Holding the fort (From The Northern Echo)

Holding the fort

3:46pm Tuesday 21st July 2009 in

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16:15: Our Multiple are going off into the nearby hills on a foot patrol, today I am not joining them as I have been selected to work in the ops room as the signaller, making sure I keep communications with the patrol and plot their progress on the huge map that is on the wall.

This is so if they are attacked or get into any kind of trouble I will be able to inform the Quick Reaction Force, as to the position that they will need to get to.

19:00: After I hear the words ‘Back at your location’, I close the system down and make sure the map is clear of all signs of the patrol route. I return to the lads who are getting debriefed, they are completely shattered. I must admit I am quite relieved that I they all got back safe and that I wasn’t in the state that they were in.

21:45 the night has set in and we are heading out to patrol the green and blue area, these areas posses some of the busiest roads in our area of operations. Joining us is an American air force sergeant to gain some experience out on the streets of Kabul. Tonight we fix our night vision goggles to our helmets and set off down to the main roundabout beside all the embassies.

Whilst conducting the patrol we had a few incidents, the first being when we were approaching a roundabout a car swerved towards one of our Italian comrades only just missing him. I was at the rear of the patrol guarding our flank a good 150 metres away from the incident, but I could easily hear the Italian telling the driver what he thought of him. The second incident was soon to follow as my section was crossing the same roundabout; each soldier blocked the oncoming traffic to let the one behind him cross to that point and take over. As my colleague was blocking the road and I was about to cross a 4x4 came hurtling around the corner. My friend quickly raised his weapon and shone the torch into the cab of the vehicle, still it drew nearer so weapons got cocked and I raised mine pointing it in the direction of the vehicle, just as my colleague was about to take the shot the car screeched to a halt just inches short of hitting him. He was lucky as the speed the vehicle was doing, even if he had taken the shot he would have still been hit. There were a couple more vehicle incidents that evening but nothing we couldn’t handle. By the time we got back to base it was midnight and so we grabbed some sleep before having to be on duty at 06:30 the next morning.