3 Para Battlegroup Talk About Their Battle with the Taliban

, 450,000 rifle and machine gun rounds, 7,500 mortar rockets and 4,000 light artillery rounds fired. These statistics illustrate the level of intensity which the 3 Para Battlegroup faced during their recent tour of duty in Afghanistan. 
 
It was a deployment which saw the Battlegroup involved in some of the most ferocious fighting faced in a generation. But for the personnel, now coming home, it was just a job, and a job many found to be the most rewarding of their careers. 
 
The Battlegroup consisted of the 3 Para Battalion of 16 Air Assault Brigade, and included support units from the Royal Engineers, Military Police, Gurkhas and the RAF. 
 
They deployed to southern Afghanistan in April 2006. Their mission was to support the Afghan Police and Afghan Army to bring security and stability to the region. In doing so they faced incredibly tough fighting during a number of offensive actions. 
 
One operation involved a Pathfinder platoon spending 52 days in the town of Musa Qal'eh. They were engaged in fighting for 26 of the 52 days. And patrols going into the town of Sangin faced a 70% chance of contact with the Taliban: 
 
“It takes a certain amount of courage to go into that kind of zone,” said a senior commander, “especially when some of your friends have recently been killed in action. 
 
“It has been a particularly difficult operation. We were going into the unknown. But none of us expected to go out there and not have to fight the Taliban. It was clear we would have to go out on a war footing. You can't begin reconstruction work without first bringing security.” 
 
16 Soldiers form the Battlegroup were sadly killed while in Afghanistan. Despite the intensity of the fighting and formidability of the Taliban, which some of the soldiers described, most of them still saw their experience in Afghanistan as incredibly positive and rewarding. 
 
Lieutenant Nichol Benzie RN is currently on secondment to 18 Squadron RAF. He spent two months in Afghanistan as Operations Officer in Camp Bastion. His role was to plan and co-ordinate all aviation taskings beyond routine re-supplies. And there were lots of operations beyond the routine. He regularly flew Chinook helicopters into combat situations: 
 
“It's bloody challenging flying conditions. At night the light levels are unbelievably low and it's unbelievably dusty too. You can't see anything when landing out there. I was regularly attacked, and heavily most of the time. On one occasion I was leading five aircraft, and was briefed that if I landed and started unloading my troops, everyone else had to land too, no matter what. 
 
“Within three or four seconds of my guys starting to get off, we were opened up on from seven machine gun points.” 
 
Later when the area was secured, around 8,000 AK47 rounds were found. Lieutenant Benzie's team took only two hits: 
 
“It's very surreal,” Lt Benzie continued. “It's your standard training. You identify your landing site, get in as quick as possible, but then you see the machine gun tracer and know you just have to stay there. It's hard to put into words. But the training kicks in. Although you do see bullets coming in and think they could easily hit you, but our training is second to none.” 
 
Lt Benzie was in Iraq in 2003, but hasn't seen anything like the Taliban before: 
 
“That was exciting, but the ferocity with which the Taliban fight takes Afghanistan to another level. They know what they are doing, you can see them learning and watching everyday. So you have to be imaginative and develop cunning yourself.” 
 
Despite the constant threats and fierceness of the Taliban, Lt Benzie found the deployment rewarding: 
 
“Professionally it was the best two months I have had. I have never worked so hard. But it was the best experience and quite good fun to co-ordinate and lead the aircraft. It's what you join to do.” 
 
Master Andrew 'Dex' Mann echoed Lt Benzie's experiences. From the Mobile Air Operations Team, 'Dex' acts as the link between the RAF and the Army. He described his time in Afghanistan: 
 
“Very busy and extremely interesting,” he said. “You're doing the job for real, as opposed to exercises. And in some respect it's easier than exercises, where there can often be more aircraft to organise. 
 
“It was a fantastic privilege to do the job and work out there with 3 Para in such an austere environment. The dust out there is like talcum powder. It gets into everything, your computer systems, your kits. It's very annoying.” 
 
Rifleman Rupendra Rai, from 2 Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles, also saw how fierce an enemy the Taliban are when he was involved in a significant ambush early on in the Battlegroup's deployment. 
 
“The Taliban know what they are doing,” he said, “they are well trained and are hardcore fighters, they have been for years.” 
 
Rifleman Rai was in a vehicle convoy when they were attacked with multiple weapons systems: 
 
“We got out the vehicle and took cover. We had to fire while manoeuvring to get out. There was a big fire fight before we gained the initiative. We managed to get our two vehicles out of the killing zone and then called in air support. We were the first to use the Apache's.” 
 
Like most of the returning soldiers, Rifleman Rai praised his training for getting him through the ambush: 
 
“Initially it was a bit scary. We are human. But the training kicks in and your body does what you 're trained to do and you get more confident.” 
 
Having also trained as a Para, Master 'Dex' claims to be the only Loadmaster to have jumped out of a helicopter. Although he didn't jump out of any helicopters in Afghanistan: “That would be stupid,” he quipped.