Inside this issue:

Commanding Officers Foreword

It has been another hectic week for us all over here in Afghanistan. With the Squadrons continuing their good work across Helmand - many are operating with little supervision or communication to the wider Task Force, yet they remain committed and professional in all that is asked of them. It is going extremely well.

29 AES - Stories from 3 the Patrol Bases (Check out page 9 for the Hunks of the Fortnight) 37 AES - Special edition including G4 - It just happens 10

Ive spent the last few days moving around and visiting guys on the ground. I recently went into the North44 HQ & SP SQN 20 ern Dashte a large expanse of deOfficially in the seat sert that has few inhabitants; you drive for miles and yet despite the rugged terrain, blistering heat and dry environ77 Talisman Squad31 ment you can still come across small communities of families, each one ron - Including the first seeking a safe and secure place to bring up their children, raise livestock LAD article and farm their crops. It appears almost medieval in how these farmsteads are laid out and existing, despite the technology of the 21 st century that surrounds.
11 Field Squadron including the new SSM little eye 39

Once we left the Dashte, we entered the Green Zone, a heavily irrigated area of farmland and vegetation in which the majority of the population The BAG BOYS 49 live it is also home to the enemy; a tactful and determined insurgent, who were clearly watching our every move. We eventually found the PaNEW! trol Base we were to visit, but in order to enter it we had to negotiate an old Russian minefield that had been laid by the Soviets during their occupation of Afghanistan in the early 80s. Rusty and decaying anti-tank What did Baby Hector 52 mines could be seen half-covered in the sand as we passed by.
find in the ground? Find out on page..

I visited 8 Troop 37 Sqn, led by Lt Will Abbot and ably supported by Cpl Simpson. Along with a couple of sections, the 37 lads were doing a You can not miss the 57 cracking job trying to make the bases better to live in for the forthcoming all new Toe-Jam winter. They are constructing elevated guard towers to look over the inTimes surgent routes from which they launch their attacks against our bases, as NEW! well as preparing defences against grenades that are fired through the Caption competition, 56 air or directly at anyone who is associated with either the NATO forces or representatives of the Afghan government. It is clear their efforts are can you come up with warmly received by the Danish troops in the area. the funniest caption?
Issue 5 06 October 2011 Page 1

The enduring threat of insurgent activity is very real out here. Last week, whilst I was in the Brigade Headquarters, a large car bomb was detonated outside a bakery near the local police station in Lashkar Gah. It was only 200m from the Headquarters, which shook under the blast so much I thought it was a direct hit. We continued our coffee whilst huddled under our desks. Once we had finished our lattes, we were moved into a fortified shelter for an hour whilst waiting to see if another attack was imminent thankfully it wasnt. It was like the Blitz, with Captain Jimmy Ryan keeping us all entertained with his weird sense of toilet humour. Despite such a violent incident, the overall prevailing sense of security and safety is evident. The Afghan Army, some of which are being mentored by elements of the Regiment, alongside the expanding Police force, are delivering a credible and strong security apparatus in which economy and governance is growing daily. It is a far cry from when I was last in Helmand in 2008. It is great to see everyone in such good form wherever I go. Despite the threat of the enemy, coupled with the austere and basic living conditions we often find ourselves in, the boys and girls are always up for the challenge and doing amazing things; it is called persistent courage and I see it every day from everyone. I hope that the tenacity, professionalism and sharp sense of humour from across the Regimental Group comes out in this, our second edition of the Trojan Times. We also have a special section called the Toe-jam Times, which are a series of lighthearted articles from anonymous authors. Together, the newsletter should give you an insight into what we have achieved over the last 2 weeks. Enjoy.
Lieutenant Colonel Kev Copsey - Commanding Officer

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29 Armoured Engineer Squadron

Officer Commandings Foreword

Welcome to the second newsletter from 29 Armd Engr Sqn on Op HERRICK 15. The Sqn is well into the stride out here now and I, with the SSM, have been travelling around visiting 4 and 5 Troop in their PBs and CPs. Spirits are high, everyone is settled in and the work is starting to build up. I will be out to 6 Tp in the next couple of days. The sections continue to provide support to the CFs in a wide variety of tasks including a route upgrade, SANGER step construction, base improvements for winter and the removal of obsolete structures to create extra space. The Sqn have already impressed the soldiers of 1 RIFLES and 4 SCOTS with their enthusiasm and ingenuity around the various PBs making the quality of life better. A couple of larger jobs are on the horizon too! Sadly we had the terrible news about one of our members of the Squadron being wounded in action and seriously injured. He was deployed with the EOD & Search Task Force but is still firmly a part of 29. He lived and trained in Paderborn throughout his preparation for the search role and will return back to the Sqn. The Rear Ops Group will establish a link to him to ensure he is supported throughout his recovery. Having been given immediate treatment here in Camp Bastion he is now in the best medical hands back in the UK. I am certain I speak for every soldier and family in 29 by extending our thoughts and support to his family at this difficult time. I would also like to thank everyone for all of the support that we have received in theatre so far with hundreds of letters and parcels arriving over the last three weeks. SHQ are sending the mail forward as quickly as possible to the PBs but it takes a little longer to get to some locations depending on the availability of space on helicopters. Si Carvel

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Patrol Base 2 - My new home

Spr Chris Rosie. 5 Troop
On the 12th September 2011 we moved to the JOB Bastion Helicopter Landing Site (HLS) for the short journey to our Patrol Base (PB) in NES(S). After an airport style check-in and baggage check we waited for the helicopter to arrive. The Sea King landed and we piled on with all of our kit. The helicopter took off and we left the safe walls of Joint Operating Base Bastion. I sat next to the door of the Sea King and I remember feeling an almost unbearable heat on my face as the aircraft climbed higher. As the flight went on I started noticing compounds and people getting on with their daily lives. This is when it started to hit home to me that this was the real thing. The Sea King landed at PB 2 and we were met by some of our Troop who had arrived on the earlier flight. They helped us off load our equipment and showed us where we were going to be living for the next 6 months. We had been given an 18 x 24 tent which had individual mosquito tents inside. My first impression was that there was not a lot of space but enough to get by. That evening we met one of the Staff Sergeants from 39 Armoured Engineer Squadron. He gave us a map orientation of the Area of Operation (AO) we were going to be working in. We were told that we were going out the following morning to visit all of the other PBs in our AO and I was to be the top gunner in the Mastiff. We set off early the next morning onto our first mission. The first thing I noticed was the smell; it was unpleasant to say the least. In majority of places we drove through, I couldnt really believe the way the people lived and how different life in Afghanistan is by comparison to the West.

5 Troop settling in around the TV

After our orientation patrol, we were assigned with our first engineering task. One of the PBs had 3 mortar pits that required to be stripped out to generate more space for the infantry vehicle park. The plant had just stripped out the first mortar pit when we were assigned with a higher priority task from SHQ. We had to help 6 Troop with a route upgrade because they needed extra vehicles to help with resources and force protection. The other two mortar pits would have to wait. (Ed: See Spr Shaws Article) The first week has gone well. Although it has been very warm and nerve racking at times, the experience so far has been exhilarating. The Tp is looking forward to getting stuck into some bigger tasks and Im sure they are on the horizon.

5 Troop, PB4 stripping out of a mortar pit

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Patrol Base NAHIDULLAH

Spr Matthew Chadwick- 6 Tp
After months of training and hard work we have finally arrived at our forward location in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. After a smooth handover from 9 Troop, 39 Engineer Armoured Squadron we have begun our 6 month tour! The Troop has been slowly making their way to PB NAHIDULLAH (NDH) in NES(S). During our short time in the country the Troop has been out on two tasks. Firstly, the replacement of a broken culvert and secondly a road build to help movement for locals and ISAF. The rest of the time we have been planting our feet and settling in. PB NDH is better than I had expected or led to believe. Inside our accommodation 6 Troop settle in for a good, old fashioned game of we have a welfare area with a TV and monopoly BFBS, so even when we are away we can keep up with current affairs and the footy! The carpenters have managed to create benches and tables from spare wood and blow up mats that make it a home away from home. We have two 12x12 tents with a section sleeping in each. We have made them pretty comfortable with our flags and photographs the only let down is the smell of feet! There is also a small gym and the PB is large enough to run around. We have all been taking full advantage of the facilities and Op MASSIVE is in full force. We have a regular delivery of mail and even at this early stage are very grateful of any news from home. We also get a good selection of newspapers and magazines (occasionally a month or two out of date, but cant complain).

6 Troop settling in, mail is morale!

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Spot the celebrity

The Troop has also started a bit of celebrity spotting and so far we have spotted Ross Kemp and Cheryl Cole. Unfortunately, Cheryl did not make it as far down as PB NDH but a lucky few of the 6 Troop guys got a glimpse and a quick photograph when they were on courses in Bastion. All that is left to say is that we have all settled in well and we will keep you all updated on 6 Troop adventures.

Spot the celebrity

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Route TAVISTOCK Improvements

Spr Phillip Shaw- 6 Tp

After one day of travelling into Afghanistan, just over a week in Camp Bastion, a forty minute Chinook flight into our Patrol Base, it was finally time to put all the skills we had learnt as a troop, sections and indeed as individuals into practice out on the ground in Southern Afghanistan. Our first task was a route upgrade just off one of the main supply routes running parallel to our patrol base. As with anything out in Afghanistan nothing is ever as simple as it sounds.

Working hard on a route upgrade

Firstly in order to carry out the task, specialist equipment had to be brought in from several different locations around our area of operations. This included a Self Loading Dump Truck, one Wolfhound, one Husky (big armoured trucks) and finally the manpower to operate and drive each of the vehicles. We would also be working with Afghan civilian plant operators therefore the language barrier and cultural differences would have to be taken into consideration. Improvised Explosive Devices are always a threat and before we could start work on the task site the rest of the route would have to be cleared and deemed safe enough for us to carry out the task. All these factors require detailed planning and organising in order for the whole task to be completed safely, to the required standard and on time.

6 Troop working on a route upgrade

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The night before the task was to be carried out we met up with the members of 5 Troop in another Patrol Base close to the task site. Here we received orders so each person knew exactly what role they were to carry out the following day. Reveille was at 0530hrs, a quick wash then breakfast and a brew. We were all in the vehicles ready to make the short drive down to the task site. As daylight broke, we turned off the main supply route and onto the track leading us to the task site. It couldnt have been more than 200m down this track before we hit our first hurdle of the day, Lt Tomsetts Husky had broken down. With no power and the rest of the convoy at a standstill along the track, we had to act quickly in order to prevent ourselves becoming targeted. We quickly cleared an area for the other Husky to move around to the front of the convoy, hook up to the broken down vehicle and recover it back to the Patrol Base we had just come from. After a quick rethink on logistics and manpower required, we were soon back on the road. With one Husky and several members of 5 Troop lighter. Standing in our way of the route to be upgraded were several VAs (vulnerable areas, where Taleban bombs might be found). In this case it was 4 culverts which unfortunately other PBs around the area could not get eyes on. It took us several hours to check these VAs and with the help of the infantry clearing the last culvert it was time to start the task. Through an interpreter we explained what needed to happen and set to work. We had top cover from each of our vehicles in the convoy and in addition the PBs close enough also gave us cover from any insurgent threat. Within 3 hours the route upgrade had been completed, aggregate had been laid and then rolled flat. With only a few minor complications the task all ran smoothly. The route is now a far safer place for the locals to traffic their livestock and vehicles across. The whole task took just shy of 12 hours to complete, we even made it back to our PB to watch Manchester United beat Chelsea! A good day all round........

6 Troop looking like they are ready for anything

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Hunks of the Fortnight!

Just look at these fine specimens of physical prowess!

Here they are just chilling after a session in the gym. Phew, that last rep was hard!

You can see this man has been working out already!

He appears to be missing a piece of equipment to make him grimace so much...dumb bells?!

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37 Armoured Engineer Squadron

Officer Commandings Foreword

We are now getting in to our stride and as you will see from the articles below there is a lot going on. Across our areas of responsibility we are building medical facilities, accommodation, eating areas, ammo stores, sangars, new camps and upgrading old ones. The work is entirely rewarding and will serve to make the front line fighters safer and more comfortable. I am hugely impressed and indebted to everyone who is working hard in the Squadron, both here and back there (even the G4 platoon - although I'm sure someone said that stuff just happens). I've been up to the new area of operations three times now and visited the outstations that are being developed; Corporals Vinante, Anderson and Cooper and their men are doing sterling work in some challenging circumstances; it is really good to see the professional, can-do attitude coming through in all we do. The next few weeks will see us roll out the armoured support group with Corporals Dodson, Stevens and Roberts leading the way in support of the Danish contingent - more of which in the next newsletter I expect. I hope you are all well back home and enjoying seeing the photos. As ever, please let us know if there is anything we can help you with on the home front - if you need an Armynet account set up; it is not too late - let Sergeant Sean Killen know and I will get your beloved to an internet terminal (by hook or by crook) to square it away (although you might have to give me a couple of days!). Take care of yourselves. Guy Boxall

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Squadron Overview
Captain Dominic Riley
So here we are 2 weeks in and it feels like we have been here forever! The guys are spread to the four winds in a total of six different locations and we've certainly been thrown in at the deep end. UK responsibility has recently extended to the North and this means we are taking over a new area of operations from the Americans. This means as Engineers we have a huge role to play. The US Army by its very ethos is extremely expeditionary, in real terms this means that they are not fussed about infrastructure and if they told you they were leaving tomorrow you could well believe that they would be capable of doing just that. The British Army's ethos is quite different and thus much work needs to be done. Originally just a 9 Tp task, 7 and 8 Tp are now supplying sections to the build in order to meet the deadline of the in bound British battle group that is replacing the US Marine Corps. The construction tasks are manifold with a major upgrade of the main FOB ongoing. This includes the provision of water, power, accommodation and of course Force Protection, plenty of HESCO to fill, sangars to build and EPADs and EPATs for those of you familiar with the terms. (These are pre-design 'kits' easy to build but providing extremely good protection to the guys that live and work inside them. They are used for accommodation, operations rooms and medical posts). Additionally in the main FOB we will have to build concrete pads for the REME to fix the vehicles on, an area for the logistic support vehicles, an ammo bunker to protect the ammunition from the weather, a fuel point and of course ensure that the base and the people in it are protected from the elements, be it hot sunshine or the winter rains. A lot of work I'm sure you will agree. That's not the whole story though. The main FOB has a few satellite patrol bases and check points that surround it to give us a bigger foot print on the ground. A patrol base tends to be bigger than a check point. Both these are not as well developed in terms of the infrastructure. For example the main FOB has a well but the CPs and PBs will be on bottled water. The emphasis on these satellite bases is on force protection rather than creature comforts. The lads tend to enjoy these smaller bases more as they are far from the interfering grip of SHQ! Around the rest of the AO there is plenty for the rest of the lads to be getting on with but don't let me keep you, here are the troop updates...

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Forward Operating Base KHAR NIKAH

Sapper 'Pistol' Pete Broxton - 7 Troop
On the 13th Sept 2011 our section deployed in the evening to Forward Operating Base, FOB, KHAR NIKAH by CHINOOK helicopter. Our Section Commander Master Two Stripes Cpl Nick Amos and second in command Riggers big hair Lance Corporal Shabba Rigby, where already waiting for us. The section consisting of, Sappers Pistol Pete Broxton, Billy Crump, Bobby Balfe, Terry Tez Pangop and Meatball Eminem G10 slave JJB Malcom! Once we had arrived and had received a quick FOB brief we were baptised with two hour stags, although poor Pistol drew the unlucky straw and ended up doing 4 hours, cheers infantry! We then started with our first task which was to finish a vehicle platform, another engineer Sqn had started... we had to strip out 99% of it out to make sure we hit the standard of 7 Troop 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron! Many thanks to our ginger POM Billy Crump who made our job easier. Most days our section commander has been fully kitted up, with additional combat nappy, half barmine and morale for his recces for our up coming jobs.

A view from Forward Operating Base KHAR NIKAH

On our second evening we were all given training on being 'number twos' in the mortar teams which was required as everyone has two jobs when stationed here in the FOB. Once we finished the training we all had to go through their initiation which we can not tell you anything about as it is a Engineering mortar team secret. So far we have a count of 335 rounds of various types, fired. On the FOB we have sinks and showers and great chefs but the main fall down is the bags which substitute for toilets... don't ask! The most recent job we had, to my delight, was sorting out the stinking drainage, all went well with many time saving ideas from master two stripes, Balfey and myself pistol Pete. I especially enjoyed wading through the bog to clear the last of the blockage. Overall we have settled in well and morale is rather high, Im quite sure that will drain away in the not so distant future with some long hours and jobs!

Spr Broxton, Balfe Malcom and Cpl Amos coming to the end of a long days work.
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Patrol Base RAHIM 8,6,4 Sangar

LCpl Ross 'Atko' Atkinson - 8Troop
On the 9 Sep 11 the advance party from 8 troop 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron moved into Patrol Base, PB Rahim in the early hours of the morning and were welcomed by the 26 Squadron lads from 32 Engineer Regiment, who were very happy to see us. We spent the day doing a handover takeover of our accommodation and some plant, HUSKEYs and an SLDT(P) which were all looking a bit forlorn from over work. On the 12th Sep 11 we were tasked to deconstruct an elevated sangar built only two days before our arrival as its supports were bending under the weight and it had been deemed unsafe. So our 'troop' consisting of four plant operators and a fitter, led by Cpl Simpson began the strip out of the EES. Naturally we had no one who was able to use the SLDT(P) so all the HESCO fill had to be removed by hand in full kit. The only Luxury...................PB Rahim in all its glory break in the day was when we had to down tools and get down from the sangar as a Chinook flew in. Underestimating the downwash of the helicopter, because we wanted a good picture we lost 3 of our 4 cameras to the dust which was not great. By the end of a long and sweaty day the condemned sangar was down and we could start building our HESCO sangar to replace it. Up early, our small section, now led by Cpl Cooper, began the tricky task of incorporating our sangar into the deteriorating and uneven existing corner wall. After some ground prep we finally managed to attach the new HESCO to the old and were on our way to completing the first layer in a day. After quick showers and a bit of scoff we got down to some serious monopoly in the evening. It was during the evening that Troopy Abbott invented 'monopoly lottery' where the 'winner' got to write this media article, "So who's got Old Kent Road then? you can do it." Thankfully the next day the rest of the Troop arrived and after a quick orientation were straight into kit and building HESCO. It was a mega first day, especially as the top layer had to be filled entirely by hand, a lot of sweat and a few hundred sandbags later the top layer was in. Our 'stand in' chippys; who were really traded signaller's and painters; did a good job on the roof and stairs, who needs carpenters? Sangar complete, the troop was thrown straight into a multitude of tasks from upgrading the gym to new desert roses round the PB.

The start of another hard days work

A hard and fast start to the tour but at this rate the days will fly by.
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Camp Life (Patrol Base RAHIM)

Lieutenant Will 'Sqn OC' Abbott - 8 Troop
Greetings from 8 Troop, today is the 20th September 2011 meaning the troop have almost been in theatre for three weeks, not that anyone is counting just yet! No doubt you will have all heard about the hard work, blood, sweat and tears. So here is a little insider into how the Troop have been relaxing, unwinding and getting to grips with life in Afghanistan. I should point out at this point that no one has actually cried! However everyones money is on Sapper Pascoe to be the first to well up, the big softy that he is! Over the past few weeks the Troop have been up at 0700hrs each day, working through until the day's tasks are complete, leaving them some time in the evenings to relax. There have been a few heated games of monopoly which mainly end in LCpl Atkinson being bankrupt and getting 'pinged' to write media articles. Sapper Bond has turned his hand to chess and proven himself to be a grand master, beating all challengers, apart from the Troop commander for obvious reasons (editors note: liar). Operation 'Get massive' is in full flow thanks to the makeshift gym at PB RAHIM, the protein powder is on tap and Sapper Jahatah is currently leading the way. However everyones money is on Sapper muscles Atkinson to get the most improved prize after starting off with the body of a 5 year old boy! Fitness is key but imagine a goldfish in a bowl exercising - the current record stands at 50 plus laps of the helicopter landing site in the PB. Sapper Yallop has fallen in love with two stray cats, however Staff Norman has quickly told him that if he goes anywhere near them he will get rabies, this resulted in Sapper Yallop's love affair coming quickly to an end.

Troopy Abbott posing as usual

The food here is good, we get 3 square meals a day which mainly consists of fried bacon, fried sausage, fried bacon, fried sausage and then to top it off a little more fried bacon. However Sapper Carter-Smith and Cpl Simpson have used their haggling skills to good use managing to secure the Troop some sausages one night, which they quickly cooked up on a makeshift BBQ. BBQd sausage made a nice change from fried!

Hard at work in Patrol Base Rahim

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The living area consists of three tents, an ISO container and a sitting area which is all cordoned off, meaning the Engineers get to have their own 'love in'. The door proudly bears the 'Noddy' emblem of 37 AES (please see attached pose with Sapper Nicholl and Sapper Pascoe). The toilets consist of a foil bag, to which I will add no more! The showers are rigged up in tents and plumbed into the water system in the PB. Sapper Robertson can be found in them most nights drenched in water, holding a spanner whilst trying to fix a million leaks. The internet here is ok and everyone is allocated roughly twenty minutes a day. Unfortunately lap tops were not designed to be lugged around the steaming hot dessert and seem to be on their last legs already. We have a couple of Sat phones which are literally a brick with an antenna attached. They are a bit intermittent and make the person on the other end of the phone sound like R2D2 or ET but they serve a purpose and if you are into robots it's a win, win situation. Unfortunately 8 Troop will be splitting in two tomorrow to start separate tasks in different areas of operations. Morale is high, and I have no doubt they will go on with the same professional attitude, working hard and playing chess, thats just how 8 Troop rolls.

Spr Pascoe and Nicholl showing the OC and 2IC what guns should look like.

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Combat Out Post OUELETTE

Lieutenant Alex 'O Group' Dow - 9 Troop

Gatorade milkshakes, chilli dog burgers, muffins, an endless supply of sodas and RIP energy drink this was the beginning of tour for 9 Troop, who are currently based in a US Marine Corps base known as COP OUELETTE. At an important transition between US and UK units, we have been working hard to prepare OUELETTE and smaller patrol bases in the area for 2 MERCIANs to occupy. In the ten days the Troop have been here, we have already constructed a new medical centre, built an ISAF accommodation area, upgraded the shower facilities and set up the power and lighting across the whole camp. Cpl Vinantes section has spent the last five days in a small ANA/US checkpoint, expanding and upgrading it for a partnered multiple to move into in a few days time. Daily routine is based around the tasks; weve been working into the evening in order to get tasks completed with a break in the heat of the day. Spr Hawthornes guitar is a much appreciated asset during this break; combine this with Cpl Andersons HESCO armchair and a tropical flavour drinks powder and you have the recipe for a perfect lunch break. With plenty of tasks on the horizon and a busy schedule, time is passing very quickly already. Unfortunately, the American caterers have already left, so we will have to get by somehow without the Gatorade milkshakes! Lastly here is a small 'token' effort from the G4 team - they are an episode late but you'll have to forgive them as the OC and 2IC have got them working hard, without sleep, its all they deserve you see!

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G4 - It Just HappensApparently
Anonymous member of the G4 Platoon
G4 for most people is a boring bind that is kind of understood, but nobody really wants to delve in to find out what truly goes on. In some cases those more challenged by G4 have been heard, when asked how does that work?, quoting such oddities as yep, it just happens. As explained by Field Marshall Rommel towards the end of WW2, he said the battle is fought and won by the Quartermaster Department (obviously 37s) before the first round is even fired. This is still the case today, but many still try to ignore the big fluffy tail that is still wagging that partially deaf and blind dog! Over the coming weeks we, 37 Armoured Engr Squadrons G4 team, who it apparently just happens for, will keep you all abreast of the goings-on of our journeys in and out of the hub of Camp Bastion. Some tales may be of woe. Some may bring laughter. Some may not be exactly, completely 100% accurate or strictly true, but everyone knows that truth should never get in the way of a good story. Anyway, onto the journeys start. True to form, the Quarter Masters Department of 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron once again drove off into the dawn-breaking skies over Europe days before the rest of the Sqn would even wake. This time though, it was not to Thetford, or even Salisbury Plain, but Hannover to catch a flight to UK, so we could fly back over Germany... perfectly reasonable of course! On arrival in UK we were given two Minis to move the 17 people and all their kit to live for 7 months over to Brize Nortonbudgets you see; again, this is perfectly reasonThe Quarter Master 37 Armoured able!

Enigineer Squadron

Making G4 just happen Brize Norton - Theres a place thats moved with the times. Dont ask for a lift there; that plane at the front gate might look like a knackered 1970s show piece, but thats the duty drivers motor. Of course we love the RAF (well, on the way home from Cyprus anyway) but after trying to book in for a flight that they didnt know existed, we had a little sense of humour failure perfectly reasonable of course!
Lets get this straight; we drove, flew and drove some more to get a flight that didnt exist... possibly not so reasonable! After Capt Joe Monaghan, the mild-mannered QM had explained that the flight did actually exist and that the check-in desk had their flight numbers mixed up on their board, we were in luck - they found our names under the right flight number... very reasonable indeed! It was now very late in a long day, so we got some sleep in a very reasonable hotel just a stones throw away from the terminal, only to be woken up 4 hrs before the flight... What the? We could have leopard crawled to the terminal in that time - WITH all our kit on. It was said that it was a ploy to make sure we were hanging out and slept all the way on the flight, which we did. After getting the blood back in our limbs, we arrived at somewhere really hot but actually quite reasonable. There were chairs and tables, just like the ones we used to have at school, you know, about 6 inches off the floor and big enough to get one arse cheek on... quite reasonable though I must say, as they had free snacks and water which should not be sniffed at in todays financial climate!
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The next part of the journey was aboard a massive beastie aircraft which had been loaded up and was ready and waiting for us. The only row of seats left when we boarded were right at the front of the aircrafts slide-in bays of seats. Winner I thought, a bit of free leg room for us. What are the chances of that happening? We buckled up, took off then the seatbelt lights went off to allow for a bit of a stretch. It was at that moment that I found myself facing the entrance to the only two covertly placed slide-in portaloos! What are the chances? Let me tell you, it was about 1 to164 on that flight! For the next few hours I was trying to sleep off our early call at Brize, whilst people queued up for the bog and at the same time trampled all over my feet and body armour in the 12 square inches of space for my feet and kit, not that I like to complain. We neared our destination in the dark and donned our helmets and body armour for the landing in Camp Bastion. That was a laugh a minute, as you can imagine there was plenty of space to put our body armour on in the 12 square outside the busy and now buzzing portaloo! I didnt visit myself as I must have mentally counted the sheer number of customers out of one eye and thought better of it. It was slightly amusing (for the first five minutes) seeing grown men dash for the plastic palace like 4 year old kids who have just woken up and dont know where they are. Our body clocks were all to pot after a lengthy travelling cycle of eat-sleep-move-eat-sleep-move as we flew a portion of the globe to our temporary new home. Finally we arrived in Bastion, for those who have travelled into military zones such as this, youll know the best way to cope is to jump on the conveyor belt of briefings, instructions, form-filling and cattle herding until youre told to sleep and eat again. When you wake youre briefed some more on the current situation, what to do and what not to do by the guys and girls who have just done it, seen it and been there. Its good... very good, current and life saving stuff that keeps us switched on. In the next episode of G4 It Just HappensApparently, 37 Armoured Engineer Squadrons Quarter Masters Department will share the delights of the first few weeks in Bastion, then well get right into the meat of G4. I know youre excited, but calm down. Well have a few photos next time too. Until then, farewell from the 24/7 G10 for Men and women of course but it didnt rhyme, sorry.

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Final Words
Captain Dominic Riley
There you have it another cracking two weeks in Afghanistan and we didn't even have to force the guys to say they were enjoying it. Recently we have received some high praise indeed, from one of the infantry CO's no less. Amusingly the locals have even asked if the ISAF troops keep slaves - when asked why they pointed to the Engineers and replied 'because that lot do all the work'! I think I'm rather proud of that! One thing is clear, we are busy, busy is good. It makes the time go quicker and the tour easier. We wish you all the best back home, the boys are thinking of you and I hope you are all enjoying the updates. From all in the Squadron management team, till next time, take care and best wishes.

A few extra photos from 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron

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44 HQ & SP SQN NEWS

Officer Commanding Foreword

Welcome to the second 44 Headquarters & Support Squadron newsletter. Time already seems to be passing by quicker than expected. I hope the same can be said for all the families at home. The articles that follow my introduction will give you a more detailed and in some cases a more candid update on what the Squadron has been up to and will be straight from the mouths of soldiers. They will explain their story as they see it with only editorial censoring being administered if deemed necessary. Since I was last in touch the squadron has certainly stepped up a few gears and are now fully involved with the myriad of tasks that a Headquarters & Support Squadron are required to fulfil in support to the wider regimental group. I feel the only way I can effectively show the diversity and complexity of the Headquarters Squadron role is to give you a quick synopsis of each department and the type of task they have been involved in up until now, so here goes; Members of Support Troop have been involved in the movement and protection of the outgoing and our Commanding Officer. Their task was to assist in a road move around the main areas of interest in Task Force Helmands Area of Operations. The Construction Supervision Cell personnel are continually being tasked to carry out reconnaissance and detailed design reports for future tasks. The Engineer Resources Team is flat out, ensuring the Field Squadrons are supplied with their requirement of engineer material when and where they need it. The Deployable Engineer Workshop wrestles with technical drawings to produce bespoke equipment for the units deployed forward of Camp Bastion. The Light Aid Detachment is working long hours to ensure all the Engineer Group vehicles and equipment is as road worthy as feasibly possible. The G4 team are constantly busy accounting for and supplying our guys and girls with all the stores and equipment they require to carry out their tasks. Finally the SHQ element, including the Chief Clerk and the small but able Signals team, provide the resources required for the command and control of the squadron. They are all skilfully guided by Captain Andy Kerr and the Squadron Sergeant Major Scott Misun who ensure that the squadron functions at maximum output, giving direction and guidance to individuals and departments when needed. I nearly forgot, we also have a long term lodger in the shape of the RSM, WO1 Gaz Mutch, who conducts the majority of his business from Camp Bastion and supports all the Engineer Squadron Sergeant Majors by giving guidance and advice when needed.

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I hope this has been a good insight into what we, 44 Headquarters and Support squadron, are up to and that it has illustrated the diverse roles and responsibilities we have as a Squadron whilst deployed on Op HERRICK 15. I would like to thank you for your ongoing support and understanding; it makes a real difference to the team and is very much appreciated.
Major Chris Darke Officer Commanding

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Take Over of Authority (TOA) Saturday 17 September 2011

WO2 (SSM) Scott Misun At 1200 on the 17 September the Sqn took over authority as the Task Force Helmand Engineer Group Headquarter& Support Squadron. Within seconds the 54 Sqn flag was replaced with ours and the numerous Commando dagger stickers removed from the Ops Room. Other various notices mentioning strange things like Galley, Rig and Wets were also disposed of. The only other thing to be endured were the remaining Commandos who on a daily basis thought they were auditioning for Mr Universe.

OFFICER COMMANDING MAJOR CHRIS DARKE ADDRESSING 44 HQ & SP SQN

The Sqn are now settled into a routine. Daily works are ongoing, guards are being undertaken and various small improvement projects are happening on camp. Everyone is in good spirits and living the schoolboy dream. The blokes dont seem convinced when I insist that civilians would pay thousands for the experience! Look forward to the next edition where we will be meeting Iqbal our friendly laundry operator. Not to be missed!

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First Patrol in Afghanistan

By Sapper Bakeberg Having just finished our initial training package, SSgt Hudson approached me saying that we had to reconnoitre one of the check points in Nad E-Ali South. The roof of the Operations room that they were using had collapsed when a helicopter hovered above it. The check point was called CP Perkha and we were to fly out of Camp Bastion at 06:40 on Wednesday the 14 th of September 2011. After waking up at 04:30 and getting everything ready we booked out at the Operations Room and got a lift to the airfield. As we arrived we found out that our flight was only at 10:00. So we came back to base and had a decent breakfast before we returned back to the airfield. It was another wait as we only ended up flying out at 11:00. We flew in a Sea King Helicopter which was not so nice because it is really hot inside. As we lifted off and started gaining altitude we constantly had really hot air blown in our faces. As soon as we reached altitude it was not that bad anymore as we had some decent airflow through the gunners hatch. Our first stop was at Lashkar Gah and then off to Patrol Base 2, which was where we got off. The flight was ok at first but as we neared the Helmand river, the pilot dropped altitude and snaked the helicopter through the air, making it a more difficult target for the insurgents to hit. We arrived at FOB 2 and were directed to the transit tent where we each had our own bed space. It was a long hot day. We had a bit of time to read our books and sort out any last bits of kit. I packed my day sack ready for the patrol the next day. We were meant to patrol out at 12:00 hrs on Thursday. The next morning we had breakfast and got all our kit together and waited for 12:00 hrs to report to the Rifle Companys Operations Room. When we arrived there we were told that our patrol out had been delayed as the section who were meant to take us out were involved in an operation and that it was taking longer than originally planned. So we waited in the waiting area where we were able to make copious amounts of tea and sort out any last little bits with our kit. It was a long wait but eventually the infantry patrol came in at round about 17:00 hrs.

Sapper Bakeburg and his temporary new home

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We were then told to be ready to go out in an hour or so. We got the settings on their radios so that we could put ours on the same channel. As we waited the hour we had loads of time to drink some water before we left. I dont know if it was because I had drunk too much water or whether it was just my nerves but I constantly had to urinate. We set out when it was still light but the sun was going down pretty quickly. The first bit of the patrol was through a built up area and was round about the same time that all the locals were on their way to mosque. As we reached the outskirts of the town we saw less and less people. We soon came to a check point which was about half the way out to CP Perkha. I think the relief on our faces were visible to be in a secure location. It did not last long because 10 minutes later we set off again. At this stage it was getting darker and darker by the minute. We left the track straight away and started off through fields and drainage ditches, most which was filled with water. It was hard going, and we could not really see that far around us as the maize was fully grown. I was surprised when we stumbled on to CP Perkha. It was dark at this stage, and just before the main gate there was a massive puddle where myself and about another 3 people in the patrol fell on our backsides. It was a great relief to finally take our body armour off and take a bit of time to relax. Having done this we got working on taking all the measurements and photos we needed of the Operations Room and the rest of CP Perkha. We were meant to patrol back the next morning at 05:00 hrs to catch our helicopter flight back to Camp Bastion, but that got cancelled when the wind picked up during the night. It was a long night as it was almost impossible to get any decent sleep. The wind was blowing sand all over the place. In the morning when we got up we were covered in dust. The patrol back the next day was not as bad as there were a lot of people and children all along the route back. The little kids were running after us and even offering us what looked like sweets or berries, but we thankfully declined their offers. We made it back to FOB 2 safe and sound but had a long wait for a flight back to Camp Bastion. We waited almost a whole day and ended up getting a lift in a Jackal vehicle back to Bastion. It was a really interesting trip back because we were able to see a lot more of the countryside. It was a good start to the tour getting out on the ground so early. It was a good feeling coming back and we were grateful that we came back safe and sound.

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Our first move across Helmand

LCpl Sevutia - Support Troop At 0645, the Escort Multiple, consisting of two Huskys and two Ridgebacks, were lined up, fully prepared for the task of moving the Commanding Officer of 35 and the Commanding Officer of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment around the different camps to see their soldiers. The first right turn after leaving Bastion led us onto Highway 1, the M1 of Afghanistan. 45 minutes later, we were safely turning into our first destination MOB Price, the Danish HQ, for the CO to be briefed by 37 Sqn, whilst the rest of us enjoyed real pastries and the best coffee in Helmand. Leaving MOB Price we preceded through the busy town of Gereshk, unfortunately losing 1 Helicopter Landing Site marking kit to a local child armed with wire cutters, before turning off Highway 1. We headed due North on Route Badger for an hour to FOB Oulette where 9 Troop, 37 Squadron are based. Once we were parked up the two Commanding Officers went to do what Commanding Officers do whilst the lads tried to get their heads down in the shade knowing that there was a good distance ahead of them still to travel. The next leg of the journey saw us heading south to our third destination. It was a long dusty road, after not driving a Ridgeback for four months it was hard work trying to follow the tyre tracks of the lead vehicle. Eventually we arrived at Patrol Base Attal. After a quick turn around we were on the road again this time on Route Elephant heading west to the Afghan National Army base, Patrol Base Jahan Zeb. After finishing at Patrol Base Jahan Zeb we were heading further west on our way to the final destination of the day, MOB Lashkah Gar. We spent the night in Lashkah Gar before we headed off early the next morning to see elements of 29 Squadron based in Patrol Base 2. On route back to Lashkah Gar, a few people, who are not members of 35 Engineer Regiment, were not feeling that great and had to utilise the sick bags in the back of a Ridgback. It took almost 3 hours and involved everyone dismounting in Gereshk to try and stop the local children pinching what ever they would get there hands attached to the outside of the vehicle. Once clear of Gereshk we were soon back in Camp Bastion safely and looking forward to the next 6 months.

Support Troop - ready for anything

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44 Headquarter and Support Company

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Running For Charity

SSgt Rob Finn - 44 Headquarter and Support Squadron Here is what we are doing; 10 people from 44 Headquarter and Support Squadron have started to run the equivalent distance from Wembley via all the Premiere League Football Clubs in the UK, in alphabetical order, eventually finishing back at Wembley. The total distance is 3020 miles. This will be split between the 10 people with a dead line of 1 March 2012. Can I at this point reiterate there is no cycling or rowing involved just running? Initially this does not seem like a huge task however when you factor 2 weeks R&R into the time line and not forgetting the volunteers taking part in this challenge are also going to have to continue putting one hundred percent into there own jobs it does not leave a great deal of time to complete the 3020 miles. The brave volunteers for the challenge ahead are; Warrant Officer Class 2 (MPF) Fitzy Fitzsimmons Staff Sergeant Rob Finn Staff Sergeant Ted Hudson Staff Sergeant SF Hammy Hammett Sergeant Foxy Fox Sergeant Sammy Chandler Sergeant Caz Carrington Lance Corporal Ronny Fong Sapper Anton Bakeberg Sapper Tim Jervis As you can already see from the list of elite athletes this has got challenge written all over it, especially when just getting up in the morning is a struggle for some. On the up side at least if any of these blokes belong to you, you should hopefully notice a good change when they return. The chosen charity is a childrens charity called Dreams Come True. The charity helps children that are terminally ill get away and be able to smile and enjoy what may well be there last months or even days. We have a just giving page where any of you can visit and donate as much or as little as you would like to. The page is www.justgiving.com/helmand-premiere-league-run. So there it is, the challenge has been set and the volunteers have stepped forward. Look out for photographs and updates in later editions of The Trojan Times.

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The Special exploits of SF Hammy

It was a warm evening with the sun going down far away in the distance. SF Hammy has THAT look in his eye. Ever gobby and ever deadly, he knows something is going to happen, but due to signing a disclaimer vowing to secrecy he carries on with his daily work. This trained tea drinker says nothing. Whilst sat in the dining facility (DFAC) with his beards he sits down to his meagre portion of what he can only class as peasant food. He sits and just looks at his food, not even bothering to pick up his diggers to tuck in with. All of a sudden there is a strange rumbling from outside the DFAC. The noise and vibrations get louder and more intense, he starts to smile. All of a sudden the lights go out and a number of thunder flashes go off within the DFAC. Pandemonium ensues, the infantry are screaming like little girls, the RAF Regt are hiding under the tables, the Engineers are robbing all the chocolate clairs from the desert counter. All of the sudden the lights go back on. There is now a chair on its back where Hammy was sat, and a note saying Be back whenever, Im off to eat Lobster, steak and beluga caviar. On the way back to the Sqn HQ lines the following was seen on the inside of a porta-loo amongst the rest of the tour graffiti.

When Chuck Norris grows up he wants to be like SF Hammy

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Robbie Flynn's puzzle page

Across: 1. Grown up boy Down: 1. Opposite to woman
1 1

Robbies Art Use your imagination to colour in the civilian version of what excites me daily

Interesting fact: At night time, the Mr Sun goes to bed and Mr Moon comes up to say hello.

Joke corner: Knock Knock Whos there? Doctor Doctor Who

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Ellies blog from Afghanistan

Hey kids Me again, my tan is coming along but I am starting to peel. Im back and I have grabbed a couple of your dads whilst I was out and about. They were not sunbathing like me, but working very hard.

For the second blog of this trip I have found two of your dads who want to say hello LCpl Sav Sevutia and Major Steve White. Sav Sevutia is part of the Combat Support Tp and is one of many guys that provide the vehicles and Bridge for the Regiment to use. Bill is also part of the Force Protection Multiple and will provide protection for anyone driving out of Camp Bastion. Sav has a special message for you at home. Drau bula vinaka tiko Vilimaina Sevutia, Kei, Semesa Sevutia keimami bulabula vinaka talega e Afghanistan, au sa loloma yani veikemudrau. Qai ia tikoga na veinanumi ena masu!! My second interview was with Major Steve White. Normally he is the Officer Commanding 44 Sqn but he has another job to do out here. He is part of the training team from the Brigade that are carrying out the important role of teaching the Afghan National Security Forces. In Steves case he will be involved in teaching the Afghan National Army to carryout the role which we currently do. The reason it is so important is that it will help us leave Afghanistan in safe hands. He will live with the Afghan Army for most of the time so no Pizza Hut for Steve, never mind more for me. Steve wants to send his love to his wife Ruth and their boys Cameron, Struan and Cchulainn and of course the dogs. As a special treat I managed to gate crash the Commandos party and get a picture with Cheryl Cole. Remember every day they are away is a day closer to coming home. Ellie OUT x

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77 TALISMAN SQUADRON NEWS Officer Commanding Foreword

Friends and Family of TALISMAN Squadron, Since I last wrote to you, 31 Armoured Engineer Squadron have returned to Hohne and we have taken over. Our flag is up, the Ops room has been adjusted to account for our slighty OCD tendencies and we generally own the volleyball court! We have got off to a busy start and already each of the Troops has completed an operation in support of the Combat Support Logistic Regiment. Their task: to lead the way, proving and clearing the routes, for a Combat Logistic Patrol as it resupplies the bases around Helmand Province. As I write this, 10 Troop are out on their second operation; this time a Deliberate Route Clearance. They have made excellent progress so far and are due to wrap it up by the end of the day. This will have been a hot and hard days work, requiring courage, sustained concentration and also patience from all involved. A cracking start! When not on task, life in Camp Bastion for most includes continuous and mission specific training, early morning Troop physical training (PT), a bit of volleyball and a bit of personal down time. The articles below will give you an insight into some of this and also the operations. I am pleased to say we have now also managed to pull together more photos from across the Squadron on Facebook, so there may be a chance of spotting that someone special........If you are unable to spot them this time, then let us know with a Facebook comment and the SSM will endeavour to capture him or her for the next albums he loves a challenge! Best wishes, Major Sam Hughes OC TALISMAN

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10 Troops First Op
Spr Lack Our first TALISMAN Op was to lead a Combat logistic Patrol (CLP) convoy of 60 vehicles to resupply all the patrol bases (PBs) around Helmand province. I was excited at first because this was the first time I had been on tour and I wanted to get out on the ground to see what it was like, however I was a bit apprehensive about what to expect. An early start meant that people were tired but morale was surprisingly high. Before we had even left Bastion, our TSA (Talisman Search Advisor) got lost trying to meet up with the CLP. The journey should have taken about 5 minutes but ended up being 35 minutes. Once on the road, the driving standards were something to see. The local nationals were MAD!

The busy roads of Afghanistan Trucks over taking cars at speeds over 50mph, drivers on their phones and waving all over the road, while their loads where hanging off. I'm surprised I didn't see a major crash. The worst truck I saw had a car on its flatbed with huge bales of crop on top of it, with another car on top of that. I have no idea how the load hadn't fallen off or how they managed to stack everything so high. At one point a tractor got that close, it took off a wing mirror from the support vehicle.

A beautiful sunset falls over the convoy

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Civilian activity on the route was quite high. I was quite surprised how the kids reacted to us; one minute they're giving us the thumbs up and the next minute the same kids are throwing rocks at our windows and cameras. Some kids were trying to steal things from our storage bins.

The terrain is very varied throughout the move When we reached the area of the Nahr-e-Bughra canal it got quite tight. As we were heading down by the canal, there were cars and goats trying to get around us when there was barely enough room for the Mastiff. As we reached the PB it was so surprising to see the normal pattern of life in the compounds around us. Some of them used British made cages for roofs, an indicator that we are trying to help. There was even a mobile phone shop! Returning back to Bastion at the end of the patrol, we all felt relief at completing our first operation outside the wire.

You learn to sleep anywhere!

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The first 2 weeks

Spr Van-Vollenstee - 11 Tp Weve been here in Afghanistan for two weeks now and over that period we have been learning and rehearsing old and new skills to carry out the Talisman role. Today was the first time that 11 Troop carried out the skills and drills of a Talisman troop. I can talk for everyone when I say; we were looking forward to it, keen to get out on the ground. So it started off incredibly early as we were preparing all the equipment and vehicles needed for the Op. We got out on the ground not long after and it looked bleak until a couple of kilometres into the desert where there were dozens of Afghan compounds surrounded by farmers fields. I thought for one minute that I was in the desert then it seemed that I was in someones back garden. As we were clearing the route looking for the best option to take, we came across a line of stones which indicated a type of marker that could have possibly been an IED so we avoided it. Route selection was vital for the lead mastiff to guide the CLP through a safe route.

What a Tash!

As we were clearing routes the Afghan people were just watching us as we passed by in our 25 ton vehicles; they did not seem bothered. We soon passed with no problems and were on our way to the 1st check point so the CLP could drop their stores off (i.e. water, rations).

The roads are pretty tight

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As the day went on it was interesting and exciting but in the back of my head I knew there could be a potential threat anywhere. As we were moving through the green zone we encountered a very tight left turn which was notorious for vehicles to get stuck and even roll, so everyone took their time and all the Talisman Troop made it round with ease. Then we received a message on the radio that the CLP had a vehicle roll on the corner so we had to wait for them to be recovered. As time passed by we finally received another message that it was all good to go and carry on with the Op. The final drop off had been a success but time was getting on and nightfall was approaching. We made our way back in pitch black conditions but we stayed strong, leading the rest of the convoy.

Oops!

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A normal week - If it exists

Spr Tom Egan A normal week is quite busy it really all depends on the Operations and tasks that have been planned. Each day will consist of various training but the day nearly always starts with PT. This will involve a run or some gym work, lovely for all those body beautiful blokes! The training will also always include the main elements of our normal job such as medical training, search training, vehicle training and weapons training. The medical training has been really good we have even started videoing the training to allow us to look back over the day and learn from each others mistakes. It also allowed LCpl Kara Fowles, our Troop medic, the chance to watch us all, picking out any mistakes and helping us to remedy any faults. She is quite a tough cookie, picking us up for any little thing! Each day would normally finish off with a game of volleyball, just for a bit of extra PT, you know how it is! Life is beginning to settle into a good routine, although it is still fast and furious when preparing for or on an Operation or task. Either way, the time is flying by and before you know it, R&R will be just around the corner!

Another day at the office

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77 Talisman Light Aid Detachment

Craftsman Sloan After settling nicely into the Light Aid Detachment work started to come and we found ourselves preparing for our first Operations out on the ground. Morale has been high what with Craftsman My Little Poppet Wainwrights and Craftsman Colossal Head Simmo Simpsons (as hes named on his letters and care packages from home) letters coming through. Myself and LCpl Walker were two of the first to head out into the green zone. The day of the Operation started fairly early with a 0330 reveille. We did some last minute preparation loading rifles and the GPMG on our vehicle (a 15t SV) then headed out onto the ground. The route was fairly simple to start with but we didnt let that distract us from the potential IED threat which is always in the back of our minds.

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Several competitions are already underway, Cpl Chris Costigan and LCpl Craig Walker are having a closely contested crap tash challenge, Craftsman Poppet Wainwright and Doughnut Simpson are the next Arnies with their gym queen antics and everyone should be about ready to challenge Phil Taylor for his darts crown come March!

Finally to close, it has been a hectic start to the tour with Operations starting from day one and no let-up in sight. It will be a difficult but rewarding tour. We would all like to thank you all for the letters and parcels you have been sending, they provide more morale than any crap moustache could ever hope to achieve!

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11 FIELD ENGINEER SQUADRON NEWS Officer Commandings Foreword

Last time I sat down to write this we had barely arrived in Afghanistan and 11 Squadron was just getting its teeth into the arrival process and final training. There has been a significant change since then. The handover with 59 Commando Squadron is complete, having been finalised with myself and OC 59 Squadron conducting a heli-recce handover, hanging out of the side of a Lynx. The vast majority of 11 Squadron are now out on the ground, living in the Check Points and Patrol Bases with the Infantry Companies in Nad-E-Ali, while Squadron Headquarters and Echelon are in Bastion. All three Troops have got their teeth into demanding tasks in support of Combined Force Nad-E-Ali, which is currently 42 Commando, but will shortly change to 3 SCOTS. All the Troops are also grappling with the challenges of working in Afghanistan including managing the infantry Companies expectations (No you cant have an all weather volleyball court), aggregate contractors (No Im not signing to say you have delivered it all. Why not? Because that truck is upside down in the ditch!), local contractors (Thats not a crane thats a truck with a rope on the back) and the weather; which remains brutally hot but is being soaked up to achieve a pre R&R tan. As you would expect everyone is approaching the challenges with professionalism, drive to succeed and a wry sense of humour; you can be enormously proud of their performance. The SSM and I have been forward to see 2 Troop in action, more from the SSM later, and we also took 2 Troops mail forward however this turned out to have been largely Lieutenant Allens mail and he was roundly abused by all for hogging the mail sack with 3 parcels and 5 eblueys. This is, however not the record, with Spr White receiving 10 parcels in a single day. Please do keep writing, there is nothing quite like opening a letter or ebluey at the end of a hard day. Eblueys are particularly good as not only are they something to open, but because they are printed in Afghanistan and so get to you very quickly. Unfortunately, we have also had our first and hopefully last accident, and our thoughts are with Cpl Kell and his family, as he is currently in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital convalescing following a quad bike accident in Bastion. We wish him a speedy recovery.
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By the time this has been published we will have posted the first set of photos for the Squadron on the Armynet site. We hope you enjoy them and rest assured there will be more to follow as the guys get into their stride. If you have any photos from events back in the UK please let SSgt Duncan know and he will get them posted on Armynet. If you have any articles or ideas for the newsletter please pass them to SSgt Duncan who will let us know and our Editor, Sgt Baxter, will be happy to incorporate them. I have heard the first Squadron partners Sunday BBQ was a big success, as was the first trip out to Bangor, and our thanks go to SSgt Duncan, Bernadette and her team for organising both. The next events will be published on the Armynet site and flagged on Facebook and I hope you will be able to come along. Regards Henryk Pietrzak OC

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1 Troop Hit the Ground Running

Spr Carroll, 3 Section, 1 TP On the 21st September I left camp Bastion for Patrol Base (PB) Wahid as part of the advanced party to take over 1 Troop, 59 Commando Squadron RE. We were transported in by a Chinook helicopter which was a low and swift ride over the farmlands of Nad E Ali North area of Helmand Province. On arriving at PB Wahid we were met by are Troop Commander who had arrived several days prior, we then proceeded to take our baggage to are new accommodation which at the time was a mere empty Hesco square in very poor condition. Our immediate task was to takeover our fleet of vehicles consisting of a Mastiff, Husky, Wolfhound, EPLS, Self Loading Dump Truck (SLDT) along with three pieces of plant equipment. It was vital that these vehicles were checked for serviceability along with a full with having all the gear as we are going to be relying on these vehicles a lot to move across our Area of Operations (AO) as we move to complete the tasks we will be set.

Royal Engineers and their toys hard at work

Once the handover was complete we moved on to sort out our personnel admin and get settled for the night however it wasnt long before our Troop Commander appeared with the news that we would be deploying out the Patrol Base the following morning. Basically a patrol of the Afghan National Army along with partnered British Soldiers, who had been on patrol for 4 days, had become cut off and could not extract themselves back to one of our Patrol bases as the only road leading out of

Happy about the news of leaving the Patrol Base

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At 0700 hrs we left PB Wahid and made our way to a nearby checkpoint to collect the stores we would need to bridge the gap caused by the collapsed culvert. Once the materials were on board we made our way to the task site. The task was carried out, with us building a makeshift bridge out of Helicopter pad matting with little difficulty and we were able to get all the ANA and Brits out to safety with all their kit.

Hard at work with extra care being taken

Once back in the confines of the PB, there was no time to rest as we had to turn our dismal accommodation into something slightly more desirable as it was set to be our home for the foreseeable future. We managed to level the floor and then lay down ground matting; this was followed by the erection of a sun shelter. This was now to be our home. The shelter had not long been built before we had to make our way to the helipad to await the arrival of the remainder of 1 troop. The helicopter made a sharp landing and we got to work helping to unload kit and transport it to our new 5 star accommodation! Its safe to say that we had a hectic first few days but Im settled in now and looking forward to future tasks.

Luxury washing facilities

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Chinook Taxi to Forward Operating Base Shawqat please

By Sapper MacNab2 Troop After being in Camp Bastion for nine days including five days RSOI (Reception Staging Onward Integration) training, I finished packing my kit and headed off to little Heathrow, the British airport at Camp Bastion. When I got there I was excited to be leaving the safety of Camp Bastion and being able to get out on the ground and see the real Afghanistan. Once all my kit was off the coach I waited for the transport out of Camp Bastion to our Forward Operating Base (FOB). I would be flying out in a Chinook (large troop and stores carrying helicopter). As I waited two Chinooks took off heading to different locations then I saw the helicopter which I was going to be getting on taxi round to our holding point. When it stopped the RAF guy dropped the tail ramp and let all the guys off who was just about to the finish their tour and go home. I was just starting mine!

The view of Camp Bastion from the helicopter window After piling on endless boxes of personal equipment, Bergans and day sacks we all sat down in our seats and got ready to take off. After a few last checks from the RAF we were in the air, this was my first time flying in a helicopter and as we gained height I looked out and realised just how big Camp Bastion really is. I found myself glued to the window looking out over the sandy floor which stretched out for miles around. As we got closer to our location the sandy desert floor changed and was replaced by lush green farmers fields, I could see bright blue canal systems and the famous Helmand River. The RAF loader tapped me on the shoulder and told me to look out of the window; there it was FOB Shawqat, the Helicopter Landing Site marked with purple smoke. After a couple of minutes circling around high up in the air we started our descent which was fast and tactical, out of the tail ramp, as we flew low over the fields and compounds, I could see children waving at the RAF doorman who gave them a thumbs up. There were farmers in the fields getting down and holding on to their things, then the RAF doorman signalled to us one minute till landing.

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As soon as the wheels hit the ground everybody unclipped their belts and started to run back and forth unloading all the luggage out of the back of the Chinook. I was sweating from the heat coming from the exhaust. Once all our kit was off more lads jumped on and off it went. Everybody got down and held on to their bags to stop them taking off with the down wash. We were met by the camp WO2 who gave us a brief and told us the dos and donts and about the general running of the camp. He also told us about some of the camps history. I eventually arrived at a tent, home for the next six Loving his new home months, and started sorting my bed trying to make it as comfortable as possible. Some of the lads from the Stabilisation Team came to the tent to see us, these guys put funding into local projects and plan tasks, they came with some blankets and rugs and a few footballs for the lads.

In the morning I went on my first guard duty in the watch tower which we call a sanger. After being briefed on what I could see and what the feelings of the local people were, I looked out and to the west could see the people going about their daily tasks. The shops were buzzing with farmers buying seeds, there were kids carrying sacks that were nearly the same size as the kids carrying them. There was not too much to see to the south, open ground leading to a highway and a petrol station. I could also see the local police station.

Later on in the day I was told that our troop would be going out on a task in a couple of days time to the north of Nadi-Ali. The task would be to take down a sanger that was no longer required and hand the buildings back to the locals. We spent the next day sorting out our stores, checking everything over and making sure we had the right equipment to successfully complete our task. There was a lot of preparation to do before we moved out to complete the tasks ahead. Excited about the task and putting our training into practice we all rested getting ready for days ahead.

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EYE SPY WITH THE SQUADRON SERGEANT MAJORS EYE! So the day finally came when the OC and I were able to get out of the comfy slipper city of Camp Bastion to boost the morale of 2 Troop. Flying out on the Chinook to FOB (Forward Operating Base) Shawqat, we came bearing gifts in the shape of mail in a big sack, unfortunately for the lads most of it was for Lt Allen (crated)! 2 Troop were busy getting themselves and their vehicles ready to go out on their first task, the winterization of one of the southern PBs (Patrol Base) in their AO (Area of Operation). After having a tour of the camp and the Engineer real-estate with SSgt Hodgson we went for a cold drink at the NAAFI. You would not have had a NAAFI back in my day!!!!! After this I had a walk Two weeks in and already the SSM is starting around on my own to see Cpl Bruce Forsyth to go a little crazy practicing vehicle casualty extraction with the troop , racing against each other to see who could remove the casualty quickest. Then after an hour in the gym and the troop getting to watch the OC run round the dirt track which seemed like 100 times, it was time for evening scoff (dinner). It never ceases to amaze me how good Army chefs are out here and what they can do with Bacon Grill (Army version of Spam).

Good Strut
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The next day the troop were up to more of the same, sorting out the G1098 store with shelving, packing kit, packing vehicles, sorting radios and going over their Action on drills, all in the very hot temperatures of Helmand. In the evening Cpl Bruce Forsyth gave us all a rendition on his guitar, which the OC describe as a cat with his arse sewn up being squeezed very hard! Fun times counting spades

The following day and it was our turn to fly back to Camp Bastion and for 2 troop to roll out on their first job. Firstly a few of us including the OC had to go across to the ANP stations to have a look at a drainage issue. Although it was hot and sweaty getting over there in all our kit, we did get a nice cup of Earl Grey tea out of it! Loaded onto an early flight we went round the troop to wish them all good luck and took ourselves off to the Helicopter Landing Site (HLS) only to be told we were going to be delayed by 5 hours. So we went back and waved 2 troop out the gate. Just as the OC and I were going to head back to the HLS we were told by Capt Hayes (you do get a mention, but I almost forgot because I have hardly seen you out of the Ops room or on stag in the sangers in the early hours of the morning missing a step on your way down, falling head over heels, landing in a heap and giggling like a school girl, keeping the on-going shift entertained) that we were delayed yet again. We finally managed to get our flight around midnight flying into Camp Bastion which from the air looked like Las Vegas minus the fountains and dancing girls! If only!

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Star Struck.................

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THE BAG BOYS!

Firstly, allow me to introduce myself, I am Major Steve White and you may know me by some of my earlier work as OC 44 Sqn. However, on HERRICK 15 I am OC of the Kandak Advisory Training Team (KATT) that your other halves are in and we are attached to the BAG! Now before I go any further I will give you an easy reference terminology aide memoire for when we talk to you about our jobs out here. ANA Afghan National Army 3/215 3rd Brigade of the 215 Corps of the ANA Kandak ANA Regiment / Battalion KATT Kandak Advisory Training Team Tolay ANA Squadron / Company TATT Tolay Advisory Training Team Baluch ANA Troop / Platoon 4th (CS) Kandak The 4th Kandak (out of 6) which is the Combat Support (CS) one more later BAG Brigade Advisory Group 2 RIFLES Battlegroup are the BAG for H15 PB Patrol Base CP Checkpoint JAHAN ZEB The name of the PB that most of us live in locally known as Jay-Zee! TOMBSTONE The camp where the BAG is based out of. It is a small camp inside . . . . SHORABAK The camp that the ANA are all based out of, beside Bastion I think that will give you all enough of a fix on the terminology that will no doubt be coming over the next few months from us. How are we different from the other squadrons? Well for a start we are not operating as part of the 35 Regimental network, we are effectively attached to the ANA under the control of HQ 2 RIFLES. The clue as to what we do is in our title; we advise the ANA! At the KATT level I command TATTs for the ANA Engineer Tolay (clearly the group you will be most interested in), the Artillery Tolay. The Brigade Reconnaissance Tolay, The Counter IED / EOD Tolay and the Route Clearance Company (the ANA version of our TALISMAN that 77 Squadron are providing) As you can see I have a big Kandak to advise the Kandak Commander on, and I meet up with Lt Col Attullah every single day where we share Chai (their green tea) and chat about the Kandak and what it is doing, what he is planning to do with it and other normal everyday stuff. I also have a US Marine Corps section here called an Anglico team that assists with helicopter and fast air support.
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I am sure you have heard the stories, but we are living in a small PB compound with ANA compounds either side of us, and it is named PB JAHAN ZEB. It is approximately 70m by 70m and at full manning I will have over 60 personnel under my command here, all geared to assist the ANA in fulfilling their mission and keeping us safe. And to let you know how important this is, our Kandak has been given the first fully independent area of operation (AO) in the Brigade. I have no other Battlegroup living here with us as a partner so it is just us and our ANA! Which has made for some interesting times already, I can tell you. Daily routine here revolves around firstly, meeting up with our ANA counterparts, getting out and about on the ground with them providing assistance, mentoring and advice as it is needed or asked for. The other major aspect of our lives here in Jay-Zee is to ensure we stay as safe as possible as a dislocated and un-partnered location and between these two efforts the majority of our time is taken up. We have no chef here so meals are from the ration packs or every now and then a wee bit of fresh donated by our American brethren or that comes through the system. There is no running water here so all of it is brought in for washing ourselves and our clothes, cooking and drinking. Thankfully we have moved away from the horrendous deep trench latrine toilet blocks and now operate with wag bags. For those not conversant with the delights of these items, I will allow your other half to explain them to you! Mail will only arrive here and be taken out every few days so please do not worry if your mail arrives in fits and starts, but please do keep sending it as it is a huge morale boost. If I can put an early request in, Christmas on tour is a surreal affair but could I ask you to all send one decoration out in order to make ours as festive as possible, thank you. Do not send anything that requires plugging in because we are short of power but battery operated things are more than welcome. Your other halves are part of a small team operating as part of a bigger one and I want to reassure you that I am looking after them all and we, in turn, are all being well looked after by 2 RIFLES. I hope that I have given you enough of an insight into the world of the BAG that your other halves will be filling in the details from now on. I thank you for your continued support, our jobs would be infinitely harder without it, and please take care of yourselves for us. Steve White

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PADRE'S PROGRESS
I left Germany just over 2 weeks ago and learning curves continue to be vertical on my first tour. A 9 hour flight with a stopover in Cyprus plus Cheryl Cole (who?!) handing out in-flight meals! A three and a half hour time difference plus altitude of 2000ft plus temperatures of 30+C, all added to the sense of dislocation in the first days. An intense 5 days of training on arrival which included 15 power point presentations on the first day was a shock to the system as well. The rest of the days included a variety of practical training sessions covering such delights as environmental health (how to poo into a silver bag and dispose of it), how to extract a casualty (me as the casualty being bumped down metal steps), and how to do emergency drill in the event of a vehicle rolling over (how to unbuckle yourself whilst hanging upside down and get out without breaking your neck or anyone else's). A life in the day of a padre... I have a pod'tent called a GodPod which is divided in two...the rear space for sleeping and working and the front with armchairs, brew kit, bookcase, a table as a worship focus, cuddly toy (!), etc, as a quiet space for whoever needs it. It is air-recycled with electricity but its overall location leaves a little to be desired. It is opposite the diarrhoea and vomiting isolation tent and within 5 meters is a slurry pit where they empty the contents of the Porta-loos! About 200m away is the landing area of a particularly noisy helicopter that operates throughout the night. Wherever you are there is noise...generators, air conditioning units, helicopters etc. However I do realise that all this is 5 star luxury compared with some of the other locations so it is about being thankful for what I have and realising there is always someone worse off than yourself. My 'flock' here is scattered to the far ends of Camp Bastion 1, 2 and 3 so a lot of walking and local bus catching to be done. Good for keeping fit I guess...though I have just been offered a pushbike until mid November so watch this space! Maybe I need one of those little flags fluttering from it with departmental colours on it! I feel I have touched base with as many as possible so far. There is a strong sense that people are here to do their job and keen to get on with it. Morale generally appears to be good but it is also clear that support from home from family and friends is SO important and of great comfort to all concerned. My reflections the other day with someone as they prepared to go out on an operation included the lines from Psalm 91, one of the songs of the Bible written by the soldier king David (the one that killed the giant Goliath). He wrote 'I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust" If you make the most high your dwelling -Then no harm will befall you.' Sounds like a good plan to me! God bless. Padre Clare Callanan
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One for the kids..............or big kids 35 ENGINEER REGIMENT And the adventures of BABY HECTOR

Baby Hector Tales Part 2 Something in the Sand by Victoria Copsey age 10

He bent down and carefully pulled the object out of the ground and saw that it was............... A shield with the XXXV written on it. WOW - a shield! exclaimed Baby Hector with a big smile. I wonder what the XXXV means? When he got home he asked his mother but she only knew that it stood for 35 and told him to ask his fighting class instructor. Later, at fighting class, by chance they were learning about swords and shields. There are many famous lost shields said their Instructor, but the most famous of all is the 35 Engineer Regiment one. This shield was used in a great battle and it will give its owner great courage and bravery. WOW! said Baby Hector again, but thats the shield I found....look! His Instructor carefully took the shield from him and looked at it in amazement. Yes, this is the famous shield and legend has it that the one who finds will be its true owner. Congratulations Baby Hector! THE END
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Have you thought about post tour Adventurous Training yet?

Exercise contact Captain Cameron 29 Armoured Engineer Squadron Where - Thailand Doing what - Scuba Diving How long for - 12 Days How much - Initial costs of 900 Euro with up to a 250 Euro refund expected Spaces available - Limited Exercise contact Captain Loots 29 Armoured Engineer Squadron Where - Croatia Doing what - Sailing How long for - 10 days How much - Initial costs of 500 Euro with up to a 250 Euro refund expected Spaces available - 5 Exercise contact Lt Dow 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron Where - California National Parks Doing what - Hiking How long for - 2 weeks How much - Initial costs of 900 Euro with up to a 300 Euro refund expected Spaces available - Few

Exercise Diamond Bubble Piper

Exercise Diamond Mare Superum

Exercise Diamond Canyon

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Exercise Diamond Tiffy

Exercise contact Captain Green Light Aid Detachment Where - Croatia Doing what - Multi activity including Mountain biking, Hiking and Sea Kayaking How long for - 12 days How much - 400 Spaces available - Limited

Exercise Diamond Slovenia Pyramid

Exercise contact Lt Ball 44 Hq & Sp Squadron Where - Slovenia Doing what - Mountain Biking How long for - 2 trips each 1 week long How much - 400 Spaces available - 15
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Exercise contact Captain Green Light Aid Detachment Where - Alps Doing what - Mountain Biking How long for - 10 days How much - 350 Spaces available - Limited

Exercise Diamond Crafty

Exercise contact Captain Cox 29 Armoured Engineer Squadron Where - Lake Elsinore, California Doing what - Skydiving How long for - 2 weeks How much - Complete novice 1200 Euro, Beginners 900 Euro Spaces available - 10

Exercise Diamond Jumper

Any missing information will be published in the next edition of The Trojan Times. If you would like to take part in any of the exercises advertised please let your chain of command know which trip you are interested in and who is the exercise contact.

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Photo Competition
Each photo has a number in the top right hand corner. Select you favourite photo and put it on a bluey to Capt Peake, TFH Engr Gp, BFPO 792. Please add the words PHOTO COMPETITION to the senders address.

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Caption Competition
As promised welcome to The Trojan Times caption competition. As you can see, there are two photographs for you to come up with what you think is the best caption. Caption suggestions can be put on a bluey to Capt Peake, THF Engr Gp, BFPO 792 clearly labelled with the senders name and Caption Competition. The best caption will be announced in the following edition. The funnier the better, but keep them clean(ish)

Umm dubious...........

What could he be pointing to? It is definitely not the beach!

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Welcome to the first issue of Toe-jam Times; the subversive underbelly of the Trojan Times, and the only news worth reading. Here at Toe-jam we arent afraid to poke our be-sandaled athletes foot amongst the entrails of truth to expose the lies and the secrets about the Task Force Helmand Engineer Group. We examine the real Hectors on Herrick and discover the truth about these so called Champions of Troy. Our exclusive scoops this week: RSM coming clean with his laundry addiction QM (T) - stores really are for storing and Adjutant bares all on stains on the spreadsheet scandal Interviews by Achilles Heel To start with: MPF WO2 (QMSI) Fitzsimmons gives us 10 great things to do with spoil. After a good days plant operating, there will inevitably be spoil left over. Dont let this spoil your day though, follow my handy tips and youll be able to dig your way out of anything 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. a 6. 7. in 8. 9 10. Fill some HESCO. Fill some sand bags (although finding someone willing to hold the sandbags open for you as you fill them from the cab of your armoured plant MWT may be a challenge). Fill some more HESCO. Backfill your holes. Attempt to win the Turner prize by dumping the lot on the floor of an art gallery and give it ridiculous title such as Despair. Build a berm. Berms are always useful and will be appreciated by all. If the spoil is of high humus content then place into shoeboxes, weighing no more than 2 kg each and send to your mates in Afghanistan: perhaps they would like to make a garden their downtime on Ops and are frustrated with the poor quality soil in FOBs. Make an ant farm (you will need other materials. As well as ants). Backfill someone elses holes then, from a concealed position watch and laugh as they angrily shout WHO FILLED MY HOLE? Fill more HESCO (you can never fill enough in my book).
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WO1 Mutch; RSM of 35 Engineer Regiment is a fine figure of a man; all that you would expect from the modern day Regimental Sergeant Major and more. With 2 decades of distinguished service and more medals than the Imperial War museum he is the paragon of all soldierly virtue. Except he has a secret. For years RSM Mutch has been covering up a physically debilitating and mentally draining addiction; IRONING. Lesser men would have fallen into the gutter of society yet the RSM has been able to endure this most evil of inflictions. For too long Ive tried to keep it a secret but I just cant do it any more its so liberating to have thrown off the yolk of secrecy surrounding my condition. Toe-jam has obtained confidential medical documents which explain how the RSM has been addicted to IRONING for almost 10 years. To be honest, the first time I switched on my Morphy Richards Steam-Pro 1000 in basic training, I knew that I was hooked. In the early years Mutch was able to keep a healthy balance between soldiering and ironing. However as his dependence grew he could no longer hide his affliction. As a Troop Sergeant he was ironing his uniform hourly. By the time he became a Squadron Sergeant Major, his creases were so sharp he was drawing blood. On one occasion, whilst instructing the Squadron on the merits of the AEH set, he delivered a particularly swift command chop towards a young Sapper who caught the edge of the then SSMs sleeve, severing his carotid artery and requiring immediate CASEVAC. The RSM knew he had to get help when he read his own words in Sapper Magazine after an interview about dress standards in the Corps Theres something beautiful about the metamorphosis of turning a crumpled heap of laundry into smooth, razor sharp perfection. When I read those words I realised the game was up and went to the Med Centre for help. The RSM remains perfectly ironed and his shirts still need handling with chain mail gloves but he is recovering.
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Quarter Master (Technical) Major Chris Darke sheds light on the shady world of the QMs stores. Its just not right, youngsters these days think they can have it all, but they cant, certainly not from my stores. Back at SQMS school the Quarter Master (Technical), Major Chris Darke, learnt the basic rules of storing, known as the 3 Laws of the Stores. First amongst these is the mantra by which those in the storing profession must learn to live their lives by: Law 1. Stores are for storing. If they were for issuing, theyd be called Issues.

Why everyone has an issue, he chokes back a laugh, with this I dont know its pretty obvious, I mean the clue is in the title isnt it? Law 2. Law 3. Get the CO and the RSM exactly what they want. Chin everyone else off.

Stick with these and youll make it all the way to the top in the G4 chain Maj Darke recalls how it wasnt easy to get to where he is today When the Leatherman mutli-tool became an NSN item, life got pretty difficult for us QMs. Honestly, can you imagine the mental strain the whole G4 world was put under when people started coming and asking us for a Gucci item like a Leatherman?! What type of fools thought that just because it was an issue item they would actually be allowed one? Just because everyone that worked in the stores was wearing one meant that every man jack in the regiment thought he was entitled to one. It got so awful that I had to take several mornings off to play golf in order to recover from the stress. Hard times indeed. Maj Darke was keen to impress on us that it is indeed G4 that wins the War however as we asked him to explain this mysterious slogan the Clothing Cpl slammed down the counter shutter shouting Naafi break at us and the interview was over. It was, after all, 0930 hours.

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Stains on Adjutants Spreadsheets not so EXCELent Adjutant 35 Engineer Regiment; Capt Gus Rule, is one man who knows his spreadsheets. In the J1 world of Personnel Administration and making the COs coffee at the right temperature, Microsoft Excel is his life line turning simple data in ludicrously complicated spreadsheets that few read and fewer understand. In fact Capt Rule has become so protective over his spread sheets he has started locking them with passwords to stop others from sharing in his excel fantasy world. In recent days however this journalist has discovered that the Adjutants spreadsheet fixation has taken a turn towards the obscene as he was found harbouring old paper hard copies of spread sheets covered in dark brown stains. When we cornered him on this issue he at first denied all knowledge of anything not on the J1 (Secure) folder on the MS Shared Area, but when he realised that the Toe-jam Times has access to all areas on MS he gave in like a rich tea biscuit in a cup of Yorkshire Tea tea. It was a fairly quiet morning in Bde HQ. As usual I was busy fixing the CO his cup of Colombian Blend, strength 10 coffee and as usual the CO was busy on the phone chasing up his order of the life size statue of him in Trojan Armour for the main gate at Barker Bks: What do you mean horses? Dont argue with me, how do you know Trojans didnt ride into battle on dogs? Re-show with Barney as my steed He didnt notice that I hadnt yet poured the milk. The CO doesnt drink black coffee before 1100. Before I could stop him he had taken a sipit was horrible Capt Rule, clearly still in shock and visibly holding back the grief, went on to describe the ensuing carnage. Well that was it, he spat out the coffee across the desk and hurled his mug in rage the Intelligence Officer; in a rare display of actual Intelligence, ducked the steaming missile, as it went on to hit SO3 Infra Ops ricocheting into SO3 Infra Plans and knocking them both out cold. I rushed over to do what I could and there on the desk, between the bodies of Infra Ops and Infra Plans sprawled across the desk (situation normal then) lay my latest version hard copy of JSP 757; fresh from the iHub printer. It was covered in coffee. I applied immediate first aid, a tourniquet and 2 FFDs werent enough to stop the staining so I improvised and grabbed a stack of papers to mop up the spillage.
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But to Capt Rules horror these werent ordinary papers, these were old copies of his Officers Education Tracker no longer saved on the hard drive. As the ink blurred with the coffee before his eyes the full horror of what was happening to his spread sheets unravelled in his mind. Would anyone know if Lt Cole had done his MK1 (would anyone care?) and would anyone know if Capt Riley really had passed the RESA course? These were questions that I knew would need answers so after the panic died down I rescued the spread sheets and dried them out. They were badly stained. Not sure if they would ever recover, I hid them in my in-tray. I thought no one would look there but my dirty secret was exposed when the CO, looking for the invoice for his statue, pulled them out in disgust. My stained spreadsheets were layed bare for all to see. Oh the horror......... Capt Rule is currently in BSN Role 3 hospital recovering from his trauma. Infra Ops and Infra Plans are still prone at their desks. Snoring loudly.

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Message from the editor

Thank you all for your efforts with the Trojan Times, and to the anonymous author of the Toe-Jam Times, well done! I hope you have all enjoyed this edition. The photos that did not fit in the Newsletter will be published on Facebook so keep an eye out for them. All of the support is very much appreciated by all, please keep it coming. Remember messages into theatre are welcomed and appreciated as much as messages out of theatre. If you have an idea or would like to suggest something for the The Trojan Times please get in touch with either myself or SSgt Allum, contact details can be found below. Thanks again for your support. Bernie Deployed contact Capt Bernie Peake - 1541peake@armymail.mod.uk Rear Ops Groups Contact SSgt Allum - 05251 101279

R&R
The R and R plan is coming together nicely. All efforts will be made to meet peoples requests however we advise that you do not book holidays or pay a deposit for any arrangements being made over your R and R period as flight schedules can change at very short notice due to Operational Requirements. As soon as the initial plan is in place dates will be passed out to individuals to allow families to be informed. R and R is a 14 day window inclusive of travel time. If there are any delays to the flight home the return flight remains the same on the same date it was originally planned for. In order to compensate for any lost time you will be given one day extra Post Operational Tour Leave for each day of R and R lost. This will be monitored by the SSM 44 Headquarter and Support Squadron.

20Brigade are commissioning a Bde Art Book for H15

It will contain a wide and hopefully eclectic variety of submissions, from the most professional to the most amateur including: Prints from Official War Artists Photos, both formal and informal Professional sketches in the tradition of snaffles. Amateur sketches Cartoons Accompanying text to provide context Any budding artists who are interested in submitting any of the above please contact Capt Peake on 1541peake@armymail.mod.uk.

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Glossary Ranks Spr - Sapper LCpl - Lance Corporal Cpl - Corporal Sgt - Sergeant SSgt - Staff Sergeant WO2 - Warrant Officer Second Class WO1 - Warrant Officer First Class Capt - Captain Maj - Major Lt Col - Lieutenant Colonel Afghanistan specific terms Op - Operation, mission, task (not surgery) PB - Patrol Base CP - Check Point SANGAR - A watch tower which is manned 24 hours a day to provide protection to a base Stag - standing in the sangar keeping watch and providing protection JOB - Joint Operating Base FOB - Forward Operating Base NES (S) - Nahr-e Saraj South NES (N) - Nahr-e Saraj North NDA - Nad-e Ali TFH - Task Force Helmand ISAF - International Security Assistance Force ANSF - Afghanistan National Security Force ANA - Afghan National Army ANP - Afghan National Police IED - Improvised Explosive Device SAF - Small Arms Fire SOP - Standard Operating procedure Sub Units Tp - Troop Armd Engr Sqn - Armoured Engineer Squadron Fd Engr Sqn - Field Engineer Squadron Hq & Sp Sqn - Headquarters and Support Squadron

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HESCO - Large flat packed containers made of thick strong wire containing a large sandbag. The sandbag is filled with sand to produce a large protective brick. The individual HESCO blocks are then used like giant bricks to produce a protective wall for our bases. HLS - Helicopter Landing Site Barma - Our drill used to find Improvised Explosive Devices with a hand held metal detector. Equipment MASTIFF - Large armoured truck with a with a heavy machine gun for protection. TALISMAN - A series of vehicles used to clear a route of improvised explosive devices. HUSKY - Another type of large armoured vehicle. MWT - Medium wheeled tractor (dump truck). SLDT(P) - Small Light Dump Truck (Protected) - A small dump truck. Apache - Ugly looking attack helicopter. Chinook - Large helicopter featured in the film Big Friendly Giant. Sea-king - Royal Navy helicopter used as search and rescue in the UK. Merlin - Medium to large Royal Air Force and Navy helicopter used to move Troops around from base to base.

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