to be cleared. If you come across insurgents you could be in contact for a day. You just have to cope with the heat, you have no choice."
Alex said that with Osprey body armour, weapons, extra ammo and other kit, each man would be carrying "at least 30kg", almost 70lb.
Now on his fourth tour including duty in Iraq and Bosnia, he said families at home worried about sons, brothers, husbands and boyfriends laying their lives on the line.
But he added: "Mine are proud of what I do and I'm proud of what everyone does here. It is an honourable thing to do."
The task Alex most dreads is having to write to the loved ones of any of his men killed in action.
He said: "It's never easy. The over-riding factor is a sense of guilt and that you knew this person in their final moments, which for most is reserved for family and friends.
"I've lost soldiers before so I will be able to write letters - but I hope I don't have to."
Q&A: Your questions answered by Gulf War II hero Col Tim Collins
Letters home: Moving messages from heroes who never returned
Map: Graphic explaining how troops are taking on the Taleban
Comment: Fraser Nelson says the war will be won or lost in Whitehall
The Fallen: Names of those who have given their lives
Eyewitness: Reporter Ryan Sabey reports from Helmand
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This article has 22 comments
I agree with julian on all points,give them the kit (equipment) what they need to get the job done and get them out fast.But before that happens i am afraid a lot more of our brave will lose their live's.Remember ADEN 64,we lost a lot of guys then, and pulled out in the end.MOD want to cut the awards our hero's get when injured,how disgusting can you get.Send the MOD ie the brigs and generals and our MP's to the front line and see how they like it.
geordie 2539 ex army 23 yrs
By Thomas Carr.. Posted July 26 2009 at 7:50 AM.
S old
O ut
L et
D own
I nadiquet
E quipment
R ealy
S tinks
By Keith Cox.. Posted July 16 2009 at 3:57 PM.
my son is a serving soldier R.A. im very proud of what he is doing along with every service man or woman, laying thier lives on the line, they are very brave facing up to the dangers tokeep us safe and make the world a better place to live good luck to one and all stay safe
By allan love.. Posted July 14 2009 at 8:34 AM.
Waste of youth, talent and resources. So many young soldiers are losing their lives for a ghost war. Ask the MOD why they have been REALLY sent to Afghanistan or Iraq - to save the BIGWIGS jobs!! Its about money, money and money with total disregard for human life, pain and suffering of both civilians/casualties of war and soldiers. Withdraw our troops, give them back their family and some chance of future instead of depravity, insanity and guaranteed painful death.
By Anon.. Posted July 13 2009 at 11:21 AM.
Great article Ryan, just be very careful out there and get home safe !
By Guy Handscombe.. Posted July 12 2009 at 11:43 PM.
Hey you guy's out there remember this we are with you, we are behind you every step of the way, we are so very dam proud of you all. Keep your chin up and finish the job. We look forward to welcoming every one of you home.
By Steve.. Posted July 12 2009 at 9:41 PM.
Ryan, good job. An experience like no other I am sure, humbling and terrifying hand in hand.
In response to Keith Piper (Plymouth):
I think anyone in this country would prefer for us not to be 'at war'. I agree that the decision is ultimately a political one - however I feel this statement discredits the vast amount of insight and intelligence provided by our Armed Forces, the MOD and MI6, whom I'm pretty sure have "formal training and experience in military strategy".
I am married to a serving officer in the RAF, and I am an NHS (sorry..."politically controlled NHS"), A&E Nurse. I believe I have quite an insight as to how famillies and deployed personel are treated, and like ANY job in this country, I believe the organisation is trying to make reforms for the benefit of it's employees...but for now we need to stay positive and support our armed forces personel.
As for the NHS role, we do the best we can, and despite budgetary contraints imposed by politicians we always prioritise care acording to need - that's why the NHS nationally is over budget...because on the ground we put patients first.
Change will come.
By Claire Osborne.. Posted July 12 2009 at 4:12 PM.
As an army wife I understand the anxious wait we have for our boys to call home the fear in our hearts each time its announced on the news another of our boys have been killed, My hisband is currently getting ready to head out to Afghan soon & we are all petrified as the problem seems to be getting worse not better. The government needs to take a good long hard look at the situation they are putting our boys in & need to realise they need to spend all the money they can on ensuring our boys have the best kit available to do their jobs. I know my husband will go out there & do the best job he can & we will be eternally proud of him I can only hope & pray he comes home safely especially for the sake of our children. I think we should send Mr Brown & the other politicians out on the front line, so they can feel the fear & Pain of losing colleagues & friends & let their families be scared & worried like the rest of us then maybe they will understand how we all feel & do whats right for our boys. RIP to all the soldiers killed in action.
By Diane.. Posted July 12 2009 at 2:54 PM.
RIP all who have died in this conflict.
My heart goes out to their familys.
I hope on the return of all serving soldiers they will be greeted with cheers not jeers and this goverment should make such nasty displays an offence. After all the goverment is sending our lads/Lasses to a foreign land the least they can do is give our troops a fitting homecoming..
By teresa.. Posted July 12 2009 at 1:38 PM.
you are the ones who make me proud to be british and you are all my heroes - never mind the celenrities and footballers - they mean nothing.
By shirley.. Posted July 12 2009 at 1:32 PM.
you are the ones who make me proud to be british and you are all my heroes - never mind the celenrities and footballers - they mean nothing.
By shirley.. Posted July 12 2009 at 1:32 PM.
For once on the Politics show I saw a Minister choke on the truth of a question; his answer, as one would expect, was that of denial of the truth.
With the technology that's available today, its mind boggling that our lads and lasses are sent out to do battle without the right amount and type of kit needed to let them do their job.
While decisions to delay the building of two carriers is costing millions, and the continued wish of this Government to be seen as a Nuclear power prevents the right support demanded by the military leadership being given to our troops, then the blood of our dead and injured will stain the hands & souls of our political leaders.
By Dave Preston.. Posted July 12 2009 at 12:55 PM.
as a mother, who,s son is on tour in afghanistan it is very hard to cope with, i barely go to sleep its on my mind 24 7.he,s an 19yrold. that should be out clubing with his mates. but as the careing person who would do any thing for any one ,and gv his last to any one .he put his name up to go fight for us.it is so good when your phone rings and its the voice you,v been longing to hear. good luck boys my heart and thoughts are with you allways.x
By tracy.. Posted July 12 2009 at 11:51 AM.
Our forces do need more support kit and helicopters wise. I know several people out there. Its appalling they had to buy some of their own kit. We only hear about the dead but many more have been serious injured loosing limbs why is this kept quiet.
Thoughts with those who have died. Our forces are the best but the need the equipment or yes more will die then need to.
By Corry.. Posted July 12 2009 at 12:00 PM.
i completely agree with you vessel, yesterdays paper carried a headline about that pair of pratts while those poor soldiers got a mention inside.
By keith piper plymouth.. Posted July 12 2009 at 11:30 AM.
The decision to go to war is a political one. Whether that was the right decision or the wrong one will be for the historians to debate in years to come. To win a war you require a a) clear objective, b) the right strategy and then c) sound tactical deployment of the strategy.
A) Unknown. There is no "vision of success". All that is spoken of is "exit strategy".
B) Unclear. NONE of our senior politicians have any formal training or experience in military strategy.
C) Appalling. We have the best professional fighting men in the world (by international agreement) but we do not equip them properly, we do not pay them enough (they should all be tax free when overseas), we do not care for their families, and when they are injured, they are at the mercy of the politically controlled health trusts of the NHS. The MOD civil servant mandarins have spent many hundreds of millions building/refitting themselves architect designed feng shui offices in London, whilst the front line troops of deprived of all that a modern army in the 21st century needs.
The labour/liberal/conservative political class do not care for the working class young men of this country. They use them for their own devices when it suits and then discard them when it does not.
I cannot begin to describe how sickened I am by the motives of our political elite.
By Andrew.. Posted July 12 2009 at 11:01 AM.
4 comments on this. 150 odd, mostly misspelt, on Jordan and Peter Andre. What a cesspit this country has become.
By Vessel.. Posted July 12 2009 at 10:12 AM.
Give them everything needed to complete their task then bring them home and look after them when they come home. Not much to ask the government.
By Bill.. Posted July 12 2009 at 10:09 AM.
Proud of you all out there,proud to be British.My sons just joined up.Lets rid the world of these scumbags.
By Mark.. Posted July 12 2009 at 9:19 AM.
The Defence Minister was on the radio earlier DENYING that Our Boys were desperately short of numbers.
This has come from those fighting in Afghanistan not sat in a cosy chair fiddling their expenses.
The strategy keeps changing out there, Taleban, Al-Qaeda, poppy fields etc etc.
Instead of wasting twenty BILLION on four nuclear submarines, flood Afghanistan with the money and resources needed, finish the job and get these heroes out of this hell-hole
By Julian.. Posted July 12 2009 at 9:10 AM.
RIP to all our lads who wont make it home. We are proud of everyone of you who are out there fighting this war, and hope that you can get your job done and come home soon. Good Luck Lads. We are with you
By Nick R.. Posted July 12 2009 at 8:52 AM.
Admiraton,respect and pride in what our troops are doing there, so i say to hell with Brown and our defence minister, give our troops the total freedom of clearing out this scum with what ever means is neccesary. That also means to hell with world political opinion. Lets finish the job quickly and bring our lads home.
By Peter.. Posted July 12 2009 at 7:35 AM.