3 Para
Page 32
Taliban 13
ambushed by Paras 217
American operations against 26
at Musa Qaleh 152, 154–69, 249–50, 251–3
at Now Zad 181–95
at Sangin 193–204, 210, 227–44
attacks and ambushes 2–6, 51–61, 86–105, 117–21, 124–31, 133–5, 138–41, 218–20
and bringing in of replacements 212
and ceasefire proposal 258
coerciveness of 115
courage and determination of 52, 58, 230–1
dicking operations 40, 56
knowledge of troops 40, 41
lessening of attacks by 263–4
and Operation Augustus 174–9
outfought by Paras 64–83
problems for 147
quality of fighters 218
re-establishment of 1, 25, 26, 50–1
setback to 266–7
suspension of fighting 34–5
Tansey, Corporal Sean 213–4, 216
Taylor, Captain Martin 24, 30, 32, 36, 41–2, 108, 124, 126–7, 128, 142, 175
Templer, General Sir Gerald 24–5
Thorpe, Corporal Peter 125–6, 127, 128, 144, 195
Thwaite, Private Jim 92, 93
Timms, Major Giles 18, 55, 56, 88, 117, 137–8, 142, 182, 193, 194, 225
Tootal, Lieutenant Colonel Stuartaggressiveness of Paras 38
background 16–17
and command structure 17, 44–5
concerns regarding outstations 131
and courage of McKinley 210
and death of Budd 222
and death of Jacko 171–2
enthusiasm and concern for job 1
and hearts-and-minds activities 23–4, 85
and human resource deficits 147
and jumping out of aircraft 13
and justice and punishment 32
and lull in attacks 263
and Operation Augustus 174, 179
and Operation Mutay 68, 83
on patrol 39
and QIPs 43–4
relief operation at Now Zad 192
and resupply situation 34, 200
and Sangin effect 49, 51, 59, 60
search-and-recovery missions 3–7, 53, 88, 108, 248, 249–50
shura with Gereshk officials 40–1
shura in Sangin 114–15, 201–2
and support for Afghan forces 56
and unwanted diversions 58–61
and use of ammunition 203
visit to Sangin 131–2, 133
visited by Freakley 171
Tyrer, Private Dale 74
Ulslev, Major Lars 165, 232, 233
United Nations (UN) 47
National Children’s Day 46
Security Council 26
United States Agency InternationalDevelopment (USAID) 43, 94
unmanned air vehicle (UAV) 86–8, 162
Waddington, Corporal Andrew 218
weapons
AK-47s 68, 75, 78, 90
Chinese rockets 229, 239
Dushka 103
general purpose machine guns(GPMGs) 57, 111, 118, 119, 143, 163, 195, 241
Hellfire missiles 173, 178, 190
improvised explosive devices(IEDs) 23, 39, 54, 104, 130, 168, 218
Javelin guided missiles 23, 92, 96, 112, 137, 252
Kalashnikovs 66, 67, 72, 77, 78, 101, 119
Minimi light machine guns 119, 189, 252
mortars 229
rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) 2, 6, 64–5, 67–8, 74, 77, 78, 89, 90, 101, 103, 116, 118, 119, 139, 145, 163, 174, 178, 181, 185, 198–9, 213, 217, 229, 239, 303
Russian-made PKM 74
SA-80 rifles 69, 145
weapons mount installation kits (WMIKs) 57, 64, 99, 100, 101, 103–4, 148, 149, 168, 217, 218
Webb, Sergeant 176
Wessels, Corporal Johan 163
West Side Boys 9
Whitehouse, Ranger Dominic 249
Whordley, Colour Sergeant Mick 102
Widgery, Lord Justice 37
Wight-Boycott, Major Nick 148, 150, 151, 154–64
Wilkinson, Major Gary 166–7
Willets, Sergeant Major Mark 116
Williams, Major Huw 17, 127, 134
Wilson, Private Mark 163–4
Woods, Wing Commander Mike 174
Wright, Corporal Chris 77, 90, 93
Wright, Corporal Mark 4, 5, 92, 245–9, 268
Wright, Lance Bombardier Paul 242
Wulley, Abdul ‘Coco’ 154–5, 157, 161, 238
Yonzon, Rifleman Kieran 64
Zainokhan, Haji 60
Zam Zam (orange drink) 55
Zumbelay 99–104
About the Author
PATRICK BISHOP has been a foreign correspondent for over twenty years, reporting from conflicts all over the world. He is the author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling Fighter Boys and Bomber Boys. His first novel, A Good War, a romantic WWII thriller, is published this year. He is married to Henrietta Miers, and they have a young daughter, Honor.
From the reviews of 3 Para:
‘Thorough and engaging. His book really does put you on the ground with the troops … [but] Bishop’s book doesn’t just give us the “bang, bang”. It also explores the attributes of courage, camaraderie and duty … This book is a tribute to the sheer bravery and determination of 3 Para Battle Group. It is also a stern reminder of what we ask of our troops’
ANDY McNAB, Mail on Sunday
‘Moving, gripping, furious, insightful and terrifying, 3 Para is as fine a book as you’ll ever read on modern warfare … there’s vigour, immediacy and intensity, as we learn through first-hand accounts what it’s like to go from combat novice to jaded veteran in a week. Learn of the heat, the squalor, the shortage of clean water, the mosquitoes, the Russian mines, the lack of sleep, the shattering exhaustion of being attacked four or five times a day. Finally, be grateful that it’s these disciplined, professional, supremely brave young men who are out there trying to defend the national interest – and not you’
Daily Telegraph
‘Wonderfully compelling … a fast-paced book of incredible bravery that reads like a thriller. I found it hard to put down’
CHRISTINA LAMB, Sunday Times
‘The best reporting I have read on the war in Afghanistan … it leaves you in awe of the constant hardship and danger’
Observer
‘Patrick Bishop’s riveting account of 3 Para’s bitter little war … presents an inspiring story of courage, discipline and, above all, the selfless comradeship that underpins esprit de corps among crack soldiers … fast-paced and absorbing’
Daily Mail
‘A gripping insight into the deployment last year in Afghanistan of 3 Para … fluent, rich and engaging’
The Times
‘A fascinating first-hand glimpse of an important conflict’
Glasgow Herald
‘A blow-by-blow account … a moving tribute to the soldiers of 3 Para’
Daily Express
‘Forceful and vivid’
Sunday Times
Also by Patrick Bishop
Fighter Boys
Bomber Boys
A Good War
Photo Insert
Copyright
William Collins
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First published in Great Britain by William Collins in 2007
Copyright © Patrick Bishop 2007
Patrick Bishop asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
Maps © HarperCollinsPublishers, designed by HL Studios, Oxfordshire
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
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Source ISBN: 9780007257805
Ebook Edition © NOVEMBER 2008 ISBN: 9780007280087
Version: 2013–07–26
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