the bear necessities newsletter

7/30/2019 The Bear Necessities Newsletter

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Inside this issue:

Welcome

Commanders

Commendations

2

2

7 Hq & Sp Sqn

OCs look back

Radio One

Bridge build

AGC (SPS)

REME

3

3

4

5

7

8

1st AES

Busy lines

Supporting ANSF

Op QALB 11

1st find

Bad weather

LCpl Cope

Spr Walters

9

9

9

10

12

13

13

14

4 AES

Newey Barrier

Field Troop

Transition

Bridging

CP Zarawar

15

15

16

16

17

17

73 AES

FOB Ouelette

Busy Christmas

Busy Ouelette

Festive Period

Christmas

JCCC

18

18

18

19

19

20

21

Final Points

Glossary

23

24

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Adjutants Foreword(Capt Ian Jones)

Since were now beginning to break the back of the tour, andwith most of the chuff charts starting to register 60% andabove, I thought it was about time I put pen to paper to say

hello and introduce this months Bear Necessities.

Well sitting in the Headquarters of Task Force Helmand it isbecoming more and more apparent that the Corps motto of

UBIQUE (Everywhere) is as valid as it has ever been. TheSappers of the Engineer Group have had another extremelybusy month completing tasks ranging from organising the

first ever Helmand 20/20 Cricket tournament to stripping out one of the largest coalitionforce bases in the province. Whether in support of closing something, clearing some-thing, building something or protecting something, you can guarantee that the guys willbe there living in austere conditions but getting the job done to the highest standard andthey have all achieved a huge amount to be proud of across the whole of Helmand and

beyond.

As the Adjutant, part of my remit is to ensure that all those who go above and beyondthat expected of them, particularly difficult within the Sappers, are acknowledged and

an operational deployment creates plenty of opportunities for Honours and Awards. Inthis months edition you will read about the exploits of SSgt Patterson, Cpl Field andSpr Hessell all of which are thoroughly deserving of their awards which they can showyou at the homecoming. Ill let you into a little secret - theres more to come; the detailsof which you will have to wait for until the next edition.

Whilst the efforts of those forward are being acknowledged it is also worth mentioningall those back on the Rear Operations Group who are working so hard to ensure thatour families are supported and the Regiment is in a good place for when we get back.Major Lenny Lennox and his merry band of welfare men have provided an absolute firstclass service ensuring that any casualties and all those with compassionate or welfareissues are looked after and the Regiment are kept informed of how theyre getting on.

No doubt you get to see those guys on a regular basis back in Ripon so back to the op-eration.

In this edition youll read about the visit of Radio 1 DJ Greg James who spent sometime with the Regiment over Christmas, the bridging operation which put the Afghansfront and centre, a busy Light Aid Detachment keeping our fleet on the road and theSquadron Second-in-Command who knows more about beauty products than most ofthe girls in Clinique Headquarters - surprising in more ways than one!

Anyway, its about time I let the guys who are actually delivering the effect tell you allabout it. All thats left for me to do is to wish you all the best for 2013; we look forward to

seeing you all soon!

THE BEAR NECESSITIESEDITION 3


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WelcomeWelcome to the third edition of the Bear Necessities, the monthly Newsletter from 21 Engineer Regiment and 42

Field Squadron (28 Engineer Regiment). While the Regiment is deployed the Newsletter will give you the news from

all over Helmand province to tell you what your husband, wife, brother, sister, son or daughter is up to. The Bear

Necessities will be published around the first of each

month. If its late, bear with us as IT out here is unreliable.

As ever, if there is anything in particular you think should

be included in the newsletter let the Welfare Office know

and we will see what we can do. If there are questions that

you have about the tour, pass them to the Welfare Office

and if we can answer them you will see the answers in the

next edition. Lastly, we hope you enjoyed your Christmas

and Happy New Year.

Make sure you like our Facebook

page.

www.facebook.com/21engineerregi

ment

FACEBOOK

Commanders Commendations

During the tour several soldiers have been awarded Commendations from Brigadier Bob Bruce, the Brigade Com-mander in the form of Commanders Coins for their hard work above and beyond what is expected of them. Therewere three commendations awarded to soldiers in our deployed element.

One to SSgt Patterson, from 1st AES who was responsible for managing the transfers and movements of a large

fleet of TALISMAN training vehicles over an extremely busy period. All of the moves were completed with absoluteefficiency and minimal fuss which in turn enabled maximum training time for the TALISMAN Squadron. No other unitcould have had to manage such a significant burden; the transfer of training vehicles within the UK alone is managed

by the Land Training Fleet in Warminster.

The second commendation went to Spr Hessell, from 42 Field Squadron who on deploying to Patrol Base (PB) Wa-hid, in Nad-e Ali identified that the austere conditions of the PB were being exacerbated by a lack of maintenance onthe showers and washing facilities. Although lacking in experience and spares to remedy the situation, Spr Hessellset about finding an intuitive solution to a problem that others had simply ignored. In a short period, he managed toget all the showers, water heaters, water pumps and washing machines in full working order delivering an immediateand tangible difference to the 230 soldiers serving at that location. Sadly, many of those who have benefitted directlyfrom his selfless work remain unaware of hisefforts as he took it upon himself to work

through the night to complete the necessaryrepairs in order to avoid disruption to theCompany.

Lastly, Cpl Field was also awarded a commen-dation for his hard work in the Engineer Re-sources. Cpl Field has done an outstandingjob in presenting cargo for backloading. Thecargo was been stowed immaculately and hepresented perfect documentation. He has notcomplained during the process, in which hehad to reconfigure several loads due to ISOserviceability. He has carried out these tasksin a timely manner and has been in full liaisonwith the surface JNCOs; if all units were asproactive and had his motivation then rede-ployment of kit and equipment to the UK wouldbe easy business.

Spr Hessell with Brigadier Bruce


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7HQ & SP SQNOCs look backMaj Stu McGhee

I write this as we fast approach the New Year and like most at this time of year, I look back and reflect on what has

been achieved, not just in the first three months of the tour but also the rest of the year.

12 months ago we were enjoying the Christmas holidays withour families knowing that in a years time it would all be very dif-ferent. We were well prepared for the training in January havingalready started the most basic aspects; physical training wasprogressing well and personnel had been placed on key courses

to ensure that the Squadron had the right qualifications for thetour. Not surprisingly the pace of work increased but at a pacethat was manageable ensuring that everyone, regardless of ex-perience, took something away from the training. The weeksquickly flew by as, one by one, the training serials were com-pleted.

Like all squadrons there is a great variety of experience within it;some soldiers have never deployed before and others will befast approaching their tenth deployment! For both the trainingwas equally demanding as everyone was put through their paces

and, without exception, everyone raised their game accordingly.

There were of course a number of key manning changes in the

Squadron, with the Squadron Second-in-Command, SquadronSergeant Major and Resources Troop Commander all being replaced with new personnel. These were not the onlynew arrivals in the Squadron but the challenge for them was to get to grips with their key responsibilities whilst alsoundergoing the training. Changes continued throughout the year with one of the last being the Escort Multiple com-mander, SSgt Sutton who only briefly saw his troop in the UK before deploying in September!

September soon arrived and all the training was completed. The Squadron had trained hard and I had been very

impressed with the state of the Squadron but the greatest and final challenge, the tour itself, was just starting.

The Squadron replaced 38 Headquarter and Support Squadron in early September. Immediately it was apparentthat whilst looking to support a number of current operations, we would also be looking to reduce the equipment we

hold in preparation for the end of combat operations at the end of 2014.

Since September the Squadron has performed well ensuring that the Regiment receives the level of support it de-

mands. The Construction Supervisory Cell has constantly churned out various technical designs, whilst Log Tphave continued to provide the engineer resources to theClose Support Squadrons to ensure they can deliver engi-neer support to the Transition Support Units. In additionto providing stores forward the Troop are conducting ro-bust housekeeping on their yard and back loading re-sources that are no longer required. Finally the EscortMultiple has continued rack up the miles as they ferrystores and personnel around the area of operations on aregular basis.

We are now just beyond the halfway point but I am confi-dent that the Squadron is well placed to continue to pro-vide support to the Regiment for the remainder of the tour.I continue to be impressed by the manner in which allSquadron personnel have conducted themselves duringthe tour. Everyone has something to offer, whether it israw enthusiasm for their first tour or the knowledge and

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Sgt Brown and Sgt Misters playing nails on

Christmas Day

The Escort Multiple hit the road again


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experience of having been on several tours before and for some this is their third tour of Afghanistan!

Looking forward, 2013 will see the closing of the Afghan chapter for the Regiment but Afghanistan will continue todevelop and looking to its future there is a sense of hope. The path ahead will not be easy but the performance ofthe Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) is reassuring having demonstrated that they are capable of conductingoperations on their own.

On behalf of all personnel within 7 Headquarters & Support Squadron, I wish you all a very Happy New Year and welook forward to our return in March.

Radio Ones Greg James Experience of Div-

ingSgt Ed Misters

On Wednesday 12th December just after lunch the dive

team was crashed out. It was my job, Sgt Ed Misters(Regimental Army Dive Supervisor), to quickly get theteam assembled with SSgt Belph Redpath, SSgt Ronnie

Parker andLCpl MarkBloomfieldansweringthe call.Could thisbe a task???? With the team ready the news arrived that Greg Jamesfrom Radio One was to try his hand at being an Army Diver. So with aquick setup of the dive site we were ready to receive this Radio OneCelebrity.

Greg arrived at the dive tank a bit worried but was soon put at ease bymyself as he now knew what was required from him. SSgt Redpathwas up first and effortlessly showed Greg how to use the Broco Ul-

trathermic Cutting tool (an underwater blow-torch), using just one Broco rod cut a section off a steel I-beam. Now it

was Gregs turn, he managed to well... Lets just say it was a good attempt!

With the cutting complete it was time to get Greg dressed into the MTP (Multi Terrain Pattern) diving suit. This wasto be a timed event as all divers know what is called an Awkward! at the Military Dive School. Greg had three min-utes to get changed into his diving suit with his hood and fins at theready! (You can see this video on his Radio One blog Greg James in

Afghanistan, it is hilarious).Quickly changed in time,Greg was ready for thelovely warm water of thedive tank, with a quickdance and a bit of panto-mime of whether he wasgoing to get in or not, Gregfinally jumped in. His suitquickly filled up like apuffer fish and he was in-stantly complaining about how cold it was, bless!

Under the water was SSgt Parker who was carrying out his task of recovering the steel I-beam (which Greg had low-ered in off the side of the tank before jumping in). Greg was now swimming on the surface with his underwater cam-era taking photos of this elite diver carrying out his task. With the task complete the I-beam was recovered and SSgt

Parker who arrived on the surface, only to discover he had a bit of a wet dive. We took a final few pictures of thediving team together and then it was time to say goodbye to our Radio One celebrity.

SSgt Parker comes to Greg James res-

cue as he resembles a puffer fish

Sgt Misters watches Greg cutting the I-

beam

SSgt Parker on discovering his dive-

suit had a leak

Sgt Misters with Greg James before the awkward

drill


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Greg James 5 Bridge BuildLCpl Chris Whiteside

With Greg James on route to the sunny sandy place, the mighty 7 HQ & Sp Sqn was tasked to supply a bridging

team to show the Radio One presenter how we roll in The Corps of Royal Engineers. Sgt Ed Misters was tasked to

get the team together. With the chosen few selected, he couldnt have picked a better team. Sgt Misters started

the rehearsals for the build two days before Greg was due to arrive, to ensure things went smoothly on the day.

Day 1 of rehearsals arrived, Sgt Misters dished out the jobs to the guys, left of bridge team consisted of, Lt Dettie

Brooks, Sgt John the dog slayer Churcher, LCpl Mikey Howard, Cpl Rob flapper Ramsey and SSgt Snowy

Snow. The right of bridge consisted of SSgt Gangnam Hill, LCpl Chris Whiteside, Spr Minty Murray, Spr Stu

Howie and last but not least Spr Jacko Jackson.

Considering that this was refresher training for the vast majority of us, things went reasonably well, the build took a

little longer in parts than expected, but we knew this would be the case. As the saying goes practice makes per-

fect.

Day 2 of the rehearsals went very well, we built the bridge in good time, so we decided to concentrate our focus on

our jacking skills, due to this taking the most time to get right on day one. Myself and Spr Jacko Jackson were

given the task of running over to the other side

of the bridge and jacking it up so we could get

the packing to go under. Once we managed

to jack the bridge high enough, we sprinted

back over the other side and endeavoured to

help the guys with the ramping and decking

phase. Once all the decking and ramping wascomplete all that was left to do now was to

take five and strip it out once more, this will

bring an end to yet another glorious day in the

Corps.

Day 3 and the big day had arrived where we

would be building the Medium Girder Bridge 5

Bay (medium sized bridge, capable of cover-

ing a twenty metre distance and supporting

heavy armoured vehicles). This time with the

help this time of Greg James, who would

be joining us straight from his little swim in

the dive tank with Sgt Misters. At 1400 hrs

and finally Greg James had arrived with his

camera man and all the others who had

decided to come and watch (shame they

never stayed long enough for the strip out).

As Greg and the rest of us got our safety

brief from Sgt Misters, Greg received his

tasks for the mission and it was finally time

for him to get a bit of hands on lift up. The

build started well with Greg being right ofbridge, as we lifted the first panel into

place, Greg got a bit of a shock when he

realised that the panel was heavier

Greg James, Spr Murray, Spr Howie and LCpl Whiteside

SSgt Hill & Greg James


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than expected. All was going well

and Greg looked to be having a

good time. With the bridge suc-

cessfully across the gap, all it

meant was that myself and

Jacko had to get across the

bridge and begin jacking. Upon

getting across the bridge, we

jacked the bridge up and slotted

the packing under. Now was the

time to really push Greg to his

limits and get him involved in theramping and decking phase, as

we finished putting the decking

on, it was time to put the final

pieces into place, the last ramp

got put into place and all that

was left now was the kerbs. The

last piece of kerbing got put on and all in all it was a good effort from everybody involved and Greg looked like he

had fun, although he said he was feeling physically sick, he put in a very good effort for a civilian novice to bridging.

With the bridge complete we decided to test our work and show Greg what bridging was all about so we

drove the husky over the bridge so all that was left now was for the lads to get a photo with Greg. With

the photos complete it was time for Greg to move on and celebrate with tea and medals and time for the

rest of us to start stripping out. Overall a good day had by all and Greg James lives to fight another day,

just about.

The bridging team

Greg James & Spr Jackson


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Attached ArmsAdjutant Generals CorpsStaff and Personnel Support Branch

The life of an SPS Soldier in Afghani-

stanSgt Tasha Robertson

Where to beginwell, I have now been in Camp Bastion,Afghanistan for over 3 months with 7 HQ & Sp Sqn. I have set-tled in great and dont seem to be missing home too much; I amsharing a tent pod with the Unit Press Officer Lt Rosie Brooks,we have turned our bland tent into a proper girlie room completewith TV thanks to the Regimental Quartermaster (Technical)

along with the Squadron Quartermaster, he has made life morecomfortable by providing blankets so between us we have a fewcoffees to buy.

A special mention should go to the Squadron Sergeant Major(SSM), who I might as well mention before I forget, he is knownin the Sqn as the Zero Morale Diet Person, a Boost bar has 330calories, random and useless information I know but Spr Bing-ham got 330 press ups just for eating one.I stay away if I can..the SSM calls it Physical Development Train-

ing.I call it nonsense, being a Jock it makes no sense at all!!

We have got into the fitness thing though, spinning on Monday and Fridays, Zumba Tuesdays and Thursdays; my-self, SSgt Believe Muks, Lt Rosie Brooks, SSgt Russ Hill and LCpl Mikey Howard gave the Americans a run for theirmoney. Ill tell you something, we can definitely shake a tail feather, of which I have video footage.

Chilling in the pod, scribbling down notes to write this article and the UnitPress Officer has just blown the lights..the expression on her face was

PRICELESS!!

I recently found out that Capt Niall McCracken, the Sqn Second-in-Command, is the man in the know when it comes to beauty products which is worrying as he knows a lot more than me - I also discoveredthat hes a massive fan of chick flicks!!! All in all hes having the lastlaugh at the minute when it comes to receiving mail from going to receiv-ing nothing to slowly receiving packages weekly. Wee LCpl SmudgeSmith whined for a whole week about not receiving mail, he was not ahappy chappy and in good old Scottish style he went absolutely nuts onFacebook only to receive parcels the following day. Cpl Rob clip mywings Ramsay who works in the Ops Room is a wee gem in his own

right but he tends to flap a little, hence the reason he was awarded a certificate for flapping from the OC, Maj StuMcGhee.

I also have the responsibility for 2 Interpreters who work for our Regiment, Im their MLM (Military Line Manager) anddeal with everything from pay, clothing, leave, training and ap-praisals. Overall, they are good lads but know how to push mybuttons they know who the boss is, though they can be de-manding just like my own ladsIm not long in putting themfirmly back in their boxes. Normal administration and monthlychecks are also helping the weeks fly by and the tour is goingquickly. Apart from the Sqn Photo taking place and Spr Clarkegetting 10 heaves for having his red dragon in the photo, I have

squeezed in a photo with Gethin Jones, things are not too badin Camp Bastion.

Page 7


Sgt Robertson, Sgt Mardling & Lt Brooks

meet Gethin Jones

Sgt Robertson, Lt Brooks & Sgt Mardling en-

joying non-alcoholic beer at the SPS Christ-

mas function

Sgt Robertson


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Attached ArmsRoyal Electrical and MechanicalEngineers

Another busy week for the LADLCpl Kennedy

Another busy week down in the Light Aid Detachment (LAD), though mainly for the right reasons.After a busy few days prior to Christmas preparing vehicles for a HQ Squadron Operation on Boxing

Day, the influx of work was steady for the week meaning we could celebrate the festive period in style.

For us junior ranks fortunate enough to be in Camp Bastion over this period a special treat awaited. Christmasmorning, 0630 hrs, woken with festive cheer in the form of a sausage sandwich and brew by the senior ranks, includ-ing Sgt Spencer Booth in a rather fetching pair of sparkly hot pants (that were clearly a size or two small) revealing a

little more than any of us would wish for.

Our next event was a round of sports including 5 a-side football, basketball and volleyball. After the slightly camp-looking wake up call, we opted for the football pitch to hammer home our masculinity as an LAD. Following a sur-prisingly good Christmas dinner we went to work for a FIFA 13 tournament competition arranged by Sgt Dave Fran-cis. It didnt take long to work out hed formulated a plan to rig the tournament in his favour by insisting we all repre-sented our local teams, giving himself and Sgt Spencer Booth the advantage as the only Premier League club sup-porters. The master-plan failed miserably, with Sgt Dave Francis finding himself a spectator for the final, and CplMuffin Diet Redmond the eventual victor.

On the 29 December, Muffin Diet and LCpl Glass Back Smith were selected to represent the LAD in a sit downmeeting with the visiting Brigade Commander, Brigadier Bruce. LCpl Smith was such a good suck up to senior per-sonnel that he was relieved of a 24 hr duty for the pleasure, with LCpl Kennedy the unfortunate person to pick up thisduty. This week also saw the return to Bastion of LCpl 20% Miller from HMS Price, instantly attempting to lower the

morale of the lads with his moaning about being stranded at the flight line for over an hour, as none of us had both-ered to pick him up.

New Years Eve was soon upon us and again there was no shortage of fun. It started out like any normal day atwork, but we soon worked out LCpl Smiths mind was elsewhere, failing to complete a single job given to himthroughout the day he made a resolution to pick things up in the New Year. We finished work a bit early to have afriendly kick about on the football pitch, only for Sgt Dave Francis to disgracefully try and claim a victory for the sen-iors, in the ongoing Juniors vs Seniors competition (his team still trail overall).

The highlight of the day came that evening when we were invited along to a BBQ and AGC Band performance. Inthe couple of hours spent enjoying the covers and delayed Christmas songs we realised where LCpl Smiths mindhad been, singing along awfully out of tune and forgetting he had a back injury to display some questionable Moveslike Jagger. We also had the pleasure of being enlightened to the hidden past of the OC, Capt Street Holdsworth,who revealed he had been a visitor to a rap battle with his slightly more Street brother in yesteryear. Not quite the

image any of us had for the boss.All in all, a morale filled week at work in the LAD, celebrating Christmas and seeing in the New Year in style and

feeling the countdown to returning home can really begin.

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1st Armoured Engineer SquadronBusy lines in changing timesWO2 (SSM) Aldridge

The 1st Armoured Engineer Squadron iscurrently deployed as the Task Force Hel-

mand Engineer

Group TALISMAN

Sqn. Now halfway

through this opera-

tional tour the Sqn

continues to deliver the route safety support in true

Dog Sqn style. Its been a busy three months that

has seen the Sqn providing support to the usual

Combat Logistic Patrols, ensuring that International

Security Assistance Force (ISAF) bases are regu-

larly resupplied without the delay caused by Impro-

vised Explosive Device (IED) strikes. Deliberate

operations supporting the Coalition Forces and

Transitional Support Units have also been a main

stay of our tasks. By far the more interesting and

chewier of missions, and the type Dog Sqn troops

enjoy the most, they are no less important in paving

the way for success in the campaign. More interest-

ingly the type of deliberate operations is steadily changing, the TALISMAN role remains unchanged however theoffensive element of most missions now tends to be delivered by both Afghan and ISAF security forces. ISAF in-

volvement is morphing steadily into a back seat role, being prepared to stand up only if required, being the support-

ing force as oppose to the supported. We now find ourselves in support of an Afghan security force with real punch.

But irrespective of this change the threat of IEDs still remains and as long as ISAF forces need freedom of move-

ment around the province, both offensively and during draw down, this TALISMAN Sqn will provide the mobility sup-

port required to enable transitional success.

With a little help from our friends supporting the ANSFSpr Arnall, 10 TALISMAN Tp

Recently the lads of 10 Troop went out on Operation (Op) QALB KHANJAR to provide route safety support to a joint

ISAF and Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) mission. Our orders placed heavy emphasis on the fact that we

were supporting the ANSF and not the other way around. These Afghan security forces are sorting their own back

yard out now. We left Camp Bastion and forward-based at

MOB Price (aka Camp Nice) for the evening, where in be-

tween orders and briefings on the upcoming Op, we con-

sumed plenty of coffee at the Danish Womens Royal Volun-

tary Service (WRVS) or Kuffenas the Danes call it. This

helped to keep us occupied for the evening. After waking up

early the next day we made last minute preparations such as

loading personal kit, equipment and sorting out our weapon

systems - we were ready to rock. Our destination was an

area of the province where the insurgents had freedom of

movement, they wouldnt have it for much longer as we wouldbe operating in there in support of the ANSF for the next 48

hours. After a minor delay (due to weather) we were soon on

the road.

10 Troop proving routes in the desert

Cpl Tyrie taking a break during a search


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Following a short move down Highway 1 with the

Royal Marines, safe in our footprints, we began mak-

ing our way up to the target area, an area of ground

which is known to be used by insurgents.

With our lead wagon selecting a route for us around

the compounds and farmers fields (to avoid annoying

the locals!) we made our way to our pre-determined

positions. These would be taken up by the Marines

and ourselves, whilst 500 Afghan National Army

(ANA) soldiers were conducting an operation. The

ANSF's intent was to give the insurgents a shock in

one of the biggest operations the ANSF has led todate. After we had dropped off the Marines, we found

a good position to spend the night. During the opera-

tion a partner ISAF vehicle suffered an IED strike to

their vehicle. Although there were no casualties the vehicle was immobile; a plan was hatched during the night to

use the Troops TALISMAN capability to help recover the vehicle the next day. 10 Troop moved off the following

morning, firstly clearing a safe route to the stricken vehicle, once this was complete from any further threat, we se-

cured the area to allow the recovery asset to collect the stranded vehicle. The whole recovery operation ran

smoothly and quickly.

On completion the Troop returned to support their original mission and then recovered back to Bastion. Another suc-

cessful operation and subsequent additional recovery support to a blast stricken vehicle proves what a utilitarian and

dynamic capability TALISMAN can be. Later that second day we were informed that the ANSF had achieved their

objective earlier than expected and we were to prepare for

the extraction of the soldiers that we had guided into posi-

tion the day before. We proved a safe route back onto

Highway 1, to make sure there were no nasty surprises for

us when it was time to extract. After a short wait for the

Marines to pack up their kit, we rolled out of the fields and

back onto Highway 1 without incident.

Another highly successful operation completed, we arrived

back in Camp Bastion knowing that we had played a vital

role in denying freedom of movement to the insurgents andsupported the ANSF in delivering stability Afghan style;

sounds like a big step towards transition to me.

Op QALB 11: the Christmas offensiveLt

Waite, 11 Troop

11 TALISMAN Tp has recently returned from Op QALB 11, the longest operation completed by the 1 st Armoured En-

gineer Squadron so far during Op HERRICK 17. During the operation we supported the Scots Guards as they

pushed deep into Taliban territory into an area outside of the control of the government and never before visited by

ISAF. The idea of the operation was to create maximum shock and surprise, by entering an area that the enemy

thought was so safe he could return there to get some rest and relaxation. We would use the overwhelming force ofthe armour and our ability to beat his IEDs to overmatch the insurgent so much he couldnt even comprehend trying

to fight us.

10 Troop soldiers conducting a search

10 Troop proving a route


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The operation started with a long distance move out into the desert,

this presented its own problems; namely navigation in the featureless

expanse that is the Afghan desert. Thankfully the map reading skills

of Sgt Dalby combined with the abilities of the drivers allowed us to

pick a route up through the hills and across the desert to the rear of

the insurgent. After travelling throughout the day we reached the lo-

cation of our leaguer where we would spend the night.

Just as the sun rose across the horizon the Troop followed by the ar-

mour began advancing towards the insurgent stronghold. The insur-

gent had two options; to stand and fight or to flee into the river to the

south. He chose the second and headed in disarray and en-mass to

the south. This had been accounted for and the ANA had movedto greet the fleeing Taliban fighters.

Once we were in position around the villages a section of Engi-

neers from 4 Sqn came up and built a non-equipment bridge (a

bridge made from natural materials) across the river. This allowed

the ANA to cross over and begin searching the compounds that

we were watching. Again the ANA soldiers came into contact with

the insurgents. We remained in position, providing protection, for

the following days whilst the bridge was being built.

Once the bridge was built we where able to pull back to the desert

and conduct a welcome re-supply. From here we again conducteda long distance move to a different part of the desert, just out of

sight of another insurgent held area. Again we conducted a night

leaguer and received our orders for the next day. As the orders were delivered I began to realise the gravity of the

situation. The plan was to attack straight into the insurgent heart-land.

Previous attacks on to this area had been met with heavy resistance and belts of protective IEDs had been discov-

ered protecting all entry points. These belts had proved to be an effective obstacle to friendly forces before, with the

last unit that tried to breach them taking a high amount of IEDs strikes; TALISMAN in the close support role, it does-

nt get any better than this.

Again the Troop led the way towards the insurgent. We picked our way carefully through to the compounds that we

needed to reach. The Armoured Infantry needed to get into the area quickly so it was essential that we found andavoided IEDs. Once there, the Scots Guards dismounted from their warriors and took control of the compounds.

It was now time for myself and Sgt Domolow to dismount and push

forward to conduct our reconnaissance of the two crossing sites.

As we moved forward toward the first river we noticed a local na-

tional footbridge that was in use by a group of children. We

crossed this bridge and began pushing towards the second gap.

Halfway across the ground to the second gap we heard barking

coming from our right, taking a better look we could see what ap-

peared to be two grizzly bears charging at us. We all took up posi-

tions to deal with the monsters that where coming towards us.Thankfully their bark was far worse than their bite and the dogs

sniffed at us and ran back to their compound.

Talisman Troops providing close support

Talisman vehicles in a leaguer in the de-

sert

Sgt Dalbys Mastiff


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After a swift change of underwear we moved on to the second

crossing. This was relatively straight forward and we quickly

identified an area to put the bridge in. With the recce complete

we moved back to the vehicles.

Thankfully the Op went to plan and the ANA cleared through the

insurgent area again, there were a number of further engage-

ments and a huge number of finds including drugs and weap-

onry, all of which were destroyed. The entire Op was a huge

success and the hard work carried out has ensured that the

ANSF now control the areas previously held by the insurgency

and with minimal support from ISAF they can deliver a real ef-

fect.

The 1st

get their 1st

findSpr Graham, 11 TALISMAN Tp

2 Troop were tasked to clear and prove a route between Check Point (CP) Barcha and CP Tegha located near FOB

Oullette. We were required to do this in order for our fellow Sappers in 73 AES to strip them out. This was to be the

Squadron`s first deliberate dismounted search since arriving in theatre and the blokes were chomping at the bit to

get amongst it.

We rocked up at the start line of the 2km route where the search team got out and proceeded to conduct a gold stan-

dard search around the vehicles. The search Team encountered many difficult obstacles on the search, but took

them all in their stride, however after 5 hours in the baking Afghan heat fatigue was beginning to set in. With one

more stretch to do the Team paused for a quick water stop and pep talk as this was deemed the most dangerousarea of the route.

Spr Connor fearlessly set off at the head of the Team in his role as Pathfinder, closely behind was LCpl Safety

Catch Dryden the team Second-in-Command. The man calling the shots was Cpl Tyrie and behind him were the

mules Sprs Drinkwater, Livingstone and Crazy Dave Henshall. Bringing up the rear, as always, was me Spr Gra-

ham, Team Photographer. We commenced to clear the last area safely and without incident we returned to the vehi-

cles, much to the pleasure of Sgt Bald Eagle Dalby. End of task or so we thought.

The next morning, the Troop were conducting vehicle checks in preparation for re-tasking when we heard a loud

bang in the vicinity of the area we searched a day previous. Our worst fears were confirmed, an IED had been laid

overnight and a vehicle had been hit, fortunately there were no casualties and we were tasked to go and re-search

the area. With the day drawing to a close and visibilitydiminishing we conducted our search and approached the

suspected insurgent firing point in a compound. The

team`s spider senses were kicking in, something was not

right.

FIND!, shouted LCpl Safety Catch Dryden his eagle

eyes had spotted a wire protruding from the ground in

front of him. The team flew into action, their intense pre-

deployment training meant the need to think was redun-

dant. Each man knew his role.

Spr Connor ensured the area was clear from any IEDsand then a safe route back to a holding area, in cover, for

his colleagues to provide protection while Safety Catch

and Cpl Tyrie prepared to neutralise the device.

The HMEE upgrading cross-country

routes

11 Troop proving a route through the desert

at night


13/24


Page 13

With the device neutralised the team was recalled back to

the vehicles to return to the FOB. Another mission suc-

cessfully carried out by the esteemed 11 Troop.

On the morning of the fourth day, we were greeted not by

the dawn chorus of birds, but by the dulcet tones of the

Troop Commander Section Commanders on me he bel-

lowed. After five or so minutes Cpl Tyrie and his counter-

part Cpl Stozza Storey, or team Styrie as they are com-

monly known in these parts, returned to brief us. We had

been tasked to assist the Scots Guards as they had lost

contact with some of their men on the ground. The Troop

sprung into life and within minutes were rolling out thegate wondering what would await them as they headed

north along the infamous Route 611.

As we sped along the road Sgt Phil Mitchell Dalby brought the convoy to a halt. Ahead of him he could see some

ground sign he did not like the look of. On closer inspection he was sure something was there.

At that moment an insurgent poked his head over a wall to our left, instantly Spr Rowe locked his weapon on to him

and began to watch. We could see an ANSF patrol coming down the road towards us and the suspected device.

Thankfully after much flashing of his lights Sgt Dalby

managed to halt their patrol before they got to the sus-

pected device. Luckily, Lt Waite had a close affinity with

the local security forces and was able to communicatewhat was occurring. This enabled them to enter the

compound of concern and question the locals. Conse-

quently they were able to arrest an IED laying team and

disable the device by the road all thanks to the extraordi-

nary leadership displayed by our illustrious despot Troop

Commander and the wondrous extra-sensory perception

of Sgt William Hague Dalby. 11 Troop are now back in

Camp Bastion awaiting their audience with Her Majesty

The Queen to receive their medals or more likely another

tasking!!!

Bad weather doesnt stop playLt Honey

12 TALISMAN Tp

Reaching half way through our operational tour of duty was a milestone marked by Christmas. A well earned day off

(not counting the enforced 6km fun run Christmas morning) was in order and it was a time to look back on the good

work done so far, and the progress and developments made by the Sqn. The first three months had been busy and

as such have gone quickly. Here, a MASTIFF driver, LCpl Cope, and a HMEE (armoured tractor) operator, Spr Wal-

ters, sum up a particularly busy week in the life of 12 Troop:

LCpl Cope

The mighty 12 Troop of 1

st

Armoured Engineer Squadron were given the luxury of completing a number of Ops infive days. The first Op was to Lashkar Gah Durai, however our lead vehicle was called out the night before to assist

the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF), who were struck by an IED on route to our location for the upcoming Op.

This caused a delay for TALISMAN to go out early morning due to drivers hours, however the OP went on at the

Cpl Storey keeping watch

Cpl Tyrie and his search team grand nationaling

compound walls


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Page 14

This caused a delay for TALISMAN to go out early morning,

however the Op went on at the scheduled time and TALIS-

MAN met up with the BRF once the drivers were rested. The

journey to meet up with the BRF went smoothly and only took

just over an hour to arrive at the point of interest. Four hours

later the BRF had finished and we set off back to Durai clear-

ing a safe route for their extraction.

Spr Walters

The next Op was conducted the next day. Our role was to

prove another route for BRF. The route we provided them

went well up until one point where part of the ground needed

upgrading for our vehicles to get through. The two HMEE

(armoured tractor) operators that were in our Troop did a good

job, however, not mentioning any names but Spr Walters ended up being the first HMEE operator Id ever seen to

get bogged in while trying to level a route.

It was a long drive that day especially when you can only go

so fast. When the Op was complete we found ourselves at

PB Attal where we could refuel and get ready for the next

Op, and rest of course.

On the final Op, we were to meet up with the BRF and to

provide a proven route back from their area of interest. So

far all week everything had gone well and all we had to do

was this last one... however, on route to the BRF it was go-

ing smoothly for about an hour or so, then in the space of 20

minutes, and with the help of some pretty shocking Afghan

winter weather, the deliberate Op turned into Op Recovery.

We got to part of the route where the ground conditions were

bad; our lead vehicle went over a culvert which decided to

collapse, causing one Mastiff to be stuck in a ditch.

We then allowed our recovery vehicle to assist them but also got bogged in (cant take REME anywhere!!!!). Just

when we thought things couldnt get any worse, we had our first encounter with an Rocket Propelled Grenade during

the recovery process. Luckily we had no casualties ex-cept one dead sheep and a smoldering hole in a com-

pound wall.

Eventually the recovery vehicle and bogged in vehicle

managed to get recovered by one of the BRF vehicles

which came to our aid. Finally, with all our vehicles back

in one piece we then escorted the BRF back to Durai,

but much later than we expected. The day wasnt over

though because we had to return back to Bastion, es-

corting the BRF on the way. It was a long day and al-

though everything didnt go according to plan the job wasdone and thats what counts. Roll on the summer!

The HMME in action

Providing route safety in the desert

Recovering the stricken vehicle


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Page 15

4 Armoured Engineer SquadronSSMs ForewordWO2 Tristan Barnett

Well its already over the half-way point of what will be almost a 7 month tour. The weeks are fly-ing by and my chuff chart is looking better every day. I see the troops coming through Camp Bas-tion for Rest & Recuperation on a regular basis, and when they come back it seems like only acouple of days since they left.

The guys out in the various PBs and FOBs are still working hard, however they do get some down time, irrespectiveif they tell you that they dont get enough sleep and are getting ragged 24/7. The support element, known as theBastion Rats, work tirelessly to ensure that the troops always get what they need. They do this whilst also prepping

for a whole raft of inspections that we complete in 6 months out here, but would normally fall over a 2 year period ifwe were in the UK.

Christmas Day was a very relaxed affair for all. Most of us got a lay in, and as the OC Maj Garreth Dent mentionedin the last edition about the mince pies and Santas visit to the desert, we had a few sweets, cakes and plenty ofother fattening stuff. We all received a Christmas box - well actu-ally it was a tin from the Forces 4 You charity - full of little bits likean alarm clock, headphones, torch, sewing kit and a Santa hat.Most importantly it came with a Starbucks coffee voucher and abeer tokenIll be looking forward to cashing those in soon. Ba-sically, we ate enough to put you into a sugar induced coma,watched some movies and chilled out. It was just enough to takeyou away from the fact that were spending the festive period in

the desert away from our loved ones.Finally a warning expect to see a lot of the Regt and Sqn returna slightly different shape to when they left, and I dont mean justthe usual Christmas bulge. Op MASSIVE has been in full swingfor a while and many of the guys have been working just as hard

in the gym as they have on their tasks. Adonis would be proud!!

See you all soon. . . . . .

Patrol Base Attal Newey Barrier buildSpr Cavill,

3 Section

On 20 December the build started off with myself and the rest of the section down at the stores collecting the toolsand materials we needed for the job.

Once on site we were split into two groups; a HESCO group and a concreting group. The HESCO group crackedstraight on with stripping out the entrance chicanes North wall which consisted of 14 large baskets of HESCO. Oncethey had removed this wall they went onto extend the entrance chicanes East wall, they then rebuilt the North wallby sixteen large baskets of HESCO. Sounds complicated, but its not.

The concreting group started to dig the hole for the form work for the concrete with the light wheeled tractor (LWT).Once it was dug to the correct size, Spr Henderson and I lowered the form work into place and levelled it off. Nowwe were ready to lower the barriers stanchion into place with the arm of the LWT. We levelled it then went on to

concreting the stanchion base. Once finished it was covered with a 9ft x 9ft tent to aid it drying correctly overnight.

On the second day 2, the HESCO group had only two large HESCO baskets left to put into place on the North wall.The concreting group uncovered the previous days concrete and started to measure out for the second stanchion.We repeated the same process for the concreting the second stanchion from that of the previous day. In front of theentrance chicane we added more HESCO baskets laid out so to clearly define the vehicle access lanes. SprMaguire had made some warning signs so to make everyone aware of the now in place Newey (not a spelling mis-take) Barrier.

SSM Barnett, SSgt Everett, Cpl Griffiths & Cpl

Major


16/24


Page 16

On the final day all the concreting had set and the barrier was ready to lift into place with the LWT. Once in place a

few of the section bolted weights onto the barrier so it would open and close freely.

While we were doing this the plant on site levelled the ground out and this signalled the completion of the task. Job

done!!!

Joining the Field Troop Spr Cole

When I was told I would be joining 4 Troop in PBNahidullah in the middle of October I didnt reallyknow what to expect. This is my first tour and beingpart of HQ Squadron, I spent the first three weeks ofOp HERRICK 17 in Camp Bastion, so I was quiteexcited to move forward.

Upon arrival to PB Nahidullah, I was given a warmwelcome by the Troop and was glad to see a friendlyface, fellow 7 Squadron member Sapper GavinClegg. I was surprised at how bare the camp was. Iknew we were closing it down but I thought therewould be more here than there was so it was a bit ofa reality check! I had gone from Camp Bastion withair conditioned tents to living in the pitch black atnight under a poncho in a day but it was quite goodfun. Living out of a bergan using minimal kit felt likebeing on exercise in basic training all over again!

My first few days I felt like a fish out of water, notknowing what to expect being in the Troop and not really knowing anyone. After a while and after spending a fair bit

of time in the gym and hanging round the Troop fire, you start to learn peoples names and what is going on for thenext few weeks and months, and what the Troops like as a whole. In my first couple of days of being there, Lt Bar-nes decided to get me out on the ground so briefed that I was going out on the road move to two other locations andthat I was one of the standby search team men. As it was my first move out on the ground I was a bit nervous be-cause of what I have heard from people who have been on previous tours but after talking to the fellow Sappers thatwere on the move I was convinced that there would be nothing to worry about, if I kept my skills and drills together.

A few weeks have passed now being with the Troop and I have settled in well. I've worked hard on tasks, been onnumerous other road moves and made a lot of new friends, especially the lads I share a tent with. I look forward towhat the future holds in 4 Troop and with the tasks that lay ahead.

Helping Transition5 Troop

As part of the ongoing effort to partner with and develop

the ANSF, 5 Troop constructed three practise search

lanes at the Afghan National Civil Order Police Bar-

racks in Lashkar Gah District Centre. What was previ-

ously a derelict waste land is now valuable training real

estate. Despite the difficulties involved it was a task

brilliantly executed by 3 Section under the command of

Cpl McKernan. Simple in concept the training lanes will

now allow valuable training of Afghan forces to take

place. The skills developed will be key in helping the

ANSF to combat one of the most effective and deadly

of the insurgents weaponry, the improvised explosive

device (IED). Once again the Royal Engineers havebeen at the forefront in transition of security from an

ISAF to an Afghan lead. Ubique!

Spr Chafer, Spr Firth and Spr Hicks

Lt Col Stott, Military Advisory Group, Col Sakhi, 5 th

Brigade Commander and Cpl McKernan pose for a pic-ture after the completion of the task


17/24

Page 17


Bridging for transitionSpr Hutson, 5 TroopUnder the umbrella of Op QALB 11 a bridging section from 5 Troop pushed North into territory which was only re-cently deemed an insurgent stronghold. The task was simple; construct a temporary bridge so to allow the ANA themeans in which to construct a bridge of their own and an extension to nearby CP Kohbahn. The end state would bea domination of a key route, which would deny an avenue of access for the insurgent thus bringing greater securityto the surrounding communities.

Flanked on all sides by ISAF and ANSF units 5 Troop were afforded remarkable security. This allowed them thefreedom of movement to strip out the previously IED damaged Medium Girder Bridge and construct a new one in itsplace. The whole task took less than 3 hours. It was classic close sup-port engineering and adds to the wide spectrum of combat engineeringtasks successfully completed by the troop.

Whilst 5 Troop conducted their bridge build, Operation Sahktar (Pashtu

for build or construct) was an Afghan led operation taking place concur-rently, to build a bridge across a canal helping to secure a key area ofEastern Helmand. This was completed by Afghan Army Engineers,mentored by their British Army Engineering counterparts.

The bridge allows the Afghan Security forces (ANSF) freedom of move-ment in the area as well as providing a short-cut for local nationals to

the main town of Gereshk.It is part of a bigger plan toconstruct a route extensionnext year. It also includedthe building of a check-point which will help aid the

security of the bridge itselfand of the area in future.

The bridge is a Non-Equipment Bridge (NEB) which means it is built andmaintained using simple techniques, local materials and local man-power. This means it can be repaired without support from ISAF forcesin the future.

The Closure of CP ZarawarCpl Sutton, 7 Troop

CP Zarawar was due to close in the New Year, however due to unfortunate weather the roof started to collapse. LtMike Thorne was tasked to make an assessment of the damage and report on capability of further use. The roof

was condemned and as such the closure brought forward immedi-

ately. 2 Section under myself, Cpl Sutty Sutton, were tasked withthe removal of all the ISAF Infrastructure.

Having been involved in previous closures the section were quick torise to the task. Unfortunately the dominating factor was to be abogged in tractor. With no route a recovery vehicle could fit down, thetractor which bogged in next to a whadi became a serious concern.Attempts by the sappers and the infantry on site made matters worseas can be seen A solution was eventually found and a second tractorwas brought in to pull the original one out. Following this, we got towork stripping out the sangars, helicopter landing site and razor wire.We also helped the infantry with remediating the site ready for hand-over back to the rightful landowner, making sure it was all in good or-

der.Even with the tractor stuck for 30hrs the task was still completed on

time and to an excellent standard.

5 Troop admire their hard work

Advising the ANA on the build

Getting bogged in


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Page 18

73 Armoured Engineer SquadronChristmas at FOB OueletteSapper Webster 9 Troop

On the first day of Christmas

my Troop Staffy said to me,

build one elevated sangar.

It was going up well with no problems until darkness

fell and the heavens opened. Of all days to have our

first spell of really bad weather, it was when we had

to build the sangar for the new resources park. With

most of us drenched through we carried on till the

early hours of the following day when we finally called

it a day after being cold and wet for hours. After a

good sleep and a 10 o'clock start the following day,

we cracked on with spirits lifted and finished the job.

I would just like to end this little message by sending

every one back home a Happy New Year message.

The busy build up to ChristmasSpr Matt Hancock, 9Tp

Over the last few days prior to Christmas in FOB Ouellette the work definitely did not slow down, the Troop havebeen busy with a numerous amount of tasks set within the FOB ready for the realignment in the New Year.

One of the two bigger tasks that went on recently, was the construction of the a new Wiston compound by Cpl

Whitehead-Juniors section. The task started off by marking out the perimeter of the compound and bouncing out

the HESCO and aligning them ready for the Medium Wheeled Tractor to move in and fill the walls. Once the com-

pound walls were erected we then placed in a gate and put a razor wire fence along the top of the walls to add secu-

rity to it.

While the Wiston compound was being constructed, Cpl Mckone's section were building three new ammo com-

pounds so the old ammo compound could be moved away from the resources yard prior to the realignment. The

section started off by constructing the three hardened

cover roofs. The HESCO was then bounced out into

place and filled. Spr Whyte then used his immense

SLDT (self loading dumper truck) crane skills to lift the

roofs onto the walls creating the compound which was

also finished off with a razor wire fence and a gate for

security.

Apart from the two big tasks there were some other

smaller tasks to keep everyone busy, such as building a

HESCO wall around another compound to act as a blast

wall for protection and a bit of winterization; this in-

volved spreading aggregate around the compound tostop the ground from becoming boggy and better living

conditions for the blokes there.

LCpl Smith

Cpl McKone with his section


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Page 19

Apart from the two big tasks there were some other smaller tasks to keep everyone busy, such as building a HESCO

wall around another compound to act as a blast wall for protection and a bit of winterization; this involved spreading

aggregate around the compound to stop the ground from becoming boggy and better living conditions for the blokes

there.

We have all worked hard over the last few days to ensure work is completed so we could get into the festive sprit

ready for that all important and long awaited downtime on Christmas day!

Another busy week in FOB OueletteSpr Brown 9 Troop

The week started as any other week, busy as usual in FOB Ouelette, the sweat was running off peoples face in thefreezing cold due to the hard graft that everyone put in.

One of the first tasks of the week consisted of con-structing a cooking shelter for the lads down at Ob-servation Post (OP) Dara with LCpl Smith, this wasan enjoyable task as I got to increase my skills atchippy work, the work was only half a day long. Theshelter was there to provide people from gettingdrenched whilst cooking their meals throughout theday.

The main task throughout the week was the decon-struction of the previous HESCO sangar in the newresources yard and the construction of the new EES(elevated expeditionary sangar). One section workedthroughout the night for the deconstruction stage

which was hard graft and took a fair amount of time.The next day the EES was constructed and took anequal amount of effort. Both days were fairly long thatcarried on throughout the night in cold and very rainyconditions. effort. Both days were fairly long and

which carried on throughout the night in cold and very rainy conditions.

Whilst both tasks were being constructed there was also the task of upgrading the route to OP Dara, which CplPetrie was in charge of. This task was mainly plant work, levelling ground with the help of a civilian contractor withhis roller. The improvement of the ground will help vehicles going down the route to drop supplies over the upcomingwinter months, the road upgrades also helped prevent IEDs getting dug into the dips in the ground.

Overall the week went by rapid due to the morale of everyone on the difficult tasks, no matter what the weather the

BANTER WAS STILL HIGH!!!!

The festive period - Spr Evans - 4 Troop , 73 AES.

After recently returning from R & R, Christmas was just around the corner, which gave me something to look forward

to. The week leading up to Christmas however was like any other in Afghanistan, a few Engineering jobs to be com-

pleted by half the troop and the other half closing two CPs in our Area of Operations. Three mortar pits was one of

the said tasks, headed up by LCpl Nicholls aka "Roy Cropper". Also on the list was the remaining winterisation we

had left to complete, this mainly consisted of pipe lagging.

The AGC band paid us a visit during the week too, giving us a great show, something different to the usual down-

time activities. After completing all of our tasks just in time for Christmas, it was time for the Gurkhas to repay our

favor of taking over their stags when they had Christmas the month before. Everyone was looking forward to a day

off to relax and get into the Christmas spirit. On Christmas Eve, PB2 was host to a PJ party and with a great turnoutfrom everyone, it was a night to remember.

Working on the EES


20/24


Then it was time for Christmas day, being woken up to SSgt Grahams face was

different to say the least. Once everyone had opened their Christmas presents,it was time for the best thing about this day, the food! The chefs put on a good

dinner for us, keeping us well fed as usual. Christmas night was a skit night

where it was chance to have a good laugh about the tour so far, at a few peoples

expense. The Engineers decided that all of the banter from our skit would be

directed to our Troop Commander.

Boxing day was next with the football coming, to my utter disbelief, the mighty

Aston Villa got thrashed 8-0, oh the joys of being a Villa fan! Boxing day was

also the start of work again, our week was to consist of Hesco and drainage. A

new wall was needed near the burns pit, which the plant operators completed.

The main task was to redo the drainage for our washing area, which was soddenthrough a poor existing drain.

The plant was

heavily in-

volved again, digging the drain and filling it with

aggregate. The temperature then started to drop

dramatically at night, meaning the pipes would

freeze overnight, so we had to combat this by

draining the whole water system every night.

New Years Eve then arrived and we celebrated the

night with a quiz and a disco. Another great turn-out from everyone, especially the Engineers!

Thanks to the Doctor for hosting the quiz and

Mandy for her organization of the whole night.

Overall my first festive period away has been a

different experience, one which I won't forget in a

hurry.

Christmas and Transition in PB24 TroopChristmas in PB2 was celebrated in true Army fashion with Lt Graham(dressed as Santa) handing out presents to the lads, and of course an inner

unit comedy show hosted by SSgt Graham (in a very sexy Mrs Santa outfit)and SSM Gadd.

From secret Santa letters stitching up other units in PB2 to several veryfunny skits the lads had a great time! Although slightly out of tune, the ladsof 4 Troop did me proud in the inner unit sing song easily beating the Royal

Dragoon Guards, Royal Gurkha Rifles and Search units!

The fancy dress dinner was awesome and all the food was served to themen by the officers, which was a nice touch. However, its not been all fes-tivities in PB2, with the lads bouncing around the area closing check pointsand handing the security of the area over to the Afghan Local Police. As thevisiting Brigadier Bob Bruce put it on his Christmas Address, Transition inthis area is clear as day and I feel Op HERRICK 17 is a turning point in the

HERRICK campaigns, a turning point the lads have been crucial to influ-ence.

Page 20

SSgt Grahamringleader of

the PJ party

A snapshot of the recent work we have been involved

with

Lt Graham


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Page 21

The importance of the Joint Casualty Compassionate Cell (JCCC) - LCpl Macgregor, 4Tp

A little over two months into the tour and I was in regular contact with home like most people deployed on HERRICK17; however, whilst I was deployed away from my usual base location I called home and spoke to my wife who toldme that shed recently seen a specialist and that the following week she would need to be admitted into hospital forsurgery.

My first response was to try to re-assure her that it would all be OK and that the Army would do their best to get mehome but as a matter of course I knew that I needed to speak to my Troop management as soon as I could; withoutswift action the major surgery my wife required would certainly mean that our children would have to be taken in tocare on a temporary basis as other family members were away in Australia.

Once told, the Troop management spoke to the Squadron and they in turn spoke to Regiment but right from the startI was told that they were very limited in what they could do and that the JCCC were the only people who could assistin the swift return to the UK. My wife had been in touch with the JCCC by phone using the number on the small

white credit card sized info card that was issued prior to deployment. She was initially told that they may not be ableto help as the operation was pre-planned and not a compassionate case as such. She had also spoken to the Wel-

fare Officers who needed to put a case file together for a decision to be made as to send me home or not.

This was duly done and in the interim my Troop had the logistical problem of getting me from the task site at PB 1back to PB 2 and then eventually back to Camp Bastion. This may not sound difficult to some but with very limitedmanoeuvre capability and the reluctance to free run because of the increased risk, I managed to get onto a plannedroad move and eventually got to PB 2 that same day. The following day I was on a helicopter back to Bastion andon arrival I was told to leave it a couple of days for the JCCC system to hopefully kick into place before the Com-manding Officer (CO) could make his decision to send me home if needed.

After another call home to comfort my wife that things were in motion I went to bed ready to see what the next daywould bring. Sleep was difficult that night as youd expect fearing the worst that I may not get back in time and mychildren would be taken into care. However, just as Id fallen asleep I was been woken and told that I needed to

report to the operations room. There I received the good news that I was to fly back to the UK and that my flightwas to leave in 1 hour! This gave me a 30 minute window to panic pack and then get to the plane.

The JCCC system had obviously kicked in to good effect and I was on my way home. I was amazed at how quicklyI was on my way home once the system kicked in. I am truly grateful to all involved from both 75 and 21 EngineerRegiments and the support we have received since then.

It is now just after Christmas, I am back in PB 2 with my troop waiting to carry on with the rest of my tour. Thankfullymy wife is recovering well and our children were fortunate enough that I was home so close to Christmas which we

celebrated whilst I was back.

Talking to locals outside the PBThe home of our Troop


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Page22

And Finally....

L-R: LCpl Hollings, LCpl Smith, Spr OConnor, SprCairns, Cpl Hencher, LCpl Bloomfield, Spr Rakabu, Spr

Huntley, Spr Clark, LCpl Meredith, Irwin

Capt McCracken goes crick-

eting

SSgt Parker goes for a Christmas

dive

Sgt Churcher, Sgt Mardling, SSgt Sutton, Sgt

Robertson, Sgt Gordon-Candy, SSgt Rai.

SSgt Mukungunugwa, SgtBrown, SSgt Gibson,

Cpl Ramsay, LCpl Smith & SSgt Hill go Gangnam Style

LCpl Blackburn and LCpl Tubuna

Santa visits Camp Bastion

Midnight Mass LCpl Lavin


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Page 23

GlossaryRanks

CfnCraftsman

Spr - Sapper

LCpl - Lance Corporal

Cpl - Corporal

Sgt - Sergeant

SSgt - Staff Sergeant

WO2 - Warrant Officer Second Class

WO1 - Warrant Officer First Class

Lt - Lieutenant

Capt - Captain

Maj - Major

Lt Col - Lieutenant Colonel

Formations

AES - Armoured Engineer Squadron

Fd Engr Sqn - Field Engineer Squadron

Hq & Sp Sqn - Headquarters and Support Squad-

ron

LADLight Aid Detachment

REMERoyal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers

Sect - Section

SqnSquadron

Tp - Troop

Afghanistan specific terms

ANA - Afghan National Army

ALP - Afghan Local Police

ANP - Afghan National Police

ANSF - Afghanistan National Security Force

AUP - Afghan Uniformed Police

CP - Check Point

FOB - Forward Operating Base

HESCO - Large flat packed containers made of thick strong wire containing a large sandbag. The sandbag is filled

with sand to produce a large protective brick. The individual HESCO blocks are then used like giant bricks to produce

a protective wall for our bases.

HLS - Helicopter Landing Site

IED - Improvised Explosive Device

ISAF - International Security Assistance Force

JOB - Joint Operating Base

Op - Operation, mission, task (not surgery)

NES (S) - Nahr-e Saraj South

NES (N) - Nahr-e Saraj North

Jobs

OCOfficer Commanding

SSMSquadron Sergeant Major


24/24


NDA - Nad-e Ali

PB - Patrol Base

SAF - Small Arms Fire

SANGAR - A watch tower which is manned 24 hours a day to provide protection to a base

SOP - Standard Operating procedure

Stag - standing in the sangar keeping watch and providing protection

TFH - Task Force Helmand

Equipment

Apache - Attack helicopter

Chinook - Troop carrying helicopter

HMEE An armoured tractor

HUSKY - Large armoured vehicle

LWTLight wheeled tractor

MASTIFF - Large armoured vehicle with a with a heavy machine gun for protection

Merlin - Medium Royal Air Force and Navy helicopter used to move Troops around from base to base

MWT - Medium wheeled tractor

SLDT(P) - Self Loading Dump Truck (Protected)

Sea King - Royal Navy helicopter used as search and rescue in the UK

TALISMAN - A series of vehicles used to clear a route of improvised explosive devices

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