My 2009-13 Service with the British Army
by Anthony C Heaford --- @mancunianquiet on twitter
Updated Sept 01, 2024
My 2009-to-2011 British army service was with 207 Field Hospital Reserves in Manchester. In 2012 I deployed to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 16 (April to September) with 4-Battalion REME. My main role was a vehicle mechanic in Camp Bastion's light vehicles workshop but I also did many airfield guard duties and five top-cover vehicle patrols. Details below and on my Afghan Reports page. Service Number 30088729.
January 27 2009: Attested into the British army at 207 Field Hospital HQ. Completed basic & trade training plus an additional duties contract.
Summer 2012 Afghanistan: Operation Herrick 16 with 4-Battalion REME in Camp Bastion. Airfield guard duties & top-cover patrols with the recovery mechanics.
July 6 2012: Me about to go out as top-cover with the recovery mechanics in 2012 Helmand. I was never in combat with the enemy (but we did just miss an IED).
1983-to-2012: My British army career, from schoolboy cadet to top-cover on five force protection patrols with the recovery mechanics in 2012 Helmand.
August 2010: Army assessment, by 207 Field Hospital in their Stretford headquarters, Manchester.
July 2012: Army periodic appraisal, by 4 Battalion REME in Camp Bastion, Helmand, Afghanistan.
Summer 2012: Selfies taken on my British army Helmand tour, starting April 2012 & ending September 7th & the last selfie taken outside guard tower 11, 7-days before the Taliban's airfield raid. I'd twice been refused permission to fire a flare & told 'not to worry so much' about our defences being probed. I was terrified, more scared of our command incompetence than I was of the Taliban's tenacity.
About 2016: My medals, melted in protest at my government's lies. Everything I saw on the news before going to Afghanistan was the opposite to what I saw first-hand in 2012 Helmand. Complicity in opium production, human shields, procurement corruption, abandoning our own soldiers, allies & civilians' lives to maintain the generals & politicians' lies.
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Link to my Afghan Reports page
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My five top-cover patrols with the Recovery Mechanics in 2012 Helmand
Operation Mubarez, June 21, 2012: 04:30hrs Depart Camp Bastion, return 18:00 via Forward Operating Base Shawqat in Nadi-Ali.
Operation Mubarez, July 6, 2012: 08:00hrs depart Camp Bastion, return 20:00 via Patrol Base Pimon in Nadi-Ali (IED damaged Mastiff vehicle lift at 1:04 in video, & civilian Human Shield at 5:05, placed there by the ANDSF to protect our passing convoy from a possible IED in the culvert).
Operation Mubarez, July 13, 2012: 05:00hrs depart Camp Bastion, 15:00 return via Forward Operating Base Oullette in the Upper Gereshk Valley.
Operation Mubarez, June 27/28, 2012: 23:30hrs depart Camp Bastion, return 08:00 via Patrol Base Attal near Lashka Gah.
Operation Mubarez, August 23/24, 2012: 21:00hrs depart Camp Bastion, return 03:00 via Patrol Base Hazrat near Gereshk.