Posted on 08/06/2016 2:59:12 PM PDT by GilGil
Outgunned, outmanoeuvred, hopelessly outnumbered and besieged in the Afghan desert, a small band of British soldiers chose to save a final bullet for themselves rather than fall into Taliban hands.
For nearly two months, the 88 men of Easy Company – a mix of Paratroopers and the Royal Irish – had faced the overwhelming force and firepower of up to 500 Taliban determined to over-run the remote Helmand outpost of Musa Qala.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Bump!
I agree.
Remember this? And then never forget. : )
Has Zulu been on air recently? It’s probably “racist” now. Damn good movie though.
My first boss I had was a veteran of Vietnam. He did 3 tours and joined when he was 17.
He told me only one story about his experiences where they were dropped on this hill they were supposed to defend. He said it lasted 2 weeks and when they were finally relieved there were 5 survivors of 60 men. Screw ups do happen.
He had these piercing blue eyes that always gave me the creeps.
Kipling?
Were the Coms down? It is my understanding that the US does back up in situations like this? What gives?
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It would indeed be nice to see what exactly happened.
The Taliban watched in satisfaction as the Danes took with them more than 40 armoured vehicles, eight heavy machine guns and a 12-strong medical team with armoured ambulances.
Their British replacements had just two heavy machine guns, one doctor, two medics and a quad bike.
I guess this was a British FOB was expected to do what needed to be done. The Brits did a damn good job. Well done.
Yes, Kipling.
UGH. That's so passe. /s
Wow!
I can see that happening during WWII but with the technology of today, find it surprising that these soldiers would have been “left” to their own survival.
Come on. The possibility of a civilian getting hurt meant no help was going to be sent. Everyone knows that.
The terrorists want to take this kind of war to us in the 50 sates!
Ah, good ol’ Rudyard.
I think I know this story. As I recall, the opposition Taliban ramped up their attacks gradually against the Brits who were eventually relieved by a full strength U.S. Marines battalion taking over the responsibilities in Helmand Province. It’s the Daily Mail being overly dramatic.
Royal Irish Regiment
http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/regiments/24000.aspx
I was in Afghanistan a few months after this. Unless it was just a monumental screw-up by the British...the US had the air support and would have given it.
“What’s the Royal Irish?”
All Irish are royal.
About 6 months after this, I was attached to a brigade staff that moved heaven and hell to rescue 6 members of a special ops team that got in trouble. Different province, but I think you are right: “It’s the Daily Mail being overly dramatic.”
The article says "They used up a quarter of all the British Army’s Afghan ammunition for that entire year."
Somebody must have been supplying them.
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