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2004-07-06 Iraq-Jordan
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Armyâs fearless five
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This blew my mind.
| Old story, but a good one. |
THE staggering heroism of five British soldiers as they helped rout more than a HUNDRED Iraqi rebels is revealed for the first time today by The Sun. The men came to the rescue of ambushed comrades â saving their lives with the Armyâs first bayonet charge since the Falklands War 22 years ago.
After a bloody battle which raged for four hours at least 28 of the enemy lay dead. Fleeing cohorts are thought to have dragged away at least the same number of bodies. Just two of Our Boys were slightly wounded. Last night the brave troops â members of the same regiment as the private tipped for a Victoria Cross â told of the desperate fight. Private Anthony Rushforth, 23, said: âWe were pumped up on adrenaline â proper angry. Itâs only afterwards you think, âJesus, I actually did thatâ.â
The terrifying bayonet charge by the members of the Princess of Walesâs Royal Regiment â nicknamed The Tigers â saw trench after trench taken from the enemy. It was led by Sgt Major Dave Falconer, 36. He said of his men: âI am very proud of them.â
The other heroes were Sgt Chris Broome, 35, and privates John-Claude Fowler, 19 and Matthew Tatawaqa, 23. The men, from C Company, raced to the rescue in Warrior armoured vehicles after an ambush by rebels loyal to rogue Shiâite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Two Land Rovers transporting Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders had been pinned down by heavy fire south of Al Amarah, 150 miles from Basra.
As the Warriors arrived, they too were targeted by machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms. Sgt Major Falconer, from Portsmouth, said: âOur Warriors were vulnerable to attack from the side by the enemy hiding in ditches. âThe only way you can hold ground in that situation is by having boots on it â so thatâs what we did.â That is military-speak for sending in infantry. Private Rushforth, from Southampton, said: âWhen the order came to dismount and attack, it was just like what weâve done dozens of times in training.
âWe sprinted in ten-metre bursts, then hit the ground to put down some rounds, and then carried on again for the last 30 metres. We broke into pairs and finished off the trench.â
The fight was dubbed the Battle for Danny Boy â after the name of the remote checkpoint where it took place.
FIRST Sgt Maj Falconerâs men defied enemy fire to charge 200 metres across open land. They leapt into the first trench, killing three enemy with SA80 rifle bullets and âcold steelâ. Four were taken prisoner. THEN they took two further trenches as the Warriors provided covering fire from chain guns and 30mm cannon. Eight more enemy were killed and four surrendered. Diehard rebels continued to hold out. FINALLY a Challenger II tank was summoned to blitz their bunker. The five were hailed heroes along with a sixth soldier Lance Corporal Brian Wood. He has since been posted back in Britain.
The last time the Army used bayonets in action was when Scots Guards assaulted Argentinian positions in 1982. Sgt Maj Falconer said: âThe lads performed excellently and with the highest professionalism.â It was 5 of them! Donât screw around with the Welsh. 
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Posted by Chuck Simmins 2004-07-06 4:29:08 PM||
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Posted by smokeysinse 2004-07-06 5:03:28 PM||
2004-07-06 5:03:28 PM||
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Posted by Super Hose 2004-07-06 10:21:00 PM||
2004-07-06 10:21:00 PM||
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