Spoken from the Front Read Online Free PDF

[assault rifle], and possibly one
had a PKM [machine-gun] with a slightly longer barrel. We
were still operating everything under self-defence [Rules of
Engagement]. They were probably 150 metres closing to 100
metres of where the friendlies [British forces] were. I was the
aircraft commander in the front seat where you operate
the sights and do most of the firing. You make sure the sight,
TADS [targeting acquisition designating sight], is pointing
accurately at the target; it's compensated for motion so it's
nice and steady. You're zoomed in on the day TV camera as
much as you can be. You lase [laser] for range, action the gun,
check the range and, provided there are no other weaponeering
messages, you fire. You watch for the fall of shot,
adjust accordingly, and fire again.
    Our first burst was perhaps fifteen to twenty metres from
the target and we got cleared to fire again with a good rounds
call from the JTAC. We could see the muzzle flashes so we put
120 rounds in and around the wall. They stopped firing but
there was an orchard on the west side so we couldn't see any
bodies or if we actually got them. We know that they no
longer fired so it achieved its aim and the Para platoon swept
through the area. Knowing what I know now, I could have
paused a little bit more so that my initial burst was as accurate
as it could have been rather than firing off axis. If you're
running straight at them it's going to be more accurate and,
hopefully, you can hit them before they start running. The
best approach is to track them, then ambush them with 30mm
rounds at the point of your choosing.
    But it was good. We had four different radios going: an Ops
Room radio, an inter-aircraft radio and two different
frequencies speaking to the controller of two different
company groups. So the divvying up of tasks within the
cockpit can be tricky.
    The contact went on for five or ten minutes. When it went
quiet, we came back for fuel. But the Paras had done pretty
well to clear through a pretty dodgy area. It was an eyeopener
for everyone at that time. Later in the day, our pair [of
Apache] went back up to co-ordinate the pick-up and
recovery. The recovery was done with one or two Chinooks
less than the drop-off to squeeze it in before we lost the light.
Our role was to provide the continued cover as well as confirming
the pick-up grid for the Chinooks. It was hot and the
Chinooks were [each] picking up forty-four guys plus all
their kit. By all accounts it was pretty sporty lifting out of the
landing site with extremely limited power. Fortunately everyone
got back [safely] and it was mission accomplished.
    The temperature and the altitude make a real difference to
how thin the air is and how hard the engines have to work
to produce the same power. In the UK, lifting the same aircraft
load, we would have been lifting with approximately 82
per cent power. In Afghanistan, in 45°C at 3,000 feet, we
would probably be lifting at 93 per cent power. But that was
our first big op and it felt good to be a part of it.
23 May 2006 [diary]
    Flight Lieutenant Christopher 'Has' Hasler, DFC, RAF
    It's been a long day. Into work for 0300 to start learning the
ropes of DA [duty aviator]. I also had to do myriad jobs for
the boss. Not that I minded, of course: the poor guy has shitloads
on his plate at the moment and it probably helps him a
great deal if someone reads his emails for him (although I'm
sure he will reread them anyway).
    We were all told there is a rescue op going on. A number of
ANP [Afghan National Police] had been driven out of their
town by the TB [Taliban] (10 kilometres west of Kajaki Dam).
They are holing up in a safe-house, which is located in the
middle of a steep valley. They do not have comms and it is
unknown how many of them are still alive or if they have
been overrun completely. The last report, which was received
4–5 hours ago, said they were down to 20 rounds apiece. We
all know that the TB do not take PoWs.
    Our mission is to take