24 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2009
The price of freedom
● A Combat Logistic Patrol rolls
towards Nad E’Ali at nightfall
FRIDAY December 12
2008 was a black day
in the recent history
of 45 Commando as
the Taleban claimed
the lives of four
Royal Marines in two
insidious attacks.
Suicide bombers struck
at two separate patrols near
Sangin within 60 minutes – using
a teenage boy as their stooge in
the deadliest attack.
The bloody hour began when
the Jackal vehicle L/Cpl Steven
‘Jamie’ Fellows (Whiskey
Company, 45 Cdo) was patrolling
in hit a mine or roadside bomb.
All three men in the Jackal
were wounded by the explosion
● Clockwise from top left... L/Cpl Steven ‘Jamie’ Fellows, who lived life to the max; Sgt John ‘Manny’ Manuel, “the Jack Russell of the Royal Marines”; Cpl Liam ‘Elmsy’ Elms,
but vehicle commander
who always took the fi ght to the enemy; Mne Travis Mackin, “a hoofi ng bloke”; L/Cpl Benjamin Whatley, “a man’s man”; Capt Tom Sawyer, “courage in abundance”;
L/Cpl Fellows bore the brunt
Cpl Richard ‘Robbo’ Robinson, who “gave his all with his team around him” ; Cpl Danny Winter, “the heart of a lion”; Cpl Robert Deering, “who thought nothing of going the
of the blast. He never regained
extra mile”; Mne Damian Davies, “one of the strongest characters in the troop”; and Cpl Marc ‘Birchy’ Birch, “as good a Bootneck as you could fi nd”
consciousness and died while
being flown to hospital.
In the second attack less
than an hour later, a combined
foot patrol by Royals from 45
Commando and the Commando
Logistic Regiment was
approached by a 13-year-old
boy pushing a wheelbarrow.
The wheelbarrow hid a bomb
– detonated, possibly remotely
by an insurgent, when the
youngster was close to three
marines.
Sgt John Manuel was killed
instantly; his X-Ray Company
comrade Cpl Marc Birch died
of his injuries at the scene while
Mne Damian Davies of the
CLR died at hospital in Camp
Bastion. Group RM before heading north struck a mine. “More than all this, he was communicator, latterly serving just 16 and specialised in heavy
The first victim that day, 26-six- of the border to 45. As the 33-year-old from the a great friend to all the lads in in 539 ASRM before this fateful weapons early in his career.
year-old L/Cpl Steven ‘Jamie’ A heavy weapons West Midlands approached the section, me included. Words tour of duty in Helmand. “Danny was a key personality
Fellows from Sheffield, joined specialist (or ‘Tankie’), Cpl the stricken Viking a second cannot express what a great “Travis was a true marine,” within Zulu Company who all
the Corps in November 2006 and Birch, from Kingsthorpe in explosion killed him instantly. loss this has been to all of us.” said WO2 Robert Millman, the lads looked up to,” said his
passed out of Lympstone as the Northamptonshire, had enjoyed Cpl Deering joined the Corps Black December ended with Victory Company Sergeant Company Sergeant Major WO2
best recruit in his troop. Within a fewer than four months’ married in 1998 and specialised as a another green beret victim of Major. Kevin Cheeseman.
year he’d been promoted lance life with his bride Charlene. vehicle mechanic, spending Taleban cowardice. “His sense of humour “We just want to say that he
corporal and selected for sniper Junior commandos looked up most of his career with the Section commander Cpl Liam intoxicated all around him. Even was a true ‘Zulu Warrior’. A true
training (which he passed). to him – “we can only hope to Commando Logistic Regiment. ‘Elmsy’ Elms was killed by a when put in extreme situations, bootneck has been lost.”
He leaves behind his wife and aspire to be as good a bootneck He had already come through blast as he conducted a patrol he could lighten the moment Sgt ‘GTC’ Jones, senior
childhood sweetheart Natalie. as Birchy,” said Mne Joe Hawley one tour of duty in Afghanistan, of southern Helmand with his with a practical joke. NCO in 45 Cdo’s Mortar Troop,
“Jamie was a colossus – he – and all who knew him admired as well as Iraq and Kosovo. Zulu Company, 45 Commando, “He even arranged for Santa added: “Danny was the heart
was never one to let life pass his sense of humour. Comrades said his love for fast comrades and troops from the to visit his Sergeant Major on and soul of whatever the lads
him by,” said his friend Mne “He would often work on the cars and fitness was matched by Afghan National Army. Christmas Eve. He will be in my were doing at any time.
Josh Green. “He was always the one-per-cent rule,” said Cpl his love for his fiancée Gemma, The 26-year-old from Wigan good books forever.” “He had a strong character,
most outspoken person in the John Cowie, a fellow Tankie. with whom he’d just moved into was the consummate Royal Comrade Mne Tom Jeffcote was calm under pressure and
troop. Needless to say he was “Tell enough jokes and one a new home. Marine – a first-rate marksman, added: “Travis asked to be sent had the heart of a lion.”
one of the most popular. It was per cent of them would get the “Rob was liked by all who a first-rate skier, a first-rate to the most dangerous place Another death struck the
his ability to live life to the max desired result. met him,” said his Troop Colour sportsman – he played rugby in Afghanistan. He was – and Brigade mid-month when
that sticks out the most.” “Whenever a prank was Sergeant Simon Nicholson. “He league for the green berets - I know he loved every minute Acting Cpl Richard ‘Robbo’
Sgt John ‘Manny’ Manuel played within the troop, Birchy was good looking, had great and a first-rate leader. of it. Robinson from 1st Battalion,
hailed from Gateshead. The would be the ringmaster. Like a ‘pecs’ and a cheery smile – once He joined the Corps in 2001 “I think I speak for everyone The Rifles, was ambushed by
38-year-old was a veteran of child with his hand caught in the you met him you’d never forget and served in Northern Ireland who knew him when I say he was enemy fire north of Sangin.
almost every theatre the Royals cookie jar, he would be found him.” and Iraq before inspiring a new a ‘hoofing’ bloke, an excellent Cpl Robinson was on patrol
have operated in these past guilty simply by the grin on his Capt Scott Ashley, second- generation of commandos as an soldier and he will be massively with his Operational Mentoring
two decades, notably Iraq and face.” in-command of the Armoured instructor at Lympstone. missed by all of us.” and Liaison Team and the
Kosovo. Mne Damian Davies of the Support Group RM, added: “Cpl “His refusal to let a small thing An Anglo-Danish operation to Afghan National Army platoon
The NCO, who leaves behind UK Landing Force Support Deering was an outstanding beat him – or anything else for clear Taleban bunkers north- when struck down.
his partner Rachel, joined the Party, Commando Logistic vehicle mechanic who thought that matter – just goes to prove east of Gereshk claimed the The 21-year-old from Saltash
Corps in 1989 and was eyeing Regiment, was a devoted Royal nothing of going the extra mile his drive and determination,” lives of Capt Tom Sawyer, joined E Company, 1 Rifles, in
up a second career as an and a devoted family man with in true Royal Marines fashion. said Capt Ben Cassells, a troop 29 Commando Regiment RA April last year as a Sniper, Mentor
advanced motorbike instructor his wife Joanne, his 19-month- “He was never one to commander in Zulu Company. and Cpl Danny Winter, Zulu and second-in-command.
(motorcycling and martial arts old son Mathew and another complain and always gave 100 “Elmsy was a section Company, 45 Commando. His CO Lt Col Joe Cavanagh
were his other two mainstays child on the way. per cent. He will be missed by commander of the highest Both men were part of a fire said: “He was a popular,
after the green berets) upon He spent 18 months in the RN all who worked with him and the quality. He was always a key support unit – and both were talented man and will be badly
eventually leaving the marines. before switching to the Corps, Viking fraternity.” personality in a very tight-knit killed by an explosion. missed. Highly qualified and
Comrades described him as passing out of Lympstone at the L/Cpl Benjamin Whatley was family. Capt Sawyer, a 26-year-old richly experienced for one of
“the Jack Russell of the Royal end of 2002 and specialised as the only Royal killed in direct “He led his section with pride junior officer who had been his vintage, he was credible and
Marines – small, feisty and a driver. battle with the enemy, cut down and dedication, always taking married less than a year, was confident as an Acting Corporal
hyperactive; he did everything Known as Damo by comrades, during a ferocious fire-fight with the fight to the enemy. eyeing up a career in the Special and was already showing
at Mach 10”. he was renowned for his insurgents on Christmas Eve. “He will be missed by us all Forces. potential well beyond that.
Maj Richard Maltby, Officer infectious sense of humour and The 20-year-old from and I take great pride in calling “Tom always worked hard for “How proud we are of this
Commanding X-Ray Company sense of duty. King’s Lynn was leading his him a friend.” his men and commanded with courageous young man; he
said Sgt Manuel was “part of the “Damo was one of the comrades in Lima Company, 42 The first fatality of the new style and panache,” said Capt had achieved great things and
backbone” of his company and strongest characters in the Commando, during an operation year was 22-year-old Mne Sam Hewitt RA, Fire Support yesterday he gave his all with
“a limitless ball of fire”. troop – always joking, with a to clear Taleban forces from Travis Mackin from Plymouth, Team Commander attached to his team around him. We are
He continued: “Sgt Manuel permanent smile on his face, the Nad-E-Ali region of central a veteran of 3 Cdo Bde’s tour of 29 Cdo Regt. lucky to have served alongside
was hugely popular – he even in the worse conditions,” Helmand when he was killed by duty in Helmand in 2006-07. “He possessed qualities such him.”
combined a mischievous sense said Sgt Kenyon, his troop enemy fire. He was part of a specialist as honour, selflessness and WO2 Paul Goldsmith,
of humour with a dedication and sergeant. His Lima Company CO Maj team in Victor Company, 45 courage in abundance. The Company Serjeant Major E
professional manner that was “He never complained about Rich Cantrill said the Afghanistan Commando, working alongside world will be a sadder place Company , said: “Robbo, a quiet
second to none.” anything and always put 110 veteran was a born warrior. Afghan soldiers and police in without him. guy by nature, commanded
Like ‘Manny’ Manuel, Cpl per cent effort into all he did. He “Ben had that magic ingredient Kajaki. “It was a pleasure to have respect from others by his ability
Marc ‘Birchy’ Birch was a keen was always itching to get out on of ‘presence’. He was a fighter, The marine was killed during an known and served alongside and above all a cool head when
sportsman. Football was his the ground to do the job he was a man’s man, a Royal Marine to offensive patrol by his company him. He paid the ultimate in difficult situations, which was
game. The 26-year-old had even trained for.” the core,” he added. and Afghan counterparts. He sacrifice and he will not be demonstrated on numerous
scored a goal against the Sierra Sadly, the bloodletting did not Cpl Luke Colman, a section was setting up a fire position to forgotten.” occasions when out on patrol.
Leone national team – a moment end with that bitter Friday; nine commander in Lima Company support comrades advancing on Cpl Winter, 28, from Stockport, “He leaves a large void in the
which became a legendary dit. days later, Cpl Robert ‘Rob’ added: “Ben was a superb a Taleban stronghold when an was a mortar specialist and a company and an even larger
He passed out of Lympstone Deering was killed as he tried to soldier, going up and down the enemy booby trap blew up. veteran of conflict in Iraq and one within his team which will
in March 2000 and served with assess the damage to a Viking line encouraging the other lads Mne Mackin joined the Corps Afghanistan. not be easy to fill, if at all.”
42 Cdo and Fleet Protection armoured vehicle which had when things were getting hard. in 2004 and specialised as a He joined the Corps aged True for all these brave men.
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