For some the thought of being ambushed, rocketed, shot at and trapped for hours in the fierce Afghan heat would be the stuff of nightmares.

But for soldiers of 19 Brigade's elite Reconnaissance Force (BRF) who recently experienced just such a scenario, being in the thick of it is what it's all about.

Under cover of darkness and using night vision, the patrol of more than one hundred men including Afghan National Forces and a Counter Improvised Explosive Device team (CIED) left Camp Bastion in 26 Jackals and two Mastiffs - one of their biggest deployments to date.

"The lads are always up for it, always ready to do their job in the most difficult of circumstances," said Captain Euan Grant the unit's Operations Officer.

"We've had a tough tour this year but despite that the lads know they've done a sterling job so far, really taking the fight to the insurgents. I'm sure this operation will be no different," he added.

Codenamed Operation Panther's Valour (or Operation SHEJAH PALANG in Pashtu), its aim was to engage with locals in the Luy Mandah Wadi area of Nad Ali as well as to support the Light Dragoons BG in the nearby town of Babaji.

With the highly successful conclusion of Operation Panther's Claw in late July, commanders also wanted to keep up the pressure on nearby insurgents and disrupt their activities.

Formidable reputation

The heavily armed and highly mobile BRF were ideal candidates for the job. Within minutes of reaching the objective area the BRF were soon engaged in heavy fighting with insurgents as they protected the CIED team's attempts to disarm a number of IEDs in the local bazaar.

With the help of Apache Helicopter gunships and US F16 fighters the BRF were able to call in fire support on to insurgent positions, sometimes less than 100 metres away from themselves. But it was while extracting the CIED teams from the area that the BRF showed why they've earned their formidable reputation.

On the convoy out the lead CIED Mastiff vehicle was struck by a massive IED. The huge explosion showered dust and wreckage across the convoy. For a moment everyone is in shock and there was an eerie silence as the dust billowed out and the grim realisation of what has happened sunk in.

Convoy was trapped behind a damaged Mastiff

But within seconds, vehicle and convoy commanders are shouting orders to their men. "Get ready! Here it comes," shouted 26-year-old Lance Corporal Ryan 'Kingy' King from Birmingham. "If they're going to attack it's going to be now," he added as he scanned the horizon.

Almost on cue an insurgent Rocket Propelled Grenade streaked out at the convoy, missing the long line of vehicles, now badly exposed on high ground, by just a few feet. It was followed instantly by nearby insurgent machine gun fire.

Within 30 seconds soldiers had identified a number of enemy firing positions and were engaging them with them. The 'whump, whump, whump' of the Grenade Machine Guns and 50 Cal machine guns had very soon put a stop to the insurgent ambush. But the convoy was now trapped behind a damaged Mastiff at the front of the convoy.

A long night in the open surrounded by insurgents

Miraculously no one was seriously injured, but the front right wheel had been mangled in the explosion and it would be many hours before a recovery vehicle could be on scene. With the convoy blocked in and no recovery of the vehicle available for many hours, the BRF prepared for a long night by their vehicles, in the open and surrounded by insurgents.

"The biggest danger tonight is firing on our own side," said 24-year-old Private Ben Ansaldo from Sutton-in-Ashfield. "Because we have some of our guys back over in the far compound, if the insurgents can get infiltrate between us tonight then that will be real bad.

"But personally I don't think they'll attack tonight. They took quite a smashing and they'll probably want the same as us which is to get their heads down for the night," he added laughing. Private Ansaldo's prediction was spot on.

Nothing happened during the night but in the morning the attacks started again, the insurgents realising the soldiers were still vulnerable and wanting to push home the advantage.

But despite the heat and the tough conditions the soldiers of the BRF not only held out they also killed at least one insurgent and captured another red handed with a large cache of weapons.

http://www.army.mod.uk/news/17419.aspx