Ground Truth: 3 Para Return to Afghanistan. Patrick Bishop

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       GROUND TRUTH

       3 Para: Return to Afghanistan

       PATRICK BISHOP

       To Douglas and Richenda

       Contents

       List of Illustrations

       Maps

       Introduction: A Big Ask

       1 Going Back

       2 Through the Looking Glass

       3 KAF

       4 Hearts and Minds

5 Hunting the Hobbit

       6 Green Zone

       7 IED

       8 The Stadium

       9 Facing the Dragon

       10 Sangin Revisited

       11 The White Cliffs of Helmand

       12 Convoy

       13 The Enemy

       14 Close Quarters

       15 Fields of Fire

       16 ‘Something our Parents will Understand’

       17 Homecoming

       Abbreviations, Acronyms and Military Terms

       Acknowledgments

       By the Same Author

       Index

       Copyright

       About the Publisher

      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.

       List of Illustrations

      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