4 NAVY NEWS, OCTOBER 2009
New Marines
company for
rehabilitation
‘...Acts of bravery
ALPHA, Kilo, Whiskey
Companies have already carved
their names in the annals of
Royal Marine history.
Now add the name of a new H
ER face smeared
with the blood
of the man she
has just saved,
company to those illustrious
AB Kate Nesbitt grabs
ranks: Hasler.
It’s the fi rst dedicated
a bottle of water in the
RM unit to tackle the three
aftermath of battle.
Rs – recovery, rehabilitation
Minutes before the 21-year-old
and re-integration – to help
medical assistant had ignored the
commandos wounded in the
hail of bullets first to race across
line of duty (or seriously injured
open ground, then to spend three-
in accidents for that matter)
quarters of an hour saving the life
return to front-line duties, or
of a wounded soldier.
prepare for life outside the
Her actions that day near
Corps.
the town of Nawa in Helmand
At present, green berets
province earned the young junior
wounded in Afghanistan are
rating the Military Cross – the
helped to recover by working
first won by a female member of
alongside their comrades in the
the Naval Service.
various Royal Marine units such
She was one of 45 sailors, Fleet
as 40, 42 and 45 Commandos.
Air Arm personnel and Royal
That will still continue – but
Marines honoured for deeds in
for serious cases, Hasler
Afghanistan during the 2008-09
Company will oversee what
deployment by 3 Commando
it calls the Royals’ ‘recovery
Brigade.
pathway’.
Their commander, Brig Gordon
The new unit, based at Drake,
Messenger, said he felt “delighted
expects to nurture around 20
and hugely privileged to receive
commandos at any one time.
the bar to his DSO” – it’s the first
Around £300,000 has been
bar in the Senior Service for more
spent adapting a building with
than half a century – for his deeds
ramps, toilets and showers
in Helmand.
to take the men’s injuries into
But he added: “My strongest
account.
emotion would be admiration for
Besides Hasler Company’s
all my fellow recipients.”
dedicated staff, the recovering
Seven green berets and
Royals will also be able to call
sailors were also recognised for
upon the expertise of Headley
their efforts in Iraq, while three
Court in Surrey and the South
airmen were rewarded for bravery
West Regional Rehabilitation
at home on Search and Rescue
Unit, also based in Drake.
missions in the latest series of
By bringing the wounded
Operational Honours announced
marines together in a single
by Whitehall.
company, the Corps believes
As befits military awards, their
each man will help his
recipients invariably play down
comrades along the ‘journey
their bravery and their citations
back to business’, thanks to
rarely convey the full extent of the
support, advice, and not least
courage shown or the drama of
the Royals’ legendary banter
the moment...
and spirit.
... Such as the citation for Sgt
“Every one of the men will
Noel Connolly, also awarded the
have his own needs, they
Military Cross: “Connolly’s quick
may have suffered horrible
thinking and bravery ensured that
injuries, but they are still Royal
a detonation attempt by a suicide
Marines,” said Maj Pete Curtis,
bomber was foiled. He carried out
Offi cer Commanding Hasler
a life-saving act of gallantry and
Company.
also proved to be an outstanding
“Along with Service and
Troop Sergeant during all phases
civilian charitable help, Hasler
of war, particularly under intense
Company will help them make
enemy fire.”
the transition successfully
The NCO’s act – generally
either back into a full-time
described as “rugby-tackling
Service environment or into the
a suicide bomber” – saved an
wider civilian community.”
estimated two dozen lives.
Brig Gordon Messenger,
He grabbed the bomber – who
who led 3 Commando Brigade
was reaching for the detonator on
during its recent deployment to
the handlebars of his motorbike
Afghanistan (see right), formally
– and hauled him off. The bike
opened the new company
was found to contain more than
HQ and pledged the utmost
150lbs of explosive. The would-be
bomber was sentenced to 18 years
AB(MA) Katie Nesbitt, the fi rst Lt Cdr Gavin Simmonite, Surg Lt Henry Dowlen, made Sgt Noel Connolly, awarded
support for the men who would
behind bars.
female recipient of the Military awarded the DFC for nursing an MBE for his leadership of a the Military Cross for ‘rugby
serve in it.
“I’m not brave – somebody had
Cross in the RN. his crippled helicopter home. medical centre. tackling’ a suicide bomber.
“Hasler is of paramount
importance and we are
to stop him,” Sgt Connolly said.
committed to supporting
As for his Military Cross, it is
casualties and others with
not for his actions, he says, but
complex personal challenges
“for every bloke in the troop – a
for as long as they – and their
collective honour”.
families need it,” he added.
He continued: “I would happily
“This is not just about
pin this medal to any man in my
serving people deploying to
troop. They performed countless
and returning from Afghanistan
acts of bravery on a daily basis out
and other theatres, but it does
there on the ground.
mean we are able to deal
“I have been given the privilege
with the unfortunate legacy of
and the honour to wear this very
Afghanistan through this new
special award, and I do so for all
dedicated unit.”
the men of Lima Company and 42
The company is named for
Commando Royal Marines. This
Maj ‘Blondie’ Hasler, leader of
is for the Corps.”
the Cockleshell Heroes, who
Mne Steve Nethery, of 45
was subsequently invalided out
Commando, regularly displayed
of the Service.
courage “above and beyond the
As a civilian, he went on to
call of duty”.
be a renowned yachtsman who
On one occasion he twice
dashed across open ground,
Brig Gordon Messenger, 3 Mne Steven Nethery receives Cpl Bradley Malone, awarded Lt Cdr Alison Hofman receives
designed pioneering steering
unarmed and under heavy enemy
Cdo Bde’s CO, earns a bar to the Conspicuous Gallantry the Conspicuous Gallantry the Royal Red Cross 1st Class
equipment.
fi re, fi rst to save a wounded
his DSO for “outstanding and Cross for saving a comrade and Cross for braving an ambush to for running an exemplary
comrade, then to prevent vital
inspirational command”. kit under enemy fi re. help his troop leader. hospital at Camp Bastion.
Blast kills
equipment falling into insurgents’
hands. “His repeated bravery,” and gallantry turned the tide of When his troop leader was Sea King pilot Lt Cdr Gavin command of a medical centre
commando
says his citation, “undoubtedly the battle and led directly to the struck down by enemy fire, he Simmonite is awarded the “in one of the most challenging
saved lives.” successful extraction of 10 Troop picked up a machine-gun and Distinguished Flying Cross for areas in Afghanistan”. It cared
The 23-year-old from from a deadly ambush.” advanced – alone – towards the demonstrating “exceptional for more than 450 Service
A Royal Marine was killed by an Edinburgh is “chuffed to bits” On hearing of his award, Cpl Taleban firing the weapon until it airmanship”. personnel and 200 Afghan Army
explosion while on a foot patrol in to be receiving the Conspicuous Malone said: “You come back and ran out of ammunition. He then His citation continues: “His and Police. The workload was
the small hours of August 29 near Gallantry Cross. refl ect on what has happened out resorted to using his pistol which aircraft was so severely damaged relentless, the resources limited,
Gereshk, regarded as one of the His 45 Commando comrade, there; you feel quite humble about he fired at the foe until it too ran by enemy fi re that under normal the determination selfl ess.
focal points of the insurgency in Cpl Bradley Malone, has also the lads’ actions. out of bullets. circumstances it should have been His devotion was matched by
Helmand. been awarded the CGC for three “There’s a lot of men in 45 All the time the green beret landed immediately. that of Lt Cdr Alison Hofman
Five other troops patrolling stand-out acts of bravery. Commando that have been brave was “completely exposed to heavy “He was able to nurse the of the Queen Alexandra’s Royal
with him were injured by the He broke cover and moved day in and day out.” and accurate enemy fire”. His aircraft back to a friendly location Navy Nursing Service who ran the
blast. across open ground to rescue his An ambush also provoked an single-handed efforts allowed his and in doing so saved both the hospital at Camp Bastion, tending
The green beret’s family troop sergeant who was alone on outstanding act of individual comrades to tend to the troop aircraft and his crew.” to Allied, Afghan and enemy
asked for no further details to be the battlefi eld in the middle of bravery from Mne Sam commander; they earned the Surg Lt Henry Dowlen is made wounded.
released. an ambush. His “fi ghting prowess Alexander. 26-year-old the Military Cross. an MBE for his “exemplary” She receives the Royal Red
004-005_NN_Oct.indd 1 22/9/09 10:36:18
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