I was a 28 year old guy loving life and everything else and I was in the Special
everything else and I was in the Special
everything else and I was in the Special Air Service I remember flying in first
Air Service I remember flying in first
Air Service I remember flying in first thing that came over here the headset
thing that came over here the headset
thing that came over here the headset was the pilot saying welcome to Iraq
was the pilot saying welcome to Iraq
was the pilot saying welcome to Iraq from that point on you game was on the
from that point on you game was on the
from that point on you game was on the eight-man Patrol was tasked to observe
eight-man Patrol was tasked to observe
eight-man Patrol was tasked to observe 140 miles into Iraq to locate mobile
140 miles into Iraq to locate mobile
140 miles into Iraq to locate mobile Scud launchers when the call the SES and
Scud launchers when the call the SES and
Scud launchers when the call the SES and it’s not to do negotiations it’s to
it’s not to do negotiations it’s to
it’s not to do negotiations it’s to resolve a situation of violence Saddam
resolve a situation of violence Saddam
resolve a situation of violence Saddam Hussein had sent messages out that if
Hussein had sent messages out that if
Hussein had sent messages out that if any local found a coalition soldier will
any local found a coalition soldier will
any local found a coalition soldier will be rewarded in some way if they capture
be rewarded in some way if they capture
be rewarded in some way if they capture us then you’re going to be subject to
us then you’re going to be subject to
us then you’re going to be subject to interrogations the chance of being
interrogations the chance of being
interrogations the chance of being compromised was going to be really
compromised was going to be really
compromised was going to be really really high fear it’s a good emotion to
really high fear it’s a good emotion to
really high fear it’s a good emotion to feel it keeps you alive we’re sitting in
feel it keeps you alive we’re sitting in
feel it keeps you alive we’re sitting in the wadi this kid came right on top of
the wadi this kid came right on top of
the wadi this kid came right on top of the overhang his reaction was immediate
the overhang his reaction was immediate
the overhang his reaction was immediate we’d actually been badly compromised and
we’d actually been badly compromised and
we’d actually been badly compromised and we’ve got to get going now we’ve got to
we’ve got to get going now we’ve got to
we’ve got to get going now we’ve got to move
move
move more or less the same time two vehicles
more or less the same time two vehicles
more or less the same time two vehicles turned up and straightaway the firefight
turned up and straightaway the firefight
turned up and straightaway the firefight happened it’s fun or easy everybody was
happened it’s fun or easy everybody was
happened it’s fun or easy everybody was opening two rounds were going back and
opening two rounds were going back and
opening two rounds were going back and forth
forth
forth we started getting rid of all our
we started getting rid of all our
we started getting rid of all our equipment but necessary equipment in our
equipment but necessary equipment in our
equipment but necessary equipment in our rucksacks just ditching anything that we
rucksacks just ditching anything that we
rucksacks just ditching anything that we didn’t need to lighten alone any other
didn’t need to lighten alone any other
didn’t need to lighten alone any other day we could have had all eight of us I
day we could have had all eight of us I
day we could have had all eight of us I mean it was a shooting gallery so we
mean it was a shooting gallery so we
mean it was a shooting gallery so we were very lucky to get out of it at that
were very lucky to get out of it at that
were very lucky to get out of it at that point we cross the series of trucks and
point we cross the series of trucks and
point we cross the series of trucks and got to the foot of the ridge line I
got to the foot of the ridge line I
got to the foot of the ridge line I turned around expecting to see the whole
turned around expecting to see the whole
turned around expecting to see the whole of the patrol into my shock those two
of the patrol into my shock those two
of the patrol into my shock those two men standing that nobody else how we
men standing that nobody else how we
men standing that nobody else how we came separated I have no idea but the
came separated I have no idea but the
came separated I have no idea but the bottom line is during you know a night
bottom line is during you know a night
bottom line is during you know a night we ended up by ourselves it’s such a
we ended up by ourselves it’s such a
we ended up by ourselves it’s such a fright because he diluted this patrol
fright because he diluted this patrol
fright because he diluted this patrol now into you know three men with with
now into you know three men with with
now into you know three men with with two weapons I was thinking it can’t get
two weapons I was thinking it can’t get
two weapons I was thinking it can’t get any worse it just can’t get worse but it
any worse it just can’t get worse but it
any worse it just can’t get worse but it was going to get a lot worse at the
was going to get a lot worse at the
was going to get a lot worse at the beginning of this operation if I being
beginning of this operation if I being
beginning of this operation if I being told this is what’s going to happen to
told this is what’s going to happen to
told this is what’s going to happen to you I’m not sure if I could have carried
you I’m not sure if I could have carried
you I’m not sure if I could have carried it out I reached that point where I
it out I reached that point where I
it out I reached that point where I thought you know two days maybe three
thought you know two days maybe three
thought you know two days maybe three and you’re going to be lucky if you get
and you’re going to be lucky if you get
and you’re going to be lucky if you get a third day now every time you get
a third day now every time you get
a third day now every time you get knocked down you get back up and then
knocked down you get back up and then
knocked down you get back up and then you start looking at things positively
you start looking at things positively
you start looking at things positively you can see your way out
I think I’ve got a technique in terms of
I think I’ve got a technique in terms of blocking things out of my mind when I’ve
blocking things out of my mind when I’ve
blocking things out of my mind when I’ve been hurt and then moving on if you
been hurt and then moving on if you
been hurt and then moving on if you don’t do anything you’re going to die
don’t do anything you’re going to die
don’t do anything you’re going to die it’s just you or death and all you’re
it’s just you or death and all you’re
it’s just you or death and all you’re willing to accept it when you read about
willing to accept it when you read about
willing to accept it when you read about stories of men on the battlefield dying
stories of men on the battlefield dying
stories of men on the battlefield dying they’ll either call for God or they’ll
they’ll either call for God or they’ll
they’ll either call for God or they’ll call for the mother or call for the wife
call for the mother or call for the wife
call for the mother or call for the wife for me it was my daughter and I suppose
for me it was my daughter and I suppose
for me it was my daughter and I suppose that’s what pushed me on and right up
that’s what pushed me on and right up
that’s what pushed me on and right up until the end
”
Be First to Comment