The Guards Magazine

Op HERRICK 18 has a special resonance for Household Cavalrymen. It was the last of six regimental deployments to Afghanistan over the past decade and draws to a close a largely unbroken period of operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia, and Northern Ireland. In the New Year, we commence preparations in earnest for the contingency operations of the future in our new role as Armoured Cavalry.

For the first time, Op HERRICK 18 saw the Regiment command the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Group (ISTAR Gp) HQ as part of the Task Force Headquarters in Lashkar Gah. The span of the ISTAR Gp was exceptional: eleven different sub-units ranging from familiar entities like the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF), B Squadron HCR under Maj Tom Armitage LG, reinforced by Recce Pl, 4 Rifles; Brigade Troops Echelon, with HQ Squadron HCR under Maj Ratty Core LG; to rather less familiar elements including the Danish Leopard 2 Tank Platoon, Estonian Recce Company and a plethora of technical ISTAR sub-units who successfully snooped, eaves-dropped and otherwise winkled vital information from a largely hostile environment. Five nationalities contributed to the group: Afghans, Danes, Estonians, a few Americans, and many Brits, all operating shoulder-to-shoulder.

Whilst our own A and C Squadrons were deeply missed, the Regiment was blessed to have No 2 Company, Irish Guards under the command of Maj Jono Palmer in their guise as the Brigade Operations Company (BOC). Notwithstanding the preponderance of Gunners, Signallers and other friendly foreigners, we were thus fortunate to have a Blue-Red-Blue spine running through the group in the form of our two primary manoeuvre sub-units. That distinct spirit and ethos of the Household Division was fundamental to fruitful relations during a hectic summer fighting season; there were many battles to fight and only so many troops. Badger Squadron, 2 RTR provided our armoured fist in their role as the Warthog Group; outmanoeuvring, intimidating and degrading the enemy across the area of operations. Badger was fundamental to our success, supporting the BRF and BOC on nearly every operation, often screening to a flank, ready to close in at short notice to support a sub-unit under fire.

Deploying from early March, the Commanding Officer, Lt Col Jim Eyre RHG/D, and the team were tasked with disrupting the movement of explosives, weapons and ammunition into Central Helmand and, in particular, to conduct deterrent and disruptive operations in the depth of British fixed locations. By close-of-play in late September, we had planned and executed 85 deliberate operations, demonstrably deterring the kind of ‘spectacular’ attacks by which the insurgents have inflicted casualties in the recent past. The author, in partnership with the brilliant 2nd Lt Joe Chmiel INT CORPS and Lt Charlie Leigh IG were extremely lucky to be given a wide-reaching remit to find targets across the area of operations, by all available means. Winston Churchill’s memorable direction to the SOE, to ‘set Europe ablaze’ rings a few bells, but I suspect the phrase probably does not appear in any recent Counter-Insurgency manual. From March to May, the BRF, BOC, Warthog Group and Estonian Company ranged across the Area of Operations, often inserting by helicopter at dawn, sometimes by Warthog. The sub-units rained on many an insurgent’s parade and gave a powerful demonstration to local Afghan troops that the UK remains in the fight alongside them.

As the tour progressed, our mission developed into more direct support to the closure of five patrol bases, providing a welcome security buffer for the Engineers and other troops involved. As the manoeuvre component of the Brigade, the Ground Manoeuvre sub-units were set a hard task by the Task Force Commander, operating often beyond the support of other units in insurgent-controlled areas. Flying into these remote areas was a dangerous and daunting task and the balance of risk against reward was much in mind as we chewed our nails in the operations room, watching the soldiers fly in, waiting for them to get boots safely onto the ground. Ground Assault was equally a hazardous exercise and both the Estonian Company and Badger Squadron were exemplars of manoeuvre, snaking their way to avoid areas riddled with IEDs. Given where they were asked to operate, their success in largely avoiding mishap was astonishing. In all this, the sub-units were well supported throughout by the Brigade Troops Echelon who provided support not only to our own sub-units but, by the end of the tour, to nearly every other organisation in theatre.

ISTAR Group Flag Change in Lashkar Gah -
Lt Col Jim Eyre RHG/D assumes command from
Lt Col Nigel Best QRL

In contact with the enemy during nearly every operation, a number of soldiers were saved by the superb qualities of our protective equipment. The Mk VII helmet, on more than one occasion, diverted the path of an incoming round with life-saving consequences. Sadly, during the BRF’s final operation of the tour, LCpl Jay Brynin INT CORPS was killed by small-arms fire during an operation to protect Lashkar Gah from rocket attacks. He had recently deployed as part of the Op HERRICK 19 Light Electronic Warfare Team and, although he served only briefly with B Squadron, he will be sorely missed.

Beyond the Ground Manoeuvre branch, Household Cavalrymen often appeared in unexpected places. Maj David Brooks LG, Maj James Howell LG, and Maj Tom Giffard LG represented the Crown Club at Task Force HQ in Lashkar Gah, whilst Capt Tom Long LG, Capt Tom Whiting LG, Capt Louis du Plessis LG, Capt Mike Wilmot RHG/D, and the author formed an enclave of irresponsibility in the ‘ISTAR crèche’ behind the headquarters. Maj Gen Ed Smythe-Osborne LG, Maj Paddy Williams RHG/D, and Capt Harry Thomas RHG/D were the Regiment’s eyes and ears at the strategic level in Kabul. Lt Col James Gaselee LG deployed to HQ RC(SW) and is still there, deployed on a 12-month tour. Elsewhere, Capt Chandos Gore-Langton RHG/D and Lt Jack Barnes RHG/D deployed as Forward Air Controllers with 1 RRF. Capt Jeremy Sudlow RHG/D played a great deal of ping-pong with the author whilst excelling as the Liaison Officer for the Police Mentoring and Advisory Group. Capt Ed Mackie RHG/D planned interesting operations for people with long sideburns. Lt Tom Mountain RHG/D was deployed somewhat out on a limb with the PMAG in a police control centre outside of FOB Shawqat, whilst Capt Harry Boyt LG commanded the Tactical Air Control Party for 2 LANCS in Shawqat. In exotic Kandahar, Surgeon-Major Will Wall LG provided medical care at the detention facility and hence came closer to the enemy than anyone else, while Padre Nigel Kinsella RAChD tended ably to Household Cavalrymen across theatre and many others besides. Capt Alex Owen RHG/D deployed as Adjutant (Forward) and had a busy tour supporting all of the ISTAR Gp sub-units. Towards the end of the tour, we welcomed fresh faces from Windsor: Lt John Churcher RHG/D, Lt Jack Carefoot LG, and Lt Simon Dingsdale RHG/D served in various guises with the BRF. Elsewhere, numerous NCOs served with distinction in police training, intelligence-gathering and other duties.

As six tours of Op HERRICK draw to a close, the sacrifice made by so many in the Regiment inspires us ever to be, in Tennyson’s memorable words, ‘strong in will ….. to strive, to seek, to find ,and not to yield.’