GROUND TRUTH
3 Para: Return to Afghanistan
PATRICK BISHOP
To Douglas and Richenda
Contents
11 The White Cliffs of Helmand
16 ‘Something our Parents will Understand’
Abbreviations, Acronyms and Military Terms
The following account is based on interviews with the soldiers of 16 Air Assault Brigade. The author has made his best endeavour to report events accurately and truthfully and any insult or injury to any of the parties described or quoted herein or to their families is unintentional. The publishers will be happy to correct any inaccuracies in later editions.
Some names have been changed or omitted to protect operational security.
Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith © Sergeant Anthony Boocock, 16 Air Assault Brigade photographer/Crown Copyright
Major Stuart McDonald © Tina Hager
Sangin schoolroom © Patrick Bishop
A Para leads women to safety © Jason P. Howe/ConflictPics
‘A’ Company patrols a poppy field © Captain Ian McLeish
Paras patrolling in Hutal © Tina Hager
Colour Sergeant Mark Kennedy with children in Qal-e-Gaz
© Captain Ian McLeish
‘A’ Company at a Maywand Base © Marco di Lauro/Getty Images
Paras navigating Maywand ditches © Jason P. Howe/ConflictPics
6 Platoon, ‘B’ Company patrol outside Hutal © Tina Hager
‘Gungy Third’ aboard a Chinook to Inkerman © Patrick Bishop
FOB Inkerman sangar sentry © Patrick Bishop
Privates Ben Biddulph and Andy Shawcross at Inkerman © Patrick Bishop
End of patrol at FOB Inkerman © Patrick Bishop
Sergeant Major Stu Bell © Patrick Bishop
Captain Ben Harrop © Patrick Bishop
Paras tabbing along a Mizan route © Christopher Pledger
Sergeant Chris Prosser at Inkerman © Patrick Bishop
Paras run to board a Chinook © Christopher Pledger
‘A’ Company prepare to assault © Captain Ian McLeish
Tabbing back to base in Zabul © Sergeant Ian Harding, 16 Air Assault Brigade Photographer/Crown Copyright
‘B’ Company patrol in Mizan © Christopher Pledger
Corporal Marc Stott © Patrick Bishop
Lieutenant Fraser Smith in Band-e-Timor © Patrick Bishop
Arrival at Kadahar Stadium © Marco di Lauro/Getty Images
Lance Corporal Andy Lanaghan with an ANA soldier
Paras patrol Kandahar City © Sergeant Craig Allen, Parachute Regiment Photographer/Crown Copyright
Bathing in the Sangin irrigation channel © Patrick Bishop
Sangin civilian © Patrick Bishop
Taking a breather in the Sangin Green Zone © Patrick Bishop
Corporal Mike French © Patrick Bishop
Corporal Bev Cornell © Corporal Bev Baljit Kaur Cornell
Corporal Marianne Hay with her dog Deanna © Patrick Bishop
HET tractor and trailer rig © Patrick Bishop
Satellite image of Kajaki dam by kind permission of Regional Command South
Major Stuart McDonald and Brigadier Huw Williams in Kajaki