and were held in a secure holding area whilst the Danish Battle group and A Company completed their part of the Mission. Morale within the Company was high but the men were nervous due to the unknown of what was about to happen.
The ground had been broken down into four objectives. From the mission analysis conducted, it was believed it would be able to be cleared and secured in 4-5 days. After taking us just over that time period to take Objective 1, it was obvious this would take a lot longer. After crossing the line of departure, the next 5-6 days were spent fighting with the enemy in contacts that were a matter of 30m away at times, as well as numerous IED strikes, one of these contacts sadly resulting in Pte Robbie Laws becoming the first man to be KIA in our Company. Shortly after this, we started to get a number of casualties including the OC and the CSM. By this time, we had pushed a maximum of 1 km past the line of departure and were still in Objective 1.
The CO of The Light Dragoons Battle Group then decided after we had taken more casualties from heat illness that it would be worth using both A and B Companies working together to break into Objective 2. We now started to push through Objective 2 during which we were getting into further fire fights and having issues with IEDs. The firefights were not as intense as before but the clearance of Objective 2 took us another 4-5 days. Instead of us taking ground and then having to give it back like we had to do in Objective 1, we now were taking the ground and holding it.
Pte Holmes MC taking a breather Pte Massive Knight
as a result of enemy action during our tour. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families. The Company also sustained numerous casualties, some of which have been life changing, namely Maj Stewart Hill and Pte Williams, both victims of IEDs. Fortunately, both are recovering and we wish them the very best with their continuing rehabilitation.
Since returning from POTL, the Company had a busy couple of weeks running up to Christmas leave consisting of the Battalion Freedom Marches through Worcester, Derby and Nottingham and a thoroughly enjoyable and packed Christmas week in Palace Barracks. I can report with absolute confidence that morale in the Company is high!! On return from some well earned leave, our training cycle started all over again. Our sights are on Ex Askari Thunder in Kenya in the medium term and Op Herrick 15 in 2011 in the long term. However, for now, my direction to the Company has been to focus on low level Section and Platoon level training. At the time of writing, we are about to deploy on a Battalion KAPE Tour of our recruiting area: all in all, a busy period.
Op Panchai Palang by Sgt Brough
On the morning of 3rd July 2009, B Company began moving out of FOB Price in Vikings to begin Op Panchai Palang (Panther’s Claw). We arrived just short of the line of departure
36 October 2010 Sgt Townsend taking a knee during the advance The Mercian Eagle
When we started to push up north to start our break into Objective 3, we noticed that the locals had started to move back into their homes and this was a good indicator that the Taliban had now begun to move out of the area. Objective 3 was cleared in just two days and we were now tasked with holding the ground so that we could get resupplied. At this point, it was deemed that, due to our losses and how long we had been fighting, Objective 4 would now be taken by the Black Watch, which, in a way, the men were happy with so that we could get some rest but we were also upset that we started this and that we should be the ones to finish it.
Looking back on it now, the time that we spent to get ourselves together was good and also gave us the chance to finally get a good meal down us. Both A and B Companies who fought in Op Panchai Palang will always remember it and all of the men who had fallen, but we will also always be proud that we were there and were a part of one of the biggest operations that the army has been involved in since World War 2.
Pte Smith 30 LMG gunner observing his arcs
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