The Army's most decorated serving war hero has claimed the Government is failing to care for soldiers with mental trauma caused by combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Support our Soldiers
28 Feb 2009
Dead troops an 'inspiration' families
The families of servicemen killed in Afghanistan in one of the bloodiest days of the campaign have made moving tributes to their loved ones describing their "inspiration" to others.
Four dead servicemen named
Four servicemen who died yesterday following combat in Helmand province Afghanistan have been named by the Ministry of Defence.
25 Feb 2009
Four soldiers die in Afghanistan
Three British soldiers have been killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan while a fourth died in hospital two days after being injured by enemy fire in a separate attack.
23 Feb 2009
David Miliband's mission to Afghanistan
Joining Foreign Secretary David Miliband on a tour of Afghanistan the extent of Britain's task becomes clear.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Defence Secretary John Hutton: Britain could send more troops to Afghanistan
John Hutton the Defence Secretary has said Britain is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan even though the UK is "playing above our weight" in the country.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Ministry of Defence accused of masking battlefield casualty figures
The Ministry of Defence has been accused of trying to mask the true number of servicemen and women returning from the front line with critical injuries.
Army faces recession recruiting surge
Army chiefs have drawn up emergency plans to cope with an unprecedented recruitment surge following the collapse of Britain's jobs market.
10000 British troops to be fighting Taliban in Afghanistan within 12 months
More than 10000 British troops will be fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan within 12 months.
Army dog handlers get ready for Helmand
Elements of 101 Military Working Dog Support Unit will be deploying to Afghanistan in April this year as part of 19 Light Brigade. The unit recently showed off their dogs on a snowy Salisbury Plain.
Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott killed in Afghanistan
A Military Operations news article
17 Feb 09
It is with deep regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott of 1st Battalion The Rifles in Afghanistan on 16 February 2009.
Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott of 1st Battalion The Rifles
[Picture: via MOD]
Lance Corporal Kingscott died during the assault of an enemy position during a deliberate operation against insurgents in the Nawa district of Helmand province.
Lance Corporal Stephen 'Schnoz' Kingscott of 1st Battalion The Rifles
Stephen Michael Kingscott was born on 10 July 1986 at the Freedom Fields Hospital in his hometown of Plymouth.
Stephen joined the British Army after gaining seven GCSEs from the John Kitto Community College; he trained at the Army Foundation College, Harrogate, and the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, before he joined his regiment, 1st Battalion The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, in Ballykinler, Northern Ireland.
In summer 2006 Lance Corporal Kingscott served in Iraq with 1st Battalion The Devon and Dorset Light Infantry before they were amalgamated into 1st Battalion The Rifles, in which he served in Belize, the Falkland Islands and Afghanistan.
During pre-deployment training for Operation Herrick 9, he was selected for special language training, passing an intensive ten-week Dari course.
In Afghanistan he was employed in the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) Battle Group, working in one of the small, tight-knit teams that train and fight alongside the Afghan National Army.
Lance Corporal Kingscott was a physically fit individual who enjoyed many sports and represented the battalion in the 1st XI football and cricket teams. When in Afghanistan he could also be found teaching and playing volleyball with the Afghan National Army in the Patrol Base.
"He was a splendid representative of the Battalion and The Rifles. We are all very proud to have served alongside him."
Lieutenant Colonel Joe Cavanagh, CO 1 RIFLES
Lance Corporal Kingscott was an intelligent, competent, friendly and popular Rifleman who was dedicated to his work, selflessly placing himself in harm's way before his comrades. He was larger than life and would always be the first to raise the morale of his team when the going was tough in southern Helmand.
Once, out patrolling in the Green Zone, his balance failed him whilst tiptoeing over a precarious log bridge, sending him tumbling into one of the many irrigation ditches. Right behind him, his Company Commander, Major Andy Watkins, asked after his well-being.
As a team mate gave him a helping hand out of the water, his reply was simply "I wanted to try out my backstroke, it's getting a little rusty", and with a wry smile continued on with the patrol; testimony to his irrepressible sense of humour and cheerfulness in adversity.
His commitment to those around him was a constant theme noted by his fellow Riflemen, who always found themselves behind Lance Corporal Kingscott when advancing on the enemy.
Stephen's parents, Wendy and Michael, his sister, Laura, and his fiancée, Gemma, said:
"Stephen is our loving son, brother, grandson and fiancé, who died for his country. He will always be our hero and always in our thoughts."
Lance Corporal 'Deaks' Matthews of C Company, 1 RIFLES, said:
"Schnoz was a good bloke. He had a great sense of humour and was a fun guy to be around. He always knew how to make people laugh. He was a great soldier and did everything to the best.
"He was a good friend of mine and he had good friends across the battalion; he will be greatly missed."
Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott of 1st Battalion The Rifles
[Picture: via MOD]
As a Non-Commissioned Officer he held the respect of his company across all ranks and his high standards were a shining example to those around him and, in particular, to his Afghan colleagues.
His Team Commander, Captain Dan Holloway, commented on Lance Corporal Kingscott's "fearless nature in battle, always pushing on towards the enemy objective to take the fight to them" after one of the many examples of his physical and mental courage during an operation.
Lieutenant Colonel Joe Cavanagh, Commanding Officer 1 RIFLES, said:
"Lance Corporal Steve Kingscott died from wounds sustained in combat, despite the very best efforts of his fellow Riflemen on the spot - who had to fight to extract him - and the outstanding attempts to save his life by medical staff all the way back from battlefield to Field Hospital.
"When Steve was hit he and his OMLT company colleagues, together with their Afghan National Army counterparts, were taking the fight to the enemy yet again in the latest of a series of brave and successful missions.
"The depth of Steve's previous experience and the speed with which he picked up new skills made him a model Rifleman, no more so than on operations; that he was also a battalion 1st XI footballer and cricketer gives some idea of the breadth of his talent.
"We are so sorry for Steve's parents and family, his beloved girlfriend, and his friends; they will miss him terribly, as we will.
"He was a splendid representative of the Battalion and The Rifles. We are all very proud to have served alongside him.
"Once a Rifleman, always a Rifleman. Swift and Bold."
"Schnoz was a good bloke. He had a great sense of humour and was a fun guy to be around."
Lance Corporal 'Deaks' Matthews, C Company 1 RIFLES
Lance Corporal Kingscott will be sorely missed by all the members of 1st Battalion The Rifles, C Company in which he served, and the Afghan National Army soldiers he taught and fought alongside whilst deployed in Afghanistan.
Steve is survived by his parents Michael and Wendy Kingscott, his sister Laura and his fiancée Gemma; the thoughts of his wider 'family' are with them at this difficult time.
Defence Secretary John Hutton said:
"Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott was by all accounts a man of great character and ability, fearless in battle and a model Rifleman. His last action was typical, in the thick of the fight and beside his comrades and the Afghan soldiers whose country he was helping to rebuild. I can add nothing to the tribute from his parents, for whom he was a hero who died for his country, and they have my deepest respect and sympathy."
Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott killed in Afghanistan
A Military Operations news article
17 Feb 09
It is with deep regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott of 1st Battalion The Rifles in Afghanistan on 16 February 2009.
Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott of 1st Battalion The Rifles
[Picture: via MOD]
Lance Corporal Kingscott died during the assault of an enemy position during a deliberate operation against insurgents in the Nawa district of Helmand province.
Lance Corporal Stephen 'Schnoz' Kingscott of 1st Battalion The Rifles
Stephen Michael Kingscott was born on 10 July 1986 at the Freedom Fields Hospital in his hometown of Plymouth.
Stephen joined the British Army after gaining seven GCSEs from the John Kitto Community College; he trained at the Army Foundation College, Harrogate, and the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, before he joined his regiment, 1st Battalion The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, in Ballykinler, Northern Ireland.
In summer 2006 Lance Corporal Kingscott served in Iraq with 1st Battalion The Devon and Dorset Light Infantry before they were amalgamated into 1st Battalion The Rifles, in which he served in Belize, the Falkland Islands and Afghanistan.
During pre-deployment training for Operation Herrick 9, he was selected for special language training, passing an intensive ten-week Dari course.
In Afghanistan he was employed in the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) Battle Group, working in one of the small, tight-knit teams that train and fight alongside the Afghan National Army.
Lance Corporal Kingscott was a physically fit individual who enjoyed many sports and represented the battalion in the 1st XI football and cricket teams. When in Afghanistan he could also be found teaching and playing volleyball with the Afghan National Army in the Patrol Base.
"He was a splendid representative of the Battalion and The Rifles. We are all very proud to have served alongside him."
Lieutenant Colonel Joe Cavanagh, CO 1 RIFLES
Lance Corporal Kingscott was an intelligent, competent, friendly and popular Rifleman who was dedicated to his work, selflessly placing himself in harm's way before his comrades. He was larger than life and would always be the first to raise the morale of his team when the going was tough in southern Helmand.
Once, out patrolling in the Green Zone, his balance failed him whilst tiptoeing over a precarious log bridge, sending him tumbling into one of the many irrigation ditches. Right behind him, his Company Commander, Major Andy Watkins, asked after his well-being.
As a team mate gave him a helping hand out of the water, his reply was simply "I wanted to try out my backstroke, it's getting a little rusty", and with a wry smile continued on with the patrol; testimony to his irrepressible sense of humour and cheerfulness in adversity.
His commitment to those around him was a constant theme noted by his fellow Riflemen, who always found themselves behind Lance Corporal Kingscott when advancing on the enemy.
Stephen's parents, Wendy and Michael, his sister, Laura, and his fiancée, Gemma, said:
"Stephen is our loving son, brother, grandson and fiancé, who died for his country. He will always be our hero and always in our thoughts."
Lance Corporal 'Deaks' Matthews of C Company, 1 RIFLES, said:
"Schnoz was a good bloke. He had a great sense of humour and was a fun guy to be around. He always knew how to make people laugh. He was a great soldier and did everything to the best.
"He was a good friend of mine and he had good friends across the battalion; he will be greatly missed."
Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott of 1st Battalion The Rifles
[Picture: via MOD]
As a Non-Commissioned Officer he held the respect of his company across all ranks and his high standards were a shining example to those around him and, in particular, to his Afghan colleagues.
His Team Commander, Captain Dan Holloway, commented on Lance Corporal Kingscott's "fearless nature in battle, always pushing on towards the enemy objective to take the fight to them" after one of the many examples of his physical and mental courage during an operation.
Lieutenant Colonel Joe Cavanagh, Commanding Officer 1 RIFLES, said:
"Lance Corporal Steve Kingscott died from wounds sustained in combat, despite the very best efforts of his fellow Riflemen on the spot - who had to fight to extract him - and the outstanding attempts to save his life by medical staff all the way back from battlefield to Field Hospital.
"When Steve was hit he and his OMLT company colleagues, together with their Afghan National Army counterparts, were taking the fight to the enemy yet again in the latest of a series of brave and successful missions.
"The depth of Steve's previous experience and the speed with which he picked up new skills made him a model Rifleman, no more so than on operations; that he was also a battalion 1st XI footballer and cricketer gives some idea of the breadth of his talent.
"We are so sorry for Steve's parents and family, his beloved girlfriend, and his friends; they will miss him terribly, as we will.
"He was a splendid representative of the Battalion and The Rifles. We are all very proud to have served alongside him.
"Once a Rifleman, always a Rifleman. Swift and Bold."
"Schnoz was a good bloke. He had a great sense of humour and was a fun guy to be around."
Lance Corporal 'Deaks' Matthews, C Company 1 RIFLES
Lance Corporal Kingscott will be sorely missed by all the members of 1st Battalion The Rifles, C Company in which he served, and the Afghan National Army soldiers he taught and fought alongside whilst deployed in Afghanistan.
Steve is survived by his parents Michael and Wendy Kingscott, his sister Laura and his fiancée Gemma; the thoughts of his wider 'family' are with them at this difficult time.
Defence Secretary John Hutton said:
"Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott was by all accounts a man of great character and ability, fearless in battle and a model Rifleman. His last action was typical, in the thick of the fight and beside his comrades and the Afghan soldiers whose country he was helping to rebuild. I can add nothing to the tribute from his parents, for whom he was a hero who died for his country, and they have my deepest respect and sympathy."
19 Feb 2009
Defence Secretary John Hutton: Britain could send more troops to Afghanistan
John Hutton the Defence Secretary has said Britain is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan even though the UK is "playing above our weight" in the country.
Nato backsliders must act like America's allies
Barack Obama's deployment of more troops to Afghanistan should encourage other countries to join in
Barack Obama and Hamid Karzai to 'open new page' in USAfghan relations
Barack Obama has spoken to Hamid Karzai for the first time since becoming president as the estranged allies attempted a new start in their strained relations.
British forces in Afghanistan seize £50m of heroin and kill 20 Taliban
British forces seized £50 million of heroin and killed at least 20 Taliban fighters dealing a significant blow to Afghan insurgents.
19 Light Brigade begins Afghan deployment
Nearly 3,000 soldiers from 19 Light Brigade, based in Northern Ireland, started deploying to Helmand province, Afghanistan, this weekend for a six-month tour.
Barack Obama deploys 17000 more troops to Afghanistan
President Barack Obama has authorised the Pentagon to send an extra 17000 troops to Afghanistan to tackle worsening insurgent violence.
14 Feb 2009
New sniper rifle boosts British Army operations against the Taliban
Soldiers call it "longrange death" - their name for the British Army's most powerful sniper rifle.
Cost of war in Iraq and Afghanistan rises to £4.5bn
The cost of Britain's military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have risen sharply to £4.5 billion over the last year the Ministry of Defence said.
Private Ryan Wrathall dies in Basra
It is with great regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Private Ryan Wrathall in Basra, Iraq, yesterday, Thursday 12 February 2009.
Royal Marine from 45 Cdo killed in Afghanistan on 14 February
It is with deepest regret that the Ministry of Defence must announce the death of a Royal Marine from 45 Commando Royal Marines today, Saturday 14 February 2009.
11 Feb 2009
Three soldiers bound for Afghanistan critical after coach crash
Three soldiers have been critically injured after a coach taking them to a flight to Afghanistan crashed on an icy road in Gloucestershire.
War against Taliban 'will be lost by autumn' unless strategy changes
The war against the Taliban and alQaeda in Afghanistan will be lost by the end of the summer without dramatic changes in counterinsurgency strategy according to a US military expert.
Afghan and British troops establish control of Taliban territory
British troops have helped the Afghan National Army conduct an operation in Taliban-controlled territory north of Lashkar Gah which has inflicted heavy losses on the insurgents.
10 Feb 2009
Surge of troops in Afghanistan 'needed for five years' says Nato commander
The surge of extra international troops heading to Afghanistan may need to stay for five years the commander of the country's Natoled coalition has said.
Pakistan will be a stern test of Washington's 'smart power'
President Obama is losing patience with the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan writes Dean Nelson.
Afghan presidential hopefuls knock Karzai ahead of Obama envoy visit
Two Afghan presidential contenders with links to the United States have launched attacks on Hamid Karzai days before President Barack Obama's new envoy arrives in Kabul.
War in Afghanistan 'could be lost by summer'
The war against the Taliban and alQaeda in Afghanistan will be lost by the end of the summer without dramatic changes in counterinsurgency strategy according to a leading US military expert.
US to increase troops in Afghanistan by 30000
An estimated 30000 additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan as the US increases its forces there the nation's top military officer told soldiers on Monday.
9 Feb 2009
Soldier becomes first amputee to guard Queen
Grenadier Guard Scott Blaney who lost a leg in Afghanistan has become the first amputee to go on Queen's Guard duty.
8 Feb 2009
''Soldiers don't trust a thing they're told''
Published 05 February 2009
The use of an inadequately armoured patrol vehicle has caused the deaths of 38 British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their families are accusing the army of brutal negligence
The controversial Snatch Wagon is the main urban patrol vehicle for the British army
When Susan Smith wants to check the date her son Phillip Hewitt joined the army, she reaches for his oath of allegiance, which rests near her phone in a silver frame. It is dated 23 July 2002, the day he joined the Staffordshire Regiment. She doesn’t need to check the date he died – she recites it instantly: “On 16 July [2005] he was on patrol in al-Amarah [north of Basra]. A Warrior had escorted them to the town but his team of five were patrolling in Snatch Wagon Land Rovers. At 1am he got a call there was an explosion near the town’s stadium so he turned the vehicle.” That was when a group of IEDs (improvised explosive devices, or booby traps) went off, killing three of the soldiers and wounding the other two. “Shrapnel hit Phillip’s neck and he bled to death at the side of the road.”
Her voice falters briefly, but she has talked through these details so many times that the words may have lost some of their sting. She is a tough woman, army through and through. Her father, her husband and her son all served. Coming from such a tradition has made it hard for her to launch, with the wives and other mothers of dead soldiers, the first organised protests over poor equipment, in particular the infamous Snatch Wagon, a vehicle that has cost the lives of 38 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and whose continued use is alienating an already distrustful and resentful army.
The Snatch Wagon - essentially a Land Rover with light armour plating and a pumped-up engine - serves as the main urban patrol vehicle for the British army. It entered service in 1992, and was developed for use in Northern Ireland, where it was intended to offer protection from small-arms fire and small explosives. Evidence of the troops' disaffection with the Snatch can be found on the rank-and-file soldiers' online chat room of choice: the ARmy Rumour SErvice at www.arrse.co.uk. The site's operators preferred not to comment on the discussion - and asked that the identities of those posting comments remain hidden - but they directed me to sections of the chat room where the Snatch Wagon was under debate.
What emerges is a picture not simply of disappointment with the vehicle, but a wider belief that no promised kit will ever arrive.
"Snatch was designed as a patrol vehicle for riot control in the streets of NI," writes "Joe Squad". "Its armour is ballistically capable of stopping 9mm rounds, possibly 7.62 (but I wouldn't sit in one whilst someone blatted a mag from an AK to test it!) It's inadequate to say the least to counter the threat in Afghanistan/Iraq."
Another soldier, "Red-Phos", replies: "The way the present UK government has fought wars on the cheap has been nothing short of disgusting, hence our name with our American cousins - the borrowing Brits."
"What griped a lot of people was that when it was obvious to everyone the Snatch was no longer fit for the job, certain ministers kept defending it," others point out. "And they still defend it . . . The defence sec asshole announced recently that they will withdraw the Snatch only to up-armour it and reissue it. This is despite promises he has made earlier this year to provide hardened vehicles!"
Although it is hardly an extraordinary event in any army for soldiers to make complaints about equipment, these troops show themselves to be well-informed about promises made and equipment purchased and have been tracking its non-appearance with precision: "All those Iveco Panthers we bought still haven't seen the light of day", and "What happened to the 14 Mambas we sold to some private security company in 2004 - proper medium-weight anti-insurgency vehicles flogged off". Their suspicions are further fuelled by repeated public admissions that the Snatch is not suitable for purpose, which then lead to absolutely nothing being done.
In June 2006, for instance, Lord Drayson, the minister for defence procurement, acknowledged that the Snatch was inappropriate, but rejected alternatives. In 2006, Des Browne, the then defence secretary, announced a review into use of the Snatch, which led to a promise that the vehicle would be withdrawn from theatre. At the end of November 2008, the Defence Secretary, John Hutton, told the Commons defence committee that he would look "very seriously" at holding an inquiry into why Snatches were still in operation. The New Statesman contacted Browne to find out what happened with his original review, but he declined to give an interview.
Last November, Major Sebastian Morley, the SAS reservist commander in Afghanistan, resigned after four of his soldiers were killed when their Snatch hit a landmine in Helmand Province. At the time, Morley, commander of D Squadron, 23 SAS, blamed "chronic underinvestment" in equipment by the Ministry of Defence for the deaths, and said he believed the MoD was guilty of "gross negligence" and that its failure to supply better equipment was "cavalier at best, criminal at worst".
Adam Holloway, Conservative MP for Gravesham, member of the defence select committee and a former Grenadier Guard, recalls meeting Morley's sister unit as it prepared to deploy to Afghanistan weeks after those four deaths. "They'd been given Snatch wagons and no long-range weaponry," he explains. "The troop commander was pulling his hair out. He'd put in urgent requests, saying his men didn't want to travel in the Snatch - which had been ignored - and he was phoning round local TA units to borrow some decent machine-guns. It's clear that this government doesn't really understand the military and has politicised the upper ranks, insisting that they deliver only good news."
Holloway warns that the so-called Military Covenant is in danger of breaking. The covenant was first officially defined in 2000 in an army publication called Soldiering. In essence, it attempts to describe the relationship between a democracy and its military. The document details the moral basis for what the army does, explaining how “unlimited liability” makes soldiering a unique activity. Soldiers, the document argues, will be called upon to make personal sacrifices – including the ultimate sacrifice – in the service of the nation. In so doing, they forgo some of the rights enjoyed by those outside the armed forces. In return, “British soldiers must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals, and to be sustained and rewarded . . .”
"The fragility of the military covenant today is not just a symptom of inadequate welfare," argues the former Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell, a member of the foreign affairs select committee and author of the Lib Dems' recent review of the military, No Choice But Change. "It indicates a deeper malaise in Britain's defence policy. What this government expects our armed forces to achieve and the financial and human cost required are no longer in balance.
"The decision to deploy simultaneous and enduring operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has stretched our forces far beyond what they are configured and resourced to undertake. This is bound to exact a human price. In my view, our soldiers have got to have the best equipment available or we are effectively cutting the ground from beneath their feet. There is no question that issues like the Snatch Wagon are making our soldiers feel divorced from their government and their country. Without a wide-ranging strategic security and defence review the military covenant will be irreparably broken."
While the troops are not in open revolt, it is Rights Act 1998, accusing the MoD of failing to avoid a real and immediate risk to life of which it had or ought to have had knowledge, and the ministry of negligence. The case relies on a high court ruling in April that soldiers deployed abroad retain the protection of the act. Smith's solicitors, Hodge Jones & Allen, are working with eight further families on similar cases.
"There is a tension there that the military needs to address," says a senior defence source. "Army wives are not prepared to simply follow their husbands from post to post and remain silent, as they used to 30 or 40 years ago. I'm not sure the military has worked out how to talk to this new generation of women."
Smith's determination to combat what she sees as the uncaring attitude of the British army was fuelled by the inquest into Phillip's death. She expected it to last five days; it ended after barely three hours. Any concerns she had about the Snatch Wagon, about how Phillip was warned against using it by soldiers leaving the area, and the reasons for using it in a known insurgent area, were swept aside by the coroner and the ministry.
Last November, while waiting for the court case to grind on, she and a number of other wives and mothers launched an online petition calling for a public inquiry into use of the Snatch Wagon. At the time of writing there were about 1,700 signatures, enough to demand a response, but she was hoping for more by the time the petition closed on 20 January.
This is not the shocked response of those who imagined the military life to be like an adventure playground. One signatory is Elsie Manning, whose five children - four boys and a girl - all served. Her daughter, Staff Sergeant Sharron Elliott of the Intelligence Corps, was killed in Basra in November 2006 when bombs went off under a bridge as she took a routine taxi run up to a new posting. "They knew what they were doing when they joined up," Manning explains. "But they trusted their officers and the MoD to provide the right equipment and make sensible decisions, because they were putting their lives on the line. Now the soldiers don't trust a thing they're told. They have no belief that the MoD is putting soldiers' safety first," she pauses. "It just makes me so angry."
At the beginning of December last year, the MoD issued the following statement about the Snatch Wagon: “We take the steps we can to minimise the risks whilst remembering that we must achieve the tasks required. Equipment alone is not the answer to force protection; it is also a question of tactics – how troops operate on the ground – and a small element of chance. We cannot make our vehicles invulnerable; a large enough bomb can destroy even the most heavily armoured vehicle, and any vehicle can be overmatched if faced with an overwhelming attack.
"If there was a better vehicle, a smaller vehicle, out there that we could get our hands on quickly, or could have got our hands on quickly, we would do so or would have done so. We have been going round the international market trying to see if there is another smaller vehicle - it doesn't exist. We are spending over £30m to upgrade all our Snatch vehicles on operations to Snatch Vixen, which provides the same level of manoeuvrability with increased protection. These modifications will give the Snatch Vixen the highest levels of protection for its size and weight class, compared to other vehicles out there on the market."
Susan Smith finds small comfort in this. At first she was reluctant to say why on the record, but then she changed her mind.
"The first IED blast, the one that killed my son and the man beside him, came in through the window. The second went off under the wheel arch. Neither of these places was armoured and they won't be on the Snatch Vixen.
"The only way to reduce the deaths is to find a better vehicle. And I won't stop until they do."
Surge of troops in Afghanistan 'needed for five years' says Nato commander
The surge of extra international troops heading to Afghanistan may need to stay for five years the commander of the country's Natoled coalition has said.
Iraq family visits 'I want to lay a flower where my son was killed' says Rose Gentle
Rose Gentle welecomed the proposals and said she wants to go to Iraq and lay flowers where her son Gordon was killed fourandahalf years ago.
Taliban stronghold destroyed by British and Afghan forces after 10 day battle
A major Taliban stronghold has been destroyed by British and Afghan forces following 10 days of bitter fighting in southern Afghanistan.
7 Feb 2009
IN PICTURES: 19 Light Brigade get ready for Afghanistan
In preparation for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan more than 2,000 soldiers have been facing the harsh elements of the British weather this week as they complete the final stages of their training. Report by Leigh Morrison.
6 Feb 2009
Soldiers' mother calls for troop withdrawal
The mother of two Army Commandos serving in Afghanistan has accused the Government of sending "British troops to their slaughter".
Army accused of 'smear' campaign against British officer and human rights activist
The Army has been accused of conducting a "smear" campaign against a British officer and a human rights activist to whom he is alleged to have passed secret information.
4 Feb 2009
Untitled
Pub denies entry to frontline troops
Marines’ military ID is ‘no good’
Published: 3 February 2009
Dan Buchanan, 21, and Kelvin Billings, 22, were both denied entry to the Isambard Kingdom Brunel pub in Portsmouth, when they were told they did not look old enough.
The pair showed doormen their cards, which included pictures and their date of birth, but managers said that they were not an acceptable form of ID for the pub, which is part of the JD Wetherspoons chain.
Lance Corporal Billings said: “We’d been back a couple of hours after serving our country for five months…I’d seen a fair bit of action and just wanted a pint with my best mate.”
A spokesman for JD Wetherspoons explained that the company only accepts three forms of ID, a passport, driving licence or UK citizen card.
Blog Note: Our lads can kill in the name of the Country but can't get a drink in that Country!!
Arrest over 'leaked' Afghan casualty rates
A senior British Army officer has been arrested in Afghanistan for allegedly supplying sensitive civilian casualty figures to a human rights campaigner.
Lt Col Owen McNally, 48, was held in the war zone on suspicion of breaching the Official Secrets Act, it is understood.
The Ministry of Defence said the officer was being returned to the UK for questioning, where his case has been referred to the Metropolitan Police.
"We can confirm that a British Army officer has been arrested in Afghanistan on suspicion of breaching the Official Secrets Act," the MoD said in a statement. "He is being returned to the UK for questioning.
"The investigation has been referred from the MoD to the Metropolitan Police and is now under consideration. No further details will be released at this stage."
According to a report in The Sun, Col McNally had access to the figures through his work for Nato's International Security Assistance Force, which is running military operations across the country.
American generals in the Afghan capital Kabul are reported to be furious about the allegations.
Last year campaign group Human Rights Watch said civilian deaths in Afghanistan from US and Nato air strikes nearly tripled to at least 1,633 between 2006 and 2007. The group said it used "the most conservative figures available".
If charged, the officer will appear at the Old Bailey in London, which hears all such Official Secrets cases. He faces a maximum sentence of 14 years if convicted.
Col McNally joined the Army as a private in 1977 and worked his way up through the ranks before being commissioned as an officer in 1995. He is thought to be one of the Army's most senior former non-commissioned officers.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More FeedsFirst Forces' Sikh Prayer Day a success
Forty Sikh members of the armed forces gathered at a Sikh temple near Reading for the first ever Armed Forces' Sikh Prayer Day on Saturday 31 January 2009.
2 Feb 2009
TA Gunner has a "hell of an introduction" to Helmand
Territorial Army (TA) soldier Jack Lopresti has undertaken several force protection roles since arriving in Helmand province but it was his first day with the Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) where he saw the biggest sacrifices and acts of heroism being carried out in southern Afghanistan.
Corporal Daniel 'Danny' Nield killed in Afghanistan
It is with great regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that Corporal Daniel 'Danny' Nield from 1st Battalion, The Rifles, was killed in Afghanistan on Friday 30 January 2009.
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