Royal Welsh soldiers support operations in southern Afghanistan (VIDEO)
17 Aug 07
Soldiers from 1st Battalion Royal Welsh have been demonstrating their flexibility by operating in several provinces across southern Afghanistan.
Taking on the Taliban; B Company 1 Royal Welsh play their part in clearing the Taliban from a key area of ground in the Green Zone
[Picture: Sgt Will Craig]
The soldiers, members of B Company 1 Royal Welsh, who are normally based in Cyprus, are operating as part of a newly formed organisation - Regional Battle Group South. They have recently been taking part in a Task Force level offensive, codenamed Operation Chakush, meaning 'hammer'.
The unit comes under the direct command of Regional Command South, one of four regional ISAF commands in Afghanistan. Regional Command South is currently a British-led Headquarters commanded by Major General Jacko Page. The Regional Battle Group can be deployed to support operations in Kandahar, Zabol, Oruzgan or Helmand.
Company Commander Major Matt Westerly explained:
"We come under the control of ISAF’s Regional Command South, we are there to support the commander when he sees the need to deploy extra resources to a region.
"We have worked with the Romanians in Zabol, The Dutch in Oruzgan, Canadians in Kandahar and now with the British here in Helmand."
"We were attacked by the enemy initially this morning, however we responded to that with overwhelming firepower, and it seems so far that we have driven them out of this area."
Captain Craig Gavin Officer
Working alongside soldiers from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) they have been involved in an operation to drive the Taliban out of the Upper Gereshk Valley, known as the ‘Green Zone’ in Helmand rovince, southern Afghanistan.
See Related Links>>> to watch a video of 1 Royal Welsh soldiers on operations in southern Afghanistan
The Royal Welsh had the difficult job of seizing a village held by Taliban fighters. When the Company began its advance the area was devoid of its local civilian population, who had left the area knowing that the Taliban was preparing to battle ISAF and Afghan Forces.
Initially B Company met very little enemy resistance as they carefully edged their way through the maze of mud walls and buildings that characterise villages in Helmand.
B Company 1 Royal Welsh playing their part in clearing the Taliban from key area of ground in the Green Zone in Central Helmand on Operation Chakush
[Picture: Sgt Will Craig]
Lance Corporal Rhys Brocklebank described his feelings as he and his fellow soldiers prepared for the mission:
"It’s the calm before the storm; I don’t know what is worse, waiting to go into battle or actual battle. The waiting makes you nervous because you don’t know what to expect.
"But once you are there [in battle] you know what to expect, as it is happening there and then. The adrenalin takes over and it just all falls into place for you."
Later, on edge of the village, a ferocious fire fight erupted. The enemy were soon identified and the superior training, firepower and discipline of the British became very evident. The Royal Welsh soldiers called in ISAF Apache attack helicopters to help them in the final defeat of the enemy.
Captain Craig Gavin B Company’s Operations Officer said:
"We were attacked by the enemy initially this morning, however we responded to that with overwhelming firepower, and it seems so far that we have driven them out of this area.
![Captain Craig Gavin, Company Operations Officer, checks his map as he prepares to bring in fire support [Picture: Sgt Will Craig]](GenerateThumbnail.aspx?imageURL=/NR/rdonlyres/E2F31389-E9A5-48AC-84E4-577200AD8538/0/HQUKTF20070660042.jpg&maxSize=210)
Captain Craig Gavin, Company Operations Officer, checks his map as he prepares to bring in fire support
[Picture: Sgt Will Craig]
"Our soldiers are all fit and aggressive young men, they are here to do a job, they all want to be here. You just basically point them in the right direction and they go themselves."
ISAF’s enduring objective is to extend the influence and control of Afghanistan’s democratically elected Government as well as enabling vital reconstruction and development projects to take place. The creating of an enduring security presence in the Upper Gereshk Valley is seen an important step to achieving these objectives.