Post by: Dannyboy on January 19, 2007, 04:25:34 AM
Marines attempt daring Apache rescue during Afghanistan Operation [VIDEO]
17 Jan 07
Royal Marines carried out a dramatic rescue attempt of their comrade, Lance Corporal Mathew Ford, in Afghanistan on Monday 13 January 2007. It was with great sadness that they later discovered he had been killed in action.
Lance Corporal Ford, from 45 Commando Royal Marines, died when his UK Task Force attacked a major Taliban fort in southern Helmand Province.
The attack began at dawn on Monday 15 January 2007, on the Taliban base of Jugroom Fort, south of Garmsir. Z Company 45 Commando, mounted in Vikings and supported by C Squadron, Light Dragoons, crossed the Helmand river to the south west of the fort.
3 Commando Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF), had already secured the crossing point. The marines then dismounted to engage the Taliban with small arms fire.
The attack was supported by elements of 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, elements of 59 Independent Squadron Royal Engineers, elements of 32 Regiment Royal Artillery along with attack helicopters and aircraft. Earlier, I Company, alongside the Afghan National Police had conducted an attack further to the north of the fort.
The UKTF met ferocious Taliban fire from all sides. As planned, Z Company then withdrew back to the far side of the Helmand river having successfully completed their objective. The engagement lasted for approximately five hours.
It is believed a number of Taliban targets were killed but it is not possible to say how many.
Having fought for a period, the Marines regrouped. When they discovered Lance Corporal Ford was missing they flew back, strapped to Apaches, to find their fallen comrade in a unique rescue mission attempt.
An initial plan was hatched to use Viking vehicles but they eventually concluded that the Apache WAH-64 attack helicopters would provide a quicker and safer means to get him out and back to safety.
And so four troops were strapped to the small side 'wings' of two Apaches, two to each helicopter. A third Apache provided aerial cover, and further units laid down a mass of covering fire while the other two Apaches landed.
All four men got off, as well as some of the aircrew, to provide additional firepower and to assist with the recovery of Lance Corporal Ford.
UK Task Force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Rory Bruce, said:
"It was a leap into the unknown. This is believed to be the first time UK forces have ever tried this type of rescue mission.
"It was an extraordinary tale of heroism and bravery of our airmen, soldiers and marines who were all prepared to put themselves back into the line of fire to rescue a fallen comrade."
Explaining the rationale behind the initial attack on the fort, Lt Col Bruce added:
"Our intention was to show the insurgents that they are not safe anywhere, that we are able to reach out to them and attack whenever and wherever we choose, even where they think they are at their safest. To that end, the mission was a success and the insurgents now know we can and will strike at any time.
"By conducting operations on this basis we do not allow the Taliban to regroup and rearm during the winter period. The attack reflects UKTFs intent to restore confidence in the local population in the Garmsir area, to allow locals to improve their livelihoods without fear of persecution from Taliban.
"ISAF troops are keen to restore security around the deserted town of Garmsir so that the reconstruction effort can continue and Garmsir can once again thrive as the southern gateway to the Helmand development zone.
"Taliban forces have been present in the area for several months causing much of the local population to disperse. The operation sought to help provide a secure environment and reassure the population that they can begin to return to their homes. This will then allow ISAF to begin the process of reconstruction in the area."
Lieutenant Colonel Rob MaGowan, who commanded the operation, said:
"Tremendous bravery, professionalism and endurance was evident across the battlefield by all troops involved in the operation.
"This was a deliberate pre-planned operation to disrupt the insurgents freedom of movement in southern Helmand, a vital area for insurgents to equip and move fighters into the centre of the province."
During the battle, in addition to the fatality of Lance Corporal Ford, the UK Task Force sustained four casualties. All four casualties are in a stable condition.
Post by: cosine on January 19, 2007, 07:34:43 AM
Post by: Headless Thompson Gunner on January 19, 2007, 08:37:01 AM
Huh.
Post by: crt360 on January 19, 2007, 10:53:38 AM
And so four troops were strapped to the small side 'wings' of two Apaches, two to each helicopter.
What's that saying about a picture being worth a bunch of words?
I wonder if they screamed liked little kids on a roller coaster. That would be one hell of a ride.
Post by: spinr on January 19, 2007, 04:27:12 PM
Post by: wingnutx on January 19, 2007, 05:33:17 PM
Blackfive.net is worth reading every day.
Post by: Dannyboy on January 19, 2007, 05:38:18 PM
Blackfive.net is worth reading every day.
Yup. Especially for stuff like this. The "Someone you should know" segments are always good too.
Post by: Cromlech on January 20, 2007, 04:15:28 AM
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'
Post by: Cromlech on January 21, 2007, 03:00:23 AM
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=430251&in_page_id=1770
Quote
These are the astonishing images of the moment four heroic Royal Marines set off to rescue a fallen comrade - strapped to the wings of two Apache helicopters.
In pictures seen here for the first time, the brave volunteers are shown being briefed on last week's perilous mission before flying deep into enemy territory in Afghanistan's Helmand province. Dubbed 'Flight of the Phoenix', it was the first time such a risky operation had been conducted by British forces in the field of battle.
Despite coming under fire from heavily armed Taliban insurgents, the men were determined to risk their lives to recover their colleague Lance Corporal Mathew Ford, who had been shot as he led his troops in storming a heavily defended fort used as a Taliban headquarters.
Apaches cannot carry passengers, so the Marines strapped themselves to the outsides of the helicopters, buckling themselves to the handgrips the pilots use to climb into the cockpit.
They then flew back into the combat zone to swoop on the compound as two more Apaches hovered above, laying down fire to keep the Taliban at bay.
Tragically, Lance Corporal Ford, 30, of 45 Commando, was found dead - the 46th British serviceman to die in Afghanistan since 2001.
The four Marines jumped off their Apaches and retrieved his body before flying it back to the British military HQ at Camp Bastion.
In pictures seen here for the first time, the brave volunteers are shown being briefed on last week's perilous mission before flying deep into enemy territory in Afghanistan's Helmand province. Dubbed 'Flight of the Phoenix', it was the first time such a risky operation had been conducted by British forces in the field of battle.
Despite coming under fire from heavily armed Taliban insurgents, the men were determined to risk their lives to recover their colleague Lance Corporal Mathew Ford, who had been shot as he led his troops in storming a heavily defended fort used as a Taliban headquarters.
Apaches cannot carry passengers, so the Marines strapped themselves to the outsides of the helicopters, buckling themselves to the handgrips the pilots use to climb into the cockpit.
They then flew back into the combat zone to swoop on the compound as two more Apaches hovered above, laying down fire to keep the Taliban at bay.
Tragically, Lance Corporal Ford, 30, of 45 Commando, was found dead - the 46th British serviceman to die in Afghanistan since 2001.
The four Marines jumped off their Apaches and retrieved his body before flying it back to the British military HQ at Camp Bastion.
Post by: Dannyboy on January 21, 2007, 03:13:18 AM
Post by: Cromlech on January 21, 2007, 03:45:57 AM
Post by: roo_ster on January 21, 2007, 10:53:50 AM
Western civ once had a renaissance. Perhaps the UK and USA can, too.
Post by: cosine on January 21, 2007, 01:02:05 PM
Post by: Jamisjockey on January 21, 2007, 02:08:08 PM
Post by: Stand_watie on January 21, 2007, 09:09:38 PM
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more..
There are plenty of your countrymen (and mine) who'll gladly spit on your countryman's sacrifice, and the bravery of his brothers.
I'll join you in pissing in their eyes.
The poem you cite is an example of the thought process that made England a society that will go down in history with Babylonia, Greece, China, and Rome as exceptional civilizations.
Post by: Cromlech on January 22, 2007, 04:37:20 AM
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=3041173#post3041173
Video: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_6280000/newsid_6284400?redirect=6284429.stm&news=1&nbram=1&nbwm=1&bbram=1&bbwm=1