40 CDO Sangin

Closing a Death Factory

The previous page was: "40 Cdo Dieppe"

With a Jackal perched on the top of a jebel as lookout and protection, the men of 40 Commando Royal Marines moved into an innocuous-looking compound near Sangin.

Inside the clay buildings the green berets discovered their biggest weapons factory todate on this tour of duty in Afghanistan. A pot-pourri of 40kg of homemade explosives, pressure plates and components for making bombs, plus rifles, rifle grenades and a myriad of other weapons and their ammunitions.

The remote bomb factory was found during a concerted effort to put an end to skirmishes with insurgents in the district. After a series of clashes between Allied troops and rebel militia on high ground east of two strongpoints. Forward Operating Base Nolay and Patrol Base Jamil, 40 Commando Battle Group resolved to eliminate the wellspring of the enemy opposition.

After a night-time insertion, the pincers of 40 Commando and Afghan troops closed in on the suspicious compound at first light.

From a distance, weapons could be seen through open archways. After isolating the stronghold and checking for improvised explosives devices, the Commandos moved in.

40 Cdo Dieppe

Improvised Explosives Devices

Once they found the explosives cache, the bomb disposal experts were called in to render everything safe. The explosives were promptly blown up, while the other devices were taken away for further examinatiom. The entire operation was completed without casualties or collateral damage.

"It was like finding a mini factory of improvised explosives devices," said Major Duncan Forbes, 40 Commando's operations officer. "All the components and materials required to construct bombs were stored inside the compound."

Once the area was secured and declared safe from booby-traps, the troops held numerous meetings with the local village leaders to tell them that the region was now safe.

"We've stopped the insugents from using these materials to make bombs. Which they use to maim and kill indiscriminately," said 40 Commando's Chief-of-Staff, Major Andy Walker. "Nobody wants them there. Too many people, inluding women and children are getting hurt."

The latest tour of duty by the Royal Marines Battle Group, has demanded sacrifices of the green berets-and, our other troops with them. The courage and bravery of Britain's Armed Forces represents all that is best of Great Britain.

Injured Marine leads rescue under fire in Sangin

A Royal Marine from 40 Commando has been praised by his Commanding Officer for personally overseeing the safe medical evacuation of his injured colleagues despite being hit three times himself.

Lieutenant Jack Anrude, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, was serving in Helmand province in Afghanistan. He was a Multiple Commander and had been living and working in the notorious Sangin district for the past three months, since his arrival there.

On Sunday 20 June 2010, his multiple was patrolling with the Afghan National Army in a village when a lone insurgent opened fire, injuring three members of the patrol, including Lt Anrude, who was shot in the arm, head and he took shrapnel wounds to his legs.

Lt Anrude said

"As we approached the local mosque in the village, the usual pattern of life was missing and there was already a sense that something suspicious was happening from within the compound walls."

"We were trying to speak to one of the village elders, and an insurgent suddenly appeared behind a gate and fired about 30 rounds at us with an AK47 automatic assault rifle."

"Five rounds hit the Afghan National Army soldier in the leg and one of my IED searchers was hit in the right ankle."

"I was shot in the right arm and received fragmentation injuries to my legs, as well as being hit in the head - thankfully my helmet saved me." Lieutenant Jack Anrude showed the helmet that saved his life

In over four-and-a-half hours in a very dangerous situation Lt Anrude successfully managed to extract his multiple patrol back to safety, personally treating and then evacuating his injured Afghan comrade to the helicopter landing site.

Lt Anrude continued

"Initially, when the adrenaline was pumping, it was quite exhilarating. It was only after I calmed down that my arm started hurting.

"I was too busy concentrating on the incident and getting my lads out alive to give my injuries much thought. It was only afterwards, on reflection, that I realised how dangerous the situation was and that I was actually quite scared."

"Without trying to sound too clichéd I didn't feel scared at the time, I didn't have time for that, as things were happening so quickly - the training just kicked in."

"I did realise the danger we were in and the need to get out of there and to get medical attention to the Afghan National Army soldier. It was with help from a fellow Royal Marine, Lieutenant O'Toole, that our extraction from the area went smoothly."

"Lieutenant O'Toole and his team provided fire support, covering our movement to safe ground. They also cleared a suitable helicopter landing area and made sure it was safe and secure."

"The speed that we were medically treated, from on ground and on the way to Camp Bastion, was second-to-none and I know for a fact that if I'd not been wearing my personal protective equipment I would certainly not be alive today."

Lieutenant Anrude's helmet damage

Praising the actions of Lt Anrude, Lieutenant Colonel Paul James, the Commanding Officer of 40 Commando, said: "Jack Anrude was hit in the arm, in the head and legs, yet he still carried on commanding his troops."

"He personally evacuated the Afghan soldier by carrying him up a hill. It was an extraordinary act of courage and he did all that while he was wounded."

"What the guys are going through here, it's quite humbling to see how the young lads are taking it on. It's very frustrating at times but the guys are excelling and it's testing their soldiering to the extreme."

Lt Anrude and his multiple have been working closely with the Afghan National Army, partnering them on patrols and interacting with the local population to bring security and development to the area.

Charmed life of a Poole Marine 'Ricochet'

By Stephen Bailey

A POOLE Royal Marine enjoyed an emotional homecoming parade - after being shot twice in the head and escaping with just a scratch.

Brett Ricketts was nicknamed "Ricochet" while serving with 40 Commando RM in the notorious Sangin district of Afghanistan.

The 21-year-old from Upton spoke after his unit paraded through pouring rain, in front of thousands of people in Taunton on November 17.

The first bullet grazed his ear almost at the start of his six-month tour when he was in a firefight in a Sangar - a fortified stone bunker.

"It clipped my ear while we were getting into contact with the enemy," said the 21-year-old. I was getting rounds down on the firing points. When I got a little stinging feeling; I could feel it trickling blood."

We think it was a sniper

And with a month and a half left to go a bullet went right through his helmet thanks to its high tech design. The round was diverted up and over his head and out again.

"Someone must have been looking after me," said Marine Ricketts, adding with a laugh: "I was called ricochet for a while afterwards."

His Bravo Company colleague Corporal Ben Magor from Hamworthy in Poole has completed his second deployment and said "Taliban snipers had this time 'learned how to shoot'."

The 670-strong unit suffered high losses of 14 men, four of them to small arms fire, including possible snipers.

Corporal Magor, 27, said of the deaths: "You talk about what happens amongst yourselves but you have to carry on with the job no matter what happens."

He said he was "heart broken" to have missed his daughter Brooke's first few months after deploying six days after her birth.

Both men were impressed with the size of a crowd estimated at 30,000 despite taking place on the day of the Cornwall floods. The Commando paraded in a mix of desert and dress uniforms and got a spontaneous three cheers during their inspection by defence minister Liam Fox.

The relatives in the crowd

Had endured a gruelling six months

The family of lance Corporal Mike Rowley had travelled from Bournemouth to see the 27-year-old take part - it was his third deployment.

Dad John, 59, from Talbot Village said: "He said it was probably the worst tour."

Girlfriend Debbie Benham, 29, from the town centre, said: "Every day is nerve wracking - every day you hope the phone won't ring."

Jane Colvin from Poole town centre was there to see stepson Marine Ben Colvin, a former Carter Community School pupil, and she said: "The past few months have been an emotional rollercoaster."

His sister Rosie 11, said: "I feel proud and happy today - and relieved."

Emma Taylor, 26, from Portland, was there to welcome home boyfriend Marine Andy McGarva, also 26 and from Portland, who was blown up by a child suicide bomber after only three weeks.

Modern-day Pages Fast Boats Pages Joe Wezley Pages

He'd suffered shrapnel wounds to his leg

And then he returned to front line duty

"I was distraught I could not be out there with him when it happened," she said. "He was super keen to go back with his unit."

Anne Apsey was there for her son Marine Matthew Stacey, 22, from Sherborne, and said the last few months had been "hell".

"You are on tenterhooks all the time," she said. "But we are very proud today."

40 Commando is based at Norton Fitzwarren in Somerset and it was the former unit of Ferndown's Lt John Thornton, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2008 aged 22.

The Roll of Honour left at the war memorial included the name of Seth Stephens.

He was killed in July and few details have been released, but he is believed to have been an SBS man based at Hamworthy in Poole.

His inclusion may show 40 Commando was his original unit, or that he was working with 40 Commando when he died.

There is a web site: www.mammamia.co.uk where relatives of Royal Marines serving in action can contact other people that are in, or have been in the same situation they are faced with. By contacting this website you could find valuable information that you won't find anywhere else.

The next Link below will be: "40 Commando Medical Centre"

www.mummamia.co.uk 40 Cdo Sangin 40 Commando Medical Centre

"Pirates Trilogy" $20