A Letter from Afghanistan Afghanistan has been the home of the Rifles in 2009, with 1 Rifles starting the year here, followed by all of 2 Rifles and most of 4 with the end of the year seeing 3 Rifles and the remainder of 4 arrive. In addition a large number of Riflemen from 6 and 7 Rifles have also joined the regulars out here. 5 Rifles found themselves to be the last UK battalion in Iraq. Former Green Jackets are in all battalions with the majority of 2 and 4 full of those who joined as Green Jackets but we also have a large contingent of ex Green Jackets in private security here. Green Jackets are with the company that runs Camp Bastion; Major General Pringle even came out as a director of that firm. A number of ex Green Jackets with the boys from Hereford and even ex 1 RGJ Officer, now journalist, Ant Lloyd joining 2 Rifles on patrol. The fighting has been fierce, I first thought of it from my earlier military days as taking South Armagh and placing it in the jungle but CO 2 Rifles had a better description, it was a mix of the fiercest fighting from D Day combined with street fighting on the Ardoyne in the early 70’s. For 2 Rifles it has been a very hard tour with 22 deaths in the Battle Group and still just less
than 2 months to go, of those 22, 12 were Rifles cap badge. Those 12 included, Officers, SNCO’s, JNCO’s and Riflemen. Casualties have also been high and a number with single, double and even triple amputations. There has been criticism of the military hospitals closing but to be fair there is no place better in the world than Selly Oak for treating these traumatic injuries. We have given as good as we got, we have over 200 confirmed insurgents KIA, found over 200 IED’s, one Company found 32 in one day, and one Rifleman alone has found over 16. The Taliban learn fast, and are now afraid of taking us on in a fire fight, so for them their favoured weapon is the IED, bringing back more similarities to Northern Ireland. Election day has just finished, and the Taliban threw everything at us, over 22 Russian rockets aimed at us but we returned 7.62 and .50 cal by the thousand plus 9 javelin missiles, on top of that we had 105mm Artillery, Apache and AIO firing so for all the Taliban effort, some of the people of Sangin were still brave enough to vote. The Rfn would also like to
Newsletter Title thank all the support from
home, especially that from the RGJ Association, with their attendance at Wootton Bassett, and the funerals of the young Rfn. The funeral Of Rfn Sheldon in Mansfield saw him laid to rest near a Rfn who had been murdered by the IRA. Selly Oak has seen numerous visits from ex Rfn, and even Prince Charles visited plus the Page 3 girls but the best visit the Rfn appreciated was from Field Marshall Bramall, who spent ages talking to them. One of the young Officers who had lost a leg, told the Field Marshal that he hoped to soldier on, FM Bramall said he would not be the first officer to do so as th his first Adjutant in the 60 only had one arm, he also lost it in Asia but not to the Taliban – his was eaten by a Tiger!! Thank you for all your support and the welfare parcels, I am sure you will give 3 Rifles as much support as you have the men and women of 2 and 4 Rifles Battle Groups. These modern Riflemen are as ‘Swift and Bold’ as we or those before us ever were.
Rifles on patrol
“For 2 Rifles it has been a very hard tour with 22 deaths in the Battle Group and still just less than 2 months to go, of those 22, 12 were Rifles cap badge. Those 12 included, Officers, SNCO’s. JNCO’s and Rifleman.”
All photographs by Michael Yon 2009
News Flash John Helbert would like to thank all those who so generously sponsored him, John Asbury and Pete Manning to complete the 3 Peaks Challenge in the Brecon Beacons on 20th July. A total of £1615 was raised for the H4H Charity.
RGJRA Ezine Newsletter Contact the Editor TELEPHONE: 01296 711967 E-MAIL: ken.ambrose1@btinte rnet.com
Editors Notes
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The Old Team still Together Alasdair Ross, Graham Simpson and Leo Healey. All ex 3RGJ, met up in Sangin, Afghanistan. August 2009
