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| welsh guards afghanistan: Dead Men Risen Toby Harnden, 2011 WINNER OF THE ORWELL PRIZE 2012. This is the tale of the Welsh Guards in Helmand in 2009. Underequipped and overstretched, guardsmen from the coal mining valleys and slate quarry villages of Wales found themselves in Helmand in some of the most intense fighting by British troops for more than a generation. They were confronted by a Taliban enemy they seldom saw, facing the constant threat of Improvised Explosive Devices and ambush. Leading them into battle was Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, destined for the highest ranks. He was a passionate believer in the war but was dismayed by how it was being conducted. Dead Men Risen will unnerve politicians and generals alike. In chilling detail, Toby Harnden reveals how and why Thorneloe was killed by an IED during Operation Panther's Claw. Harnden, who had known Thorneloe since they met in Northern Ireland in 1996, was on the ground in Helmand with the Welsh Guards. He draws on a trove of military documents, including many by Thorneloe, the first British battalion commander to die in action since the Falklands war of 1982. Major Sean Birchall left behind an unvarnished account of the shortcomings of the Afghan forces that represent Nato's exit strategy. Lieutenant Mark Evison wrote a diary that raises questions from beyond the grave. It was more than half a century since a British battalion had lost officers at these three key levels of leadership. By the time the fighting was over, almost no rank had been spared. A visceral and timeless account of men at war, Dead Men Risen conveys what it is like to be a soldier who has to kill, face paralysing fear and watch comrades perish in agony. Given unprecedented access to the Welsh Guards, Harnden conducted more than 300 interviews in Afghanistan, England and Wales. The searing heat of the poppy fields and mud compounds of Helmand to the dreaded knock on the door back home, the reader is transported there. Harnden weaves the experiences of the guardsmen and their loved ones into an unsparing narrative that sits alongside a piercing analysis of military strategy. No other book about modern conflict succeeds on so many levels. Dead Men Risen is essential for anyone who wants to learn the reality of Britain's war in Afghanistan. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Death of a Soldier Margaret Evison, 2012 On 12 May 2009 Margaret Evison's son Lieutenant Mark Evison of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, died of wounds sustained whilst leading a patrol in Helmand Province. Hailed a hero, Mark's death was a national sacrifice, his grave to be one of many in the identical, ordered rows in a military cemetery. But to his mother Margaret it was the most intimate of griefs. In Death of a Soldier, she attempts to reconcile her own unanswerable sense of loss with the idea that her son died for a good cause. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: History of the Welsh Guards C H 1879- Dudley Ward, 2022-10-27 This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: An Intimate War Mike Martin, 2014-07-01 An Intimate War tells the story of the last thirty-four years of conflict in Helmand Province, Afghani- stan as seen through the eyes of the Helmandis. In the West, this period is often defined through different lenses - the Soviet intervention, the civil war, the Taliban, and the post-2001 nation-building era. Yet, as experienced by local inhabitants, the Helmand conflict is a perennial one, involving the same individuals, families and groups, and driven by the same arguments over land, water and power. This book - based on both military and re- search experience in Helmand and 150 inter- views in Pashto - offers a very different view of Helmand from those in the media. It demonstrates how outsiders have most often misunderstood the ongoing struggle in Helmand and how, in doing so, they have exacerbated the conflict, perpetuated it and made it more violent - precisely the opposite of what was intended when their interventions were launched. Mike Martin's oral history of Helmand under- scores the absolute imperative of understanding the highly local, personal, and non-ideological nature of internal conflict in much of the 'third' world. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: First Casualty Toby Harnden, 2021-09-07 An award-winning journalist reveals the dramatic true story of the CIA's Team Alpha, the first Americans to be dropped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan after 9/11. America is reeling; Al-Qaeda has struck and thousands are dead. The country scrambles to respond, but the Pentagon has no plan for Afghanistan—where Osama bin Laden masterminded the attack and is protected by the Taliban. Instead, the CIA steps forward to spearhead the war. Eight CIA officers are dropped into the mountains of northern Afghanistan on October 17, 2001. They are Team Alpha, an eclectic band of linguists, tribal experts, and elite warriors: the first Americans to operate inside Taliban territory. Their covert mission is to track down Al- Qaeda and stop the terrorists from infiltrating the United States again. First Casualty places you with Team Alpha as the CIA rides into battle on horseback alongside the warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum. In Washington, DC, few trust that the CIA men, the Green Berets, and the Americans’ outnumbered Afghan allies can prevail before winter sets in. On the ground, Team Alpha is undeterred. The Taliban is routed but hatches a plot with Al-Qaeda to hit back. Hundreds of suicidal fighters, many hiding weapons, fake a surrender and are transported to Qala-i Jangi—the “Fort of War.” Team Alpha’s Mike Spann, an ex-Marine, and David Tyson, a polyglot former Central Asian studies academic, seize America’s initial opportunity to extract intelligence from men trained by bin Laden—among them a young Muslim convert from California. The prisoners revolt and one CIA officer falls—the first casualty in America’s longest war, which will last two decades. The other CIA man shoots dead the Al-Qaeda jihadists attacking his comrade. To survive, he must fight his way out against overwhelming odds. Award-winning author Toby Harnden gained unprecedented access to all living Team Alpha members and every level of the CIA. Superbly researched, First Casualty draws on extensive interviews, secret documents, and deep reporting inside Afghanistan. As gripping as any adventure novel, yet intimate and profoundly moving, it tells how America found a winning strategy only to abandon it. Harnden reveals that the lessons of early victory and the haunting foretelling it contained—unreliable allies, ethnic rivalries, suicide attacks, and errant US bombs—were ignored, tragically fueling a twenty-year conflict. Masterful, complex, and heartfelt, from the deeply personal to the critically strategic. Captures many lessons on many levels. —Ambassador Hank Crumpton, former senior CIA officer |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Don't Say Goodbye Fiona Stanford, 2011-02-03 When you fall in love with someone serving in the Armed Forces, it’s hard to imagine the impact their career will have on your life. In Don’t Say Goodbye, Fiona Stanford tells the untold story of the people left behind when our soldiers go off to fight. She reveals the hidden side to modern conflict – the story of the families, but in particular the wives, girlfriends, mothers and children – how it feels to live on a knife edge, bombarded with 24-hour news and footage of the war, and the constant terror that the next death you hear about on the television or the radio might be your loved one. Through tales of the Army lifestyle, she explains the reply to the age old question: ‘How do you cope?’ which is usually: ‘You just get on with it’ Fiona’s husband handed over command of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards to Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe before they deployed to Afghanistan in 2009, During the tour seven of their men were killed, including Rupert, and many were wounded. Here she shares the rewards and challenges of Army life – the desperate goodbyes with young children in tow, the bittersweet sense of pride and the huge relief of homecoming. She also tells of other goodbyes; to friends when ‘posted on’, to children when they go away to school and the ultimate goodbye, revealing the heartache of families whose loved ones do not return. This is a story of love – how love can survive and even grow when couples are separated by thousands of miles and days of anguish. Don’t Say Goodbye sheds light on the unique camaraderie that develops amongst the women as they pull each other through the toughest of times. Poignant, inspiring and deeply moving, this book is a tribute to the women and families that support our heroes on the frontline. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Dead Men Risen Toby Harnden, 2011 WINNER OF THE ORWELL PRIZE 2012. This is the gripping story of the men of the Welsh Guards and their bloody battle for survival in Afghanistan in 2009. Underequipped and overstretched, they found themselves in the most intense fighting the British had experienced in a generation. They were led into battle by Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, a passionate believer in the justness of the war who was deeply dismayed by the way it was being resourced and conducted. Thorneloe was killed by an IED during Operation Panther's Claw, the biggest operation mounted by the British in Helmand. Dead Men Risen draws on secret documents written by Thorneloe, which raise questions from beyond the grave that will unnerve politicians and generals alike. The Welsh Guards also lost Major Sean Birchall, commanding officer of IX Company, and Lieutenant Mark Evison, a platoon commander whose candid personal diary was unnervingly prophetic. Not since the Second World War had a single British battalion lost officers at the three key levels of leadership. Harnden transports the reader into the heart of a conflict in which a soldier has to be prepared to kill and die, to ward off paralysing fear and watch comrades perish in agony. Given unprecedented access to the Welsh Guards, Harnden conducted hundreds of interviews in Afghanistan, England and Wales. He weaves the experiences of the guardsmen and the loved ones they left behind into a seamless and unsparing narrative that sits alongside a piercing analysis of the political and military strategy. No other book about modern warfare succeeds on so many levels. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Harry's War - The True Story of the Soldier Prince Robert Jobson, 2008-06-11 On February 28, 2008, to great international surprise, the British Ministry of Defense released a statement acknowledging that Prince Harry, son of the late Princess Diana and third in line to the British throne, had secretly been deployed to Afghanistan. Subsequent reports revealed that the prince had killed up to thirty Taliban insurgents in directing at least three air strikes, and that he had helped Gurkha troops repel a ground attack of Taliban insurgents using a machine gun. On February 29, Prince Harry was withdrawn from the country with distinction via a covert SAS deployment. This is the amazing story of the first British royal to serve his country in 25 years and his 10 heroic weeks of combat. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: On Afghanistan's Plains Allan Mallinson, 2025-06-30 On Afghanistan’s Plains tells the story of four gruelling tours of duty during Operation Herrick, the codename under which British operations in Afghanistan were conducted from 2002 until 2014 when the mission changed from direct combat with the Taliban to one of mentoring Afghan forces. Allan Mallinson, military historian and former Light Dragoons officer, explains Operation Herrick’s complex historical and strategic background and describes the evolving tactical thinking in this multi-national, NATO-led campaign. Almost from the start, The Light Dragoons, a small, tight-knit, “family” regiment recruiting in Yorkshire and the north-east of England, were in action in Helmand Province, the principal British area of operations. As an armoured reconnaissance regiment they played a leading role in Operation Panther’s Claw, the month-long battle in the searing summer heat of 2012, which saw much hard fighting and many casualties, and proved to be a turning point in the campaign. On Afghanistan’s Plains describes what it was like to be in Helmand on foot or cooped-up in an armoured vehicle fighting the Taliban. NATO’s commander-in-chief in Afghanistan in later years, US General Stanley McChrystal, paid The Light Dragoons the greatest compliment: “When I looked into their eyes, which were bloodshot with fatigue, I remember the extraordinary professionalism, competence and the sheer courage of those young men.” |
| welsh guards afghanistan: The Forever War Dexter Filkins, 2009-06-02 NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The definitive account of America's conflict with Islamic fundamentalism and a searing exploration of its human costs—an instant classic of war reporting from the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. Through the eyes of Dexter Filkins, a foreign correspondent for the New York Times, we witness the rise of the Taliban in the 1990s, the aftermath of the attack on New York on September 11th, and the American wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Filkins is the only American journalist to have reported on all these events, and his experiences are conveyed in a riveting narrative filled with unforgettable characters and astonishing scenes. Brilliant and fearless, The Forever War is not just about America's wars after 9/11, but about the nature of war itself. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Regimental Nicknames and Traditions of the British Army Anonymous, 2019-12-19 In 'Regimental Nicknames and Traditions of the British Army', Anonymous delves into the unique and fascinating world of British military history. This meticulously researched book explores the origins and significance of various regimental nicknames and traditions, shedding light on the diverse cultural heritage that has shaped the British Army. Written in a scholarly yet accessible style, this book is a treasure trove of information for history enthusiasts and military buffs alike. Anonymous skillfully weaves together historical anecdotes, linguistic analysis, and cultural insights to paint a vivid picture of the British Army's rich tapestry of traditions. While the identity of the author remains a mystery, their expertise in military history and passion for the subject matter shines through in every page. Anonymous's meticulous attention to detail and comprehensive knowledge make 'Regimental Nicknames and Traditions of the British Army' a must-read for anyone interested in British military history and the cultural heritage of the armed forces. I wholeheartedly recommend 'Regimental Nicknames and Traditions of the British Army' to readers who are eager to explore the colorful and diverse history of the British Army. This book is a valuable resource for scholars, historians, and anyone with a keen interest in the military traditions of the United Kingdom. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: The Junior Officers' Reading Club Patrick Hennessey, 2010-09-07 Hailed as a classic of war writing in the U.K., The Junior Officers' Reading Club is a revelatory first-hand account of a young enlistee's profound coming of age. Attempting to stave off the tedium and pressures of army life in the Iraqi desert by losing themselves in the dusty paperbacks on the transit-camp bookshelves, Hennessey and a handful of his pals from military academy form the Junior Officers' Reading Club. By the time he reaches Afghanistan and the rest of the club are scattered across the Middle East, they are no longer cheerfully overconfident young recruits, hungering for action and glory. Hennessey captures how boys grow into men amid the frenetic, sometimes exhilarating violence, frequent boredom, and almost overwhelming responsibilities that frame a soldier's experience and the way we fight today. Watch a Video |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Chilcot Report Sir John Chilcot (chairman), Sir Lawrence Freedman, Sir Martin Gilbert, Sir Roderic Lyne, Baroness Prashar, 2016-08-16 All the key findings of the public inquiry into the handling of the 2003 Iraq war by the British government led by Tony Blair. Chaired by Sir John Chilcot, the Iraq Inquiry (known as the 'Chilcot Report') tackled: Saddam Hussein's threat to Britainthe legal advice for the invasionintelligence about weapons of mass destruction andplanning for a post-conflict Iraq. This 60,000-word executive summary was published in July 2016. Philippe Sands QC wrote in the London Review of Books: 'It offers a long and painful account of an episode that may come to be seen as marking the moment when the UK fell off its global perch, trust in government collapsed and the country turned inward and began to disintegrate.' Published under an Open Government Licence, this book aims to make better known the findings of the Iraq Inquiry, which took seven years to complete at a cost of £10 million. The text, headings, footnotes and any emphasis are exactly those of the original document. Contents Introduction Pre-conflict strategy and planning The UK decision to support US military action Why Iraq? Why now? The UK's relationship with the US Decision-making Advice on the legal basis for military action Weapons of mass destruction Planning for a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq The post-conflict period Occupation Transition Planning for withdrawal Did the UK achieve its objectives in Iraq? Key findings Lessons Timeline of events REVIEWS The Iraq Inquiry, chaired by Sir John Chilcot and composed of five privy councillors, finally published its report on the morning of 6 July, seven years and 21 days after it was established by Gordon Brown with a remit to look at the run-up to the conflict, the conflict itself and the reconstruction, so that we can learn lessons. It offers a long and painful account of an episode that may come to be seen as marking the moment when the UK fell off its global perch, trust in government collapsed and the country turned inward and began to disintegrate. — Philippe Sands, London Review of Books A more productive way to think of the Chilcot report is as a tool to help us set agendas for renewed best efforts in creating more effective and accountable statecraft. Chilcot has confirmed that... we still do not have intelligent long-range planning by the armed forces in close and active cooperation with other government agencies, nor an adequate and integrated system for the collection and evaluation of intelligence information, nor do we have the highest possible quality and stature of personnel to lead us through these challenging times. — Derek B. Miller, The Guardian Although sceptics wondered how much more the very-long-awaited Report of the Iraq Inquiry by a committee chaired by Sir John Chilcot could tell us when it appeared at last in July, it proves to contain a wealth of evidence and acute criticism, the more weighty for its sober tone and for having the imprimatur of the official government publisher. In all, it is a further and devastating indictment not only of Tony Blair personally but of a whole apparatus of state and government, Cabinet, Parliament, armed forces, and, far from least, intelligence agencies. Among its conclusions the report says that there was no imminent threat from Saddam Hussein; that the British chose to join the invasion of Iraq before the peaceful options for disarmament had been exhausted; that military action was not a last resort... — Geoffrey Wheatcroft, The New York Review of Books Ideal for any student of politics, diplomacy, or conflict. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: The Flags of Our Fighting Army Stanley Currie Johnson, 1918 |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Dead Men Risen Toby Harnden, 2011 WINNER OF THE ORWELL PRIZE 2012. This is the tale of the Welsh Guards in Helmand in 2009. Underequipped and overstretched, guardsmen from the coal mining valleys and slate quarry villages of Wales found themselves in Helmand in some of the most intense fighting by British troops for more than a generation. They were confronted by a Taliban enemy they seldom saw, facing the constant threat of Improvised Explosive Devices and ambush. Leading them into battle was Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, destined for the highest ranks. He was a passionate believer in the war but was dismayed by how it was being conducted. Dead Men Risen will unnerve politicians and generals alike. In chilling detail, Toby Harnden reveals how and why Thorneloe was killed by an IED during Operation Panther's Claw. Harnden, who had known Thorneloe since they met in Northern Ireland in 1996, was on the ground in Helmand with the Welsh Guards. He draws on a trove of military documents, including many by Thorneloe, the first British battalion commander to die in action since the Falklands war of 1982. Major Sean Birchall left behind an unvarnished account of the shortcomings of the Afghan forces that represent Nato's exit strategy. Lieutenant Mark Evison wrote a diary that raises questions from beyond the grave. It was more than half a century since a British battalion had lost officers at these three key levels of leadership. By the time the fighting was over, almost no rank had been spared. A visceral and timeless account of men at war, Dead Men Risen conveys what it is like to be a soldier who has to kill, face paralysing fear and watch comrades perish in agony. Given unprecedented access to the Welsh Guards, Harnden conducted more than 300 interviews in Afghanistan, England and Wales. The searing heat of the poppy fields and mud compounds of Helmand to the dreaded knock on the door back home, the reader is transported there. Harnden weaves the experiences of the guardsmen and their loved ones into an unsparing narrative that sits alongside a piercing analysis of military strategy. No other book about modern conflict succeeds on so many levels. Dead Men Risen is essential for anyone who wants to learn the reality of Britain's war in Afghanistan. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Frontline Afghanistan Mike Ryan, 2010-01-14 In the nine years since the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan has rarely been out of the news. Over a thousand coalition military fatalities have been reported, and many times that number of Afghan civilians. The country is in the process of rebuilding, and yet the fighting continues. Following the success of his previous book, Battlefield Afghanistan, Mike Ryan looks at the state of this war-ravaged nation as Barack Obama finally decides to escalate America's military presence. He considers the current role of coalition troops and the progress being made, or not being made – more than 100 British troops died in Afghanistan in 2009, the highest death toll for any year since the mission began in October 2001 – things are getting worse, not better. The author has unrivalled access not only to commanding officers, but also to the 'boots on the ground'. With more than 200 colour photographs and analysis of the situation from those actually doing the fighting, Frontline Afghanistan may help the reader to make up his or her mind about the legitimacy of the conflict and the possible way forward. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Insurgencies and Counterinsurgencies Beatrice Heuser, Eitan Shamir, 2016 A study of the evolving 'national styles' of conducting insurgencies and counter-insurgency, as influenced by transnational trends, ideas and practices. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Military Medicine in Iraq and Afghanistan Ian Greaves, 2018-09-03 Many, if not most, of the recent improvements in trauma care in civilian practice have developed from military experience. The British Defence Medical Services have been recognised as providers of exemplary health care. Although there will is an emphasis on trauma, this book also captures lessons from internal medicine and infectious disease, ethics (for example dealing with detainees – a particularly controversial subject), human factors, mental health issues and rehabilitation.Military Medicine provides the evidence and context for these innovations, and its unique and important account will be of interest to both military and civilian practitioners alike. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Bandit Country Toby Harnden, 2010-03-10 South Armagh was firstdescribed as Bandit Country by Merlyn Rees when he was Northern Ireland's Secretary of State, and for nearly three decades it has been the most dangerous posting in the world for soldiers. Toby Harnden has stripped away the myth and propaganda associated with South Armagh to produce one of the most compelling and important books of the subject. Drawing on secret documents and interviews in South Armagh s recent history, he tells the inside story of how the IRA came close to bringing the British state to its knees. For the first time, the identities of the men behind the South Quay and Manchester bombings are revealed. Packed with new information, Bandit Country penetrates the IRA and the security forces in South Armagh. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Those Must Be The Guards Paul de Zulueta, Simon Doughty, 2024-01-18 The story of the British Army's Household Division from 1969 to 2023. It is the biography of a family of three generations of soldiers who have served Crown and Country during a period of significant social and geostrategic change. The story of the British Army's Household Division from 1969 to 2023 is one of three generations of soldiers who have served Crown and Country during a period of significant social and geostrategic change. It is the story of a family of seven regiments that symbolise the Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Septem juncta in uno: The Life Guards, The Blues and Royals, Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards. The Guards established an ascendancy in the Peninsular War and at the Battle of Waterloo, and have never truly faltered since. They have managed this by changing when change was needed. Over the last 50 years, the Household Division has been at the centre of almost every major operation conducted by the British Army: Northern Ireland, the Falklands, the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. At the same time, the Household Division is a national institution, admired by the public through its mastery of ceremonial and pageantry, and the magnificent hour that is Trooping the Colour. The professionalism and self-discipline of the individual Guardsmen and Troopers are what ensures both their exemplary performance on operations and their high standards of state ceremonial and public duties. Those Must Be The Guards illustrates both roles through the experiences of those who have served in the Household Division over the past half-century. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: The British Army in Afghanistan 2006–14 Leigh Neville, 2015-05-20 Fighting an elusive and dangerous enemy far from home, the British army in Afghanistan has been involved in asymmetric warfare for the best part of a decade. The eight-year series of deployments jointly known as Operation Herrick, alongside US and other NATO contingents within the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, have been the longest continuous combat commitment of the British Army since World War II. Together with Operation 'Telic' in Iraq, which immediately preceded and overlapped with it, this conflict has shaped the British Army for a generation. Enemy threats have diversified and evolved, with a consequent evolution of British doctrine, tactics and equipment. This book provides a detailed analysis of those specifics within a clear, connected account of the course of the war in Helmand, operation by operation. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: ABC of Opera Mark Llewelyn Evans, 2019 |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Dead Men Risen Toby Harnden, 2014-11-17 Dead Men Risen, winner of the prestigious Orwell Prize for Books, is the epic story of a beleaguered British battle group fighting desperately to prevent the Taliban from seizing Afghanistan's Helmand province just as the U.S. Marines arrive to take over. Bestselling author Toby Harnden describes how men from the coal mining valleys and slate quarry villages of Wales found themselves in the most intense combat faced by British troops for a generation. Underequipped and overstretched, the fighting prowess of the Welsh Guards in the killing fields of Sangin and Nawa awed the U.S. Marines. NATO commander General Stanley McChrystal, who was awaiting a response to his urgent request to President Barack Obama for more troops, hailed their burn-in-your-gut passion. Harnden was on the ground with the Welsh Guards in Helmand in 2009. He gained access to a trove of secret military documents and conducted nearly three hundred interviews in Afghanistan, England, Wales, and the United States to produce this timeless and profound account of men at war. Commanding the Welsh Guards was Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, a passionate believer in the justness of the war who was dismayed by the military and political incompetence surrounding it. In chilling detail, Harnden reveals how and why Thorneloe—the first British battalion commander to die in action since the 1982 Falklands War—was killed by an IED during Operation Panther’s Claw. By the time the fighting was over, almost no rank had been spared. From the searing heat of the poppy fields and the mud compounds of Helmand to the dreaded knock on the door back home, the reader is transported there. Harnden weaves the experiences of the soldiers, their historical forbears and the flawed NATO strategy into a masterly narrative. No other book about modern conflict succeeds on so many levels. Dead Men Risen is essential for anyone who wants to understand the reality of the Afghan war for the U.S and its allies. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: We March at Midnight Ray McPadden, 2021-08-03 What would the war do without me? We March at Midnight is award-winning author Ray McPadden’s chronicle of his experience as a highly decorated Ranger Officer leading some of the most dangerous missions during the height of the Iraq and Afghan wars. In 2005, Ray joined the army in search of what he calls “the moment”—a chance to prove to himself and his brothers in arms that he is a true leader. His job is to establish the first outpost in the Korengal, Afghanistan’s deadliest valley, and his decisions and mistakes will have a permanent impact on the men he commands. During the fifteen-month tour, his unit receives numerous decorations for valor while suffering nearly 50 percent casualties, ultimately accomplishing their mission in a land considered unwinnable. Prowess with a rifle platoon soon earns Ray a position in the world’s premiere raiding force, the 75th Ranger Regiment, an accomplishment earned by less than 1 percent of the officers in the US Army, and during the most combat-heavy period of the twenty-first century. Ray spearheads the first joint-strike force of Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, in a shadow war against the agents of a foreign government, where lightning raids by helicopter, armored vehicle, and foot are his nightly routine. In 2009, when Ray returns to the same corner of Afghanistan where his military career began, he suddenly finds himself tasked with leading Rangers against a target he knows all too well: the home of friends from his first tour. As he leads one last raid, Ray is at war with himself. Conquering this unexpected enemy proves the greatest challenge of all. We March at Midnight is a blood-spattered tour de force of growing up, leadership, the nature of war, and its aftermath. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: War Medals and Their History William Augustus Steward, 1915 |
| welsh guards afghanistan: On the Ground in Afghanistan Gerald Meyerle, Megan Katt, Jim Gavrilis, 2012 (Contains copyright material) The case studies cover ten provinces in Afghanistan's south and east. They describe the diverse conditions these units faced, how they responded to these conditions, what worked and what did not, and the successes they achieved. Some of the book's key themes include: * Dealing with a localized insurgency * Navigating the political terrain * Searching for political solutions * Engaging the population and building popular support * Using reconstruction funds * Protecting the population * Employing restraint in the use of force * Finding the right balance between concentration and dispersion * Maintaining continuity * Operating with little strategic guidance |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Soldier's Best Friend Stephen Paul Stewart, 2016-05-01 Military working dogs are silently winning the war against the world’s deadliest insurgents; day after day saving soldiers’ lives in the most dangerous countries on the planet. Many have been rescue animals, neglected or mistreated by their owners before being given a new lease of life on the front line. From the featureless plains of Helmand and Kandahar to military bases in Germany, army dog teams work day and night to keep us safe but, until recently, their courage and sacrifice has not been fully understood or appreciated. Award-winning journalist Stephen Paul Stewart employs in-depth interviews together with years of research and frontline reportage to tell their gripping and emotional stories for the first time. ‘A fascinating insight into a little-known subject, A Soldier’s Best Friend is a moving and engrossing read.’ — Niall Edworthy |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Defending the realm? Aaron Edwards, 2018-02-28 Britain is often revered for its extensive experience of waging ‘small wars’. Its long imperial history is littered with high profile counter-insurgency campaigns, thus marking it out as the world’s most seasoned practitioner of this type of warfare. This is the first book to detail the tactical and operational dynamics of Britain’s small wars, arguing that the military’s use of force was more heavily constrained by wider strategic and political considerations than previously admitted. Outlining the civil-military strategy followed by the British in Palestine, Malaya, Kenya, Cyprus, Aden, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, Defending the realm? argues that Britain’s small wars since 1945 were fought against the backdrop of an irrevocable decline in British power. Written from a theoretically-informed perspective, grounded in rich archival sources, oral testimonies and a revisionist reading of the literature on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism, this is the definitive account of the politics of Britain’s small wars. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, 1920 Contains the 4th session of the 28th Parliament through the session of the Parliament. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Scottish Military Disasters Paul Cowan, 2008 A compilation of Scotland's failures on the battlefields of the world from Mons Graupius to Korea. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Gendering Military Sacrifice Cecilia Åse, Maria Wendt, 2019-02-12 This book offers a feminist analysis of military sacrifice and reveals the importance of a gender perspective in understanding the idea of honourable death. In present-day security discourses, traditional masculinised obligations to die for the homeland and its women and children are challenged and renegotiated. Working from a critical feminist perspective, this book examines the political and societal justifications for sacrifice in wars motivated by human rights and an international responsibility to protect. With original empirical research from six European countries, the volume demonstrates how gendered and nationalistic representations saturate contemporary notions of sacrifice and legitimate military violence. A key argument is that a gender perspective is necessary in order to understand, and to oppose, the idea of the honourable military death. Bringing together a wide range of materials – including public debates, rituals, monuments and artwork – to analyse the justifications for soldiers’ deaths in the Afghanistan war (2002–14), the analysis challenges methodological nationalism. The authors develop a feminist comparative methodology and engage in cross-country and transdisciplinary analysis. This innovative approach generates new understandings of the ways in which both the idealisation and the political contestation of military violence depend on gendered national narratives. This book will be of much interest to students of gender studies, critical military studies, security studies and International Relations. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: At the End of Military Intervention Robert Johnson, Timothy Clack, 2015 Written by leading scholars and practitioners, this is the first book to explore the specifics of what happens at the end of military intervention. It draws upon on a wide range of post-1945 examples from a variety of regions and periods, providing a foundational source on what forms a crucial element of past and present interventions. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: The Good War Jack Fairweather, 2014-11-11 In the earliest years of the war in Afghanistan, after the Taliban fell to an American-led coalition, the fight there appeared to be a triumph—a “good war” in comparison to the debacle in Iraq. Now, thirteen years after it began, it has turned into the longest war in U.S. history, as well as the most profligate; at an estimated $4 to $6 trillion, the final price tag for America’s part in the war in Afghanistan will be higher than that of World War II. And with thousands of coalition servicemen and Afghan civilians having paid for the war with their lives or limbs, the true cost of this futile expedition may never be properly calculated. As we wind down our combat operations in Afghanistan and slouch toward withdrawal, the time is right for a full accounting of what went wrong. In The Good War, acclaimed author and war correspondent Jack Fairweather goes beyond the battlefield to explore the righteous intentions and stunning hubris that brought the United States and its allies to the verge of defeat in this far-flung theater. Drawing on hundreds of interviews, troves of previously untapped material from Afghan government archives, and months of experience living and reporting in Afghanistan, Fairweather traces the course of the conflict from its inception following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 to its steady drawdown during President Obama’s second term, in the process offering a bold reassessment of the war. He describes how the Bush administration came within a hair’s breadth of making peace with the Taliban in 2002. He shows how Afghan opium could have rebuilt the country rather than destroying it. And he provides the most intimate portrait yet of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, arguing that Karzai’s gravest mistake was giving in not to warlords but rather to the international community, which has consistently prevented him from taking the necessary steps to help Afghans seize their own future. A timely lesson in the perils of nation-building and a sobering reminder of the limits of American power, The Good War leads readers from the White House situation room to Afghan military outposts, from warlords’ palaces to insurgents’ dens, to explain how the US and our allies might have salvaged the Afghan campaign—and how we might rethink other “good” wars in the future. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: 6th Guards Tank Brigadethe Story of Guardsmen in Churchill Tanks Patrick Forbes, 2015-10-15 The 6th Guards Armoured Brigade was formed in 1941 from the Infantry of the Guards. In 1942 all British armoured divisions were reorganised to have one armoured brigade and one motor brigade. The 6th Guards Armoured became an independent tank brigade being renamed as the 6th Guards Tank Brigade. The brigade now equipped with the Churchill tank, served in the North West Europe Campaign landing in Normandy on 20 July 1944. They went onto take part in Operation Bluecoat, the attack by the British Second Army at the Battle of Normandy, from 30 July 1944 to 7 August 1944. The geographical objectives of the attack were to secure the key road junction of Vire and the high ground of Mont Pincon. Strategically, the attack was made to support the American exploitation of their breakout on the western flank of the Normandy beachhead. They also saw action during Operation Veritable, a pincer movement conducted by Montgomery's 21st Army Group to clear and occupy the land between the Rhine and Maas rivers, and finally ending the war at Lubeck on the Baltic Sea. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: The Official History of the Falklands Campaign: War and diplomacy Lawrence Freedman, 2005 Follows the task force to the South Atlantic, through the battles of early May that saw the loss of the Belgrano and the Sheffield, and on to the landings at San Carlos and the eventual surrender of the Argentine garrison. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Defending Air Bases in an Age of Insurgency Shannon Caudill, Air University Press, 2014-08 This anthology discusses the converging operational issues of air base defense and counterinsurgency. It explores the diverse challenges associated with defending air assets and joint personnel in a counterinsurgency environment. The authors are primarily Air Force officers from security forces, intelligence, and the office of special investigations, but works are included from a US Air Force pilot and a Canadian air force officer. The authors examine lessons from Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflicts as they relate to securing air bases and sustaining air operations in a high-threat counterinsurgency environment. The essays review the capabilities, doctrine, tactics, and training needed in base defense operations and recommend ways in which to build a strong, synchronized ground defense partnership with joint and combined forces. The authors offer recommendations on the development of combat leaders with the depth of knowledge, tactical and operational skill sets, and counterinsurgency mind set necessary to be effective in the modern asymmetric battlefield. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Pride and Fall Sergio Miller, 2024-11-14 A detailed new account of the British military campaign in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014, based on the experiences of those who served. On 11 September 2001 19 al-Qaeda-inspired jihadists hijacked four aircraft and mounted the deadliest terrorist attack in history. The outrage triggered a chain of events that saw British forces drawn into a lengthy military campaign against a fierce insurgency in Afghanistan. In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, NATO invoked Article 5 of the Washington Treaty that obligated military assistance to the United States. The British government supported the initial US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, and subsequently committed troops to Kabul and northern Afghanistan from 2002 onwards. However, in January 2006, following NATO's expansion southwards, Britain committed a battlegroup from the Parachute Regiment to Helmand Province in what became known as Operation Herrick, with Defence Secretary John Reid stating he 'would be perfectly happy to leave in three years and without firing one shot'. The reality was very different. From 2006 to 2014, a succession of British task forces rotated through Helmand and fought against an implacable enemy. When they finally withdrew in 2014, British forces had suffered losses of more than 450 killed and 2,000 wounded. The Taliban were not defeated and would grow stronger. Sergio Miller served in Defence Intelligence in Whitehall throughout the campaign, and Pride and Fall answers the many questions surrounding the conflict. Based on abundant open-source material generated by the war and first-hand testimonies, this is the story of the men and women who served. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: 10 years in Afghanistan , 2016 A book telling a remarkable decade of achievement of one army regiment in Afghanistan in the soldiers’ own words...This book gives the officers and soldiers of the Coldstream Guards the opportunity to speak their truth. -- Publisher's website. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II Richard Doherty, 2007-03-27 Osprey's study of Britain's Reconnaisance Corps of World War II (1939-1945). Either creeping through the landscape or mounted in armored cars and Bren carriers, Reconnaissance Regiments became a vital addition to all British infantry divisions. After the disastrous defeat in France in 1940, at the hands of German forces with strong recce units mounted in light armored vehicles, the Bartholomew Committee called for the formation of a British equivalent. This was achieved by forming the new elite Reconnaissance Corps.Their spearhead role meant that they were consistently at the forefront of all dramatic action, and most famously served with the 1st and 6th Airborne at Arnhem and with the Chindits in Burma.Within every theater of war, ranging from the jungles to the deserts, the Reconnaissance Corps made a critical contribution to the Allied war effort. However, with the disbandment of the Corps at the end of the war, their record has been unjustly forgotten.With a selection of rare and unpublished frontline photographs taken from private collections, this fascinating new insight into a forgotten elite unit of the British Army recounts the experiences of those soldiers who operated ahead of the army throughout the course of the war. |
| welsh guards afghanistan: Losing Small Wars Frank Ledwidge, 2017-02-21 This new edition of Frank Ledwidge’s eye-opening analysis of British involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan unpicks the causes and enormous costs of military failure. Updated throughout, and with fresh chapters assessing and enumerating the overall military performance since 2011—including Libya, ISIS, and the Chilcot findings—Ledwidge shows how lessons continue to go unlearned. “A brave and important book; essential reading for anyone wanting insights into the dysfunction within the British military today, and the consequences this has on the lives of innocent civilians caught up in war.”—Times Literary Supplement |
Welsh language - Wikipedia
Welsh (Cymraeg [kəmˈraːiɡ] ⓘ or y Gymraeg [ə ɡəmˈraːiɡ]) is a Celtic language of the Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales by about 18% …
Welsh language, alphabet and pronunciation - Omniglot
Welsh is a Celtic language spoken mainly in Wales (Cymru), and in the Welsh colony (y Wladfa) in Patagonia, Argentina (yr Ariannin). There are also Welsh speakers in England (Lloegr), …
Welsh language | Celtic Language, Welsh Dialects & Grammar ...
May 31, 2025 · Welsh language, member of the Brythonic group of the Celtic languages, spoken in Wales. Modern Welsh, like English, makes very little use of inflectional endings; British, the …
The history of the Welsh language | Visit Wales
If Welsh can seem complex and beautiful, it’s because it’s spent 4,000 years evolving. What’s certain is that it’s Britain’s oldest language. From Indo-European and Brythonic origins, the …
Welsh language - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Welsh, it is known as Cymraeg, or yr iaith Gymraeg, which means "the Welsh language". Welsh is spoken throughout the country: of of the 2021 census about 17.8% of people living in Wales …
A Complete Overview of the Welsh Language
Welsh (Cymraeg), a member of the Celtic language family, is one of the oldest languages in Europe, spoken for over 1,500 years. It is the official language of Wales and is a significant …
The History of the Welsh Language: From Ancient to Modern
The history of the Welsh language can be traced back to the arrival of the Celtic tribes in the British Isles around 600 BCE. These tribes spoke a variety of Celtic languages, which …
Welsh language - Wikipedia
Welsh (Cymraeg [kəmˈraːiɡ] ⓘ or y Gymraeg [ə ɡəmˈraːiɡ]) is a Celtic language of the Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales by about 18% …
Welsh language, alphabet and pronunciation - Omniglot
Welsh is a Celtic language spoken mainly in Wales (Cymru), and in the Welsh colony (y Wladfa) in Patagonia, Argentina (yr Ariannin). There are also Welsh speakers in England (Lloegr), …
Welsh language | Celtic Language, Welsh Dialects & Grammar ...
May 31, 2025 · Welsh language, member of the Brythonic group of the Celtic languages, spoken in Wales. Modern Welsh, like English, makes very little use of inflectional endings; British, the …
The history of the Welsh language | Visit Wales
If Welsh can seem complex and beautiful, it’s because it’s spent 4,000 years evolving. What’s certain is that it’s Britain’s oldest language. From Indo-European and Brythonic origins, the …
Welsh language - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Welsh, it is known as Cymraeg, or yr iaith Gymraeg, which means "the Welsh language". Welsh is spoken throughout the country: of of the 2021 census about 17.8% of people living in Wales …
A Complete Overview of the Welsh Language
Welsh (Cymraeg), a member of the Celtic language family, is one of the oldest languages in Europe, spoken for over 1,500 years. It is the official language of Wales and is a significant …
The History of the Welsh Language: From Ancient to Modern
The history of the Welsh language can be traced back to the arrival of the Celtic tribes in the British Isles around 600 BCE. These tribes spoke a variety of Celtic languages, which …
