British Heroes in Afghanistan

The Daily Telegraph (UK) ^ | 06/10/2007 | Thomas Harding

[uksupport1]

As bullets and rockets flew around him, L/Cpl Oliver "Teddy" Ruecker had to make a choice: to keep his head down or risk his life to save one of his comrades.

L/Cpl 'Teddy' Ruecker braved a barrage of bullets to save a comrade "I didn't really think at the time. I just did it," he said.

What 20-year-old L/Cpl Ruecker did could now lead to him receiving the military's highest decoration, the Victoria Cross.

His company commander described his actions as "outstanding heroism" but there was no indication of the drama to come when the unit left the British base in the town of Sangin in Afghanistan's Helmand province.

An intelligence briefing said there was very little threat of enemy attack but within two minutes the column of Viking armoured vehicles found itself under an intense barrage while trapped in a strip of land 30ft wide overlooked by high, thick-walled compounds.

From the parapets Taliban fighters bombarded the 100 men of B Company, the Royal Anglians with rocket-propelled grenades, AK47 gunfire and a well-positioned 12.7mm DshK heavy machinegun. In the crosshairs of this maelstrom was the Viking of L/Cpl Ruecker....

A SECOND ARTICLE: Taliban forced back as UK troops build bridges in Helmand (VIDEO) See:http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/TalibanForcedBackAsUkTroopsBuildBridgesInHelmandvideo.htm

-Has some excellent pictures.

A THIRD ARTICLE:Britain's teenage troops feel the heat of battle See:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/06/wafg106.xml (again from the Daily Telegraph)

AND FINALLY: Our Forgotten War (Daily Telegraph) See:

And FINALLY: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/02/wafg02.xml

[uksupport1]

I thought I'd start a thread to highlight the great work being done by all Coalition troops in Afghanistan. British troops in Helmand Province have been in the thick of it. I'd recommend viewing all articles in full, they includes pictures.

[pissant]

Yes they have. And doing a fine job, at that.

[ThreePuttinDude]

United States
Great Britain
Australia

Three Peas, same Pod

[SandRat]

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/

http://www.defence.gov.au/index.htm

Two sites to help you along.

[Rikstir]

great articles, gives a good feel for how the operation is going, and the condition that our troops are working under.

[uksupport1]

Cheers

[SandRat]