Tigers speak of fears and hopes for Afghanistan mission

During the next few days, the final wave of soldiers from across Hampshire will leave their barracks in Germany and deploy to Afghanistan for a testing seven months on the frontline.

As reported , around 450 men from the 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (1PWRR) – nicknamed The Tigers – will be serving in the war zone as part of 20 Armoured Brigade, who take over British operations from next month. Based in a variety of locations across troubled Helmand province, the boys will face the daily threat of deadly roadside bombs as they work to train and mentor Afghan police and security forces.

But despite that, Hampshire troops say they are the best prepared they have ever been to take on their most dangerous challenge yet.

Here, speaking exclusively to the Daily Echo, the Hampshire Tigers speak of the fears and hopes for the mission ahead.

Private Ashley Carter, 24, from Whiteley HE’S got the biggest day of his life set for when he returns – but, for the next seven months, his mind will be far away from planning his wedding.

Ashley has been with The Tigers for around six months since completing his training, and is about to deploy on operational duty for the first time.

Having joined the battalion, he found out almost immediately he was being deployed to Afghanistan within a matter of months.

Since then, he has been put through his paces during relentless training to prepare him for what lies ahead – and he’s relishing the challenge.

“Afghanistan is a totally different environment to any other war zone so it should be interesting. It’s good that I’m getting involved straight away, quite exciting. I’m more nervous for other people, like my family, than I am for myself. Joining the Army means a lot of hard work – it changes you as a person. You have to have a lot of discipline to get through the training. You rely on the other guys around you 100 per cent – you couldn’t do it without them.”

Ashley is due to tie the knot with girlfriend Leigha Butler on August 18 next year.

Private Callum Daly, 20, from Southampton “THIS is what we’ve been training for.”

That’s how father-of-two Callum describes his imminent deployment to Afghanistan – and he believes his company is ready for it.

“I’m looking forward to it and I think we’re prepared for it because of all the training we have done. I think we will do quite well out there – anything that gets set upon us, we will achieve.

“The training has been non-stop for the last year, literally day and night. Now, we’re going and this is what it’s all been about.

“It will be different out there – this is down as a fighting tour. I think that everyone’s a bit nervous but they are trying to keep it to themselves.”

Callum has the support of mum and dad, Natasha and David, as well as his partner Nicola, with whom he has two children – stepson Keiran, six, and 18-month-old Lucas.

“My dad hasn’t said much, but my mum is quite worried. But despite that, they’re proud of me and what I’m going out to achieve.”

Corporal Ben Heathcote, 29, from Lymington FORMER Priestlands School pupil Ben wanted to go to Afghanistan – so much so he specifically rejoined the Army two years ago.

Before that, he had served elsewhere and gave up the Army life for a steady job floor-laying and to spend time travelling.

The battalion runs in the blood of his family, with Ben’s grandad Basil Crouch, who lives in the New Forest with his wife Noreen, having served in the Hampshire regiment.

“Grandad is quite proud. It was a bit different back in his day – he told me ‘Look after yourself and look after each other’,” said Ben, whose mum Jane and sister Ann Marie live locally.

“It was quite tough saying goodbye to them, but they’re a good bunch of lads out here and I’ve made some good friends. We have been doing mission-specific training and all the exercises we have done have been quite hard, but we’re ready to go now.

“There’s a little bit of anticipation, more a case of if anything happens to one of my friends, but overall I’m excited about this.”

Private Daniel Fretwell, 20, from Ryde DANIEL has been trained as a member of a small specialist search team, and part of his role in Afghanistan will be finding IEDs (improvised explosive devices).

And while all soldiers have received basic training in countering the deadly bombs, the former Medina High School pupil feels he is at an advantage.

“Of course I’m worried about the IED threat, there are so many different ones they make now, but I definitely feel I’m at an advantage because of the amount I have learned during training.

We’ve been trying to pass that on to the other guys, so everyone else knows that little bit more,”

he said.

Daniel is also trained as a sharp-shooter and will be using the latest weapon, carried around his shoulder on one strap, which is designed to be more specific when firing at a target and less likely to ricochet and injure others.

Mum and dad Sarah and Andy are proud of what he is doing but naturally worried for his safety, Daniel said.

“My mum is quite upset and dad doesn’t want me to go, but they accept that’s what I do. Every parent is the same.”

He added: “I’m definitely looking forward to it. When I joined, everyone was talking about Iraq and what it was like out there – now it’s my turn.”

Corporal Alex Riall, 23, from Hook HE’S one of only a small number of Tigers who have experienced Afghanistan before.

On Monday, Alex will fly back out to the war zone, newly qualified as a section commander after five months on a training course in Brecon.

This operational tour will, however, be a new experience in more ways than one – his new role means he will be commanding seven men, and the previous area of the country he was deployed to is no longer occupied by the British.

“It’s completely different there now and I don’t have a clue what to expect. I’m looking forward to doing my new job and, in that respect, I’m looking forward to going. But you always have it playing on your mind that Afghanistan is not the nicest of countries to go to in the world and there is naturally that bit of fear.”

Alex’s mum Maria Gilbert and stepdad Guy, brother Ben and sister Becky, will all be rooting for Alex over the next seven months.

He said: “Mum is proud of me being in the Army, but she obviously gets worried when all she hears is the bad stuff on the news.”

Private Shane Dixon, 24, from Southampton HE’S always wanted to be in the Army but, until recently, he hadn’t got round to it.

Shane was working as a labourer before he gave it up to sign up to the job he wanted, and he only finished his training four months ago.

Now, he’s preparing to leave for Afghanistan and has been busy getting last-minute bits packed at his barracks in Paderborn.

“My mum was quite good at the beginning, but when it came to going to Afghanistan, she got quite upset,” said Shane.

“I wanted to go straight out there, to get it over and done with and see what it’s like. I think I’ve trained hard enough to go out and do what we need to do.

“I’m a bit anxious because there’s a lot of sitting around getting things sorted and waiting for it to arrive. I’m a little worried about the first patrol but once we have got that out of the way, we’ll know what it’s like for real.”

Captain Matt Swales, 28, from Locks Heath AS OPS Officer, Matt is in charge of training for the entire battalion, and he believes The Tigers are the best trained they have ever been ahead of operations in Afghanistan.

“My job has been ensuring everybody is up to the correct standard and I believe they are good to go. This is the best trained we have ever been. The standards and kit have improved and progression has been much better.”

Matt has already had three visits to Afghanistan this year to recce the current situation in the country and reflect that into the training back in Paderborn.

In between, the former pupil of St George’s in Southampton and Peter Symonds College, tried to find as much time as possible to spend with wife Hannah and their six-monthold daughter Olivia.

“I’ve spent more than half her life away so far, but I’m glad to be doing that now rather than later.

“It’s not ideal but I have to zone out and not think about it. Thankfully Hannah is pretty strong.”

Matt will be carrying out his second stint in Afghanistan, having previously deployed two years ago.

“It’s changed so much since then, for the better. It feels as safe as Afghanistan can ever feel.”