- Joined
- Jul 20, 2002
- Messages
- 4,187
In my opinion, this has to be one of the bravest passages of arms in recent British military history:
"Dramatic helicopter rescue photos released
The Ministry of Defence has released dramatic photos of the four Royal Marines who strapped themselves to the wings of helicopter gunships in a daring rescue mission.
The commandos clung to the side of two Apaches - which have no room for passengers - as they flew into a gunfight with Taliban forces in Afghanistan while trying to find a fallen comrade.
In the dramatic photos taken by military photographers, the Marines - Colin Hearn, 45, based in Plymouth; Gary Robinson, 26, of Rosyth, Fife; David Rigg, 30, of Newton Ferrers, Devon; and Chris Fraser-Perry, 19, of Southport - can be seen holding onto the sides of the gunships as they fly 100ft above the ground.
Lieutenant Colonel Rory Bruce, the UK Task Force spokesman, said: It was a leap into the unknown. This is believed to be the first time UK forces have ever tried this type of rescue mission.
It was an extraordinary tale of heroism and bravery of our airmen, soldiers and marines who were all prepared to put themselves back into the line of fire to rescue a fallen comrade.
The rescue mission last Monday was launched after L/Cpl Matthew Ford went missing during a 200-soldier assault on a fort in Helmand province.
L/Cpl Matthew Ford
When the Marines regrouped they realised the 30-year-old section commander was missing and flew back to search for him.
L/Cpl Ford had been killed by enemy fire and his body was retrieved by his colleagues on the Apaches."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/22/napache122.xml
maximus otter
"Dramatic helicopter rescue photos released
The Ministry of Defence has released dramatic photos of the four Royal Marines who strapped themselves to the wings of helicopter gunships in a daring rescue mission.
The commandos clung to the side of two Apaches - which have no room for passengers - as they flew into a gunfight with Taliban forces in Afghanistan while trying to find a fallen comrade.
In the dramatic photos taken by military photographers, the Marines - Colin Hearn, 45, based in Plymouth; Gary Robinson, 26, of Rosyth, Fife; David Rigg, 30, of Newton Ferrers, Devon; and Chris Fraser-Perry, 19, of Southport - can be seen holding onto the sides of the gunships as they fly 100ft above the ground.
Lieutenant Colonel Rory Bruce, the UK Task Force spokesman, said: It was a leap into the unknown. This is believed to be the first time UK forces have ever tried this type of rescue mission.
It was an extraordinary tale of heroism and bravery of our airmen, soldiers and marines who were all prepared to put themselves back into the line of fire to rescue a fallen comrade.
The rescue mission last Monday was launched after L/Cpl Matthew Ford went missing during a 200-soldier assault on a fort in Helmand province.
L/Cpl Matthew Ford
When the Marines regrouped they realised the 30-year-old section commander was missing and flew back to search for him.
L/Cpl Ford had been killed by enemy fire and his body was retrieved by his colleagues on the Apaches."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/22/napache122.xml
maximus otter
