Para Becomes First Living VC Recipient Of Afghan War
A British paratrooper who ran through heavy fire to single-handedly lead the fight back against a Taliban attack has become the UK's first living recipient of the Victoria Cross from the Afghanistan campaign.
L/Cpl Joshua Leakey has been awarded Britain’s highest award for bravery in the face of the enemy more than 70 years after a relative posthumously won the same medal.
The 27-year-old from Hampshire repeatedly ran through heavy fire with bullets landing all around him on a barren hillside in Helmand province as he tried to rescue colleagues who were pinned down.
David Cameron said L/Cpl Leakey had “epitomised valour with his actions on that hillside in Helmand.”
The Prime Minister said: “When you hear how events unfolded and the intensity of enemy fire, it is difficult to imagine how one wouldn't be frozen to the spot and yet L/Cpl Leakey risked his life to run across that barren hillside not just once, but multiple times, to turn the battle and save the lives of comrades.
“And that is why he deserves the highest honour for bravery the nation can give.”
At the announcement of his award at Lancaster House in London L/Cpl Leakey said the extraordinary day had been just “another patrol”.
The soldier, who serves with the elite 1st Bn of the Parachute Regiment supporting special forces missions, said he had not thought of the danger he faced as he raced through the gunfire.
He said: “You don't really think what could happen to yourself, you think 'how is what I'm doing now going to improve the situation?'”
He said his only fear was that he would let down the Parachute Regiment.
The citation for his medal said that in his actions running through heavy fire to man machine guns to fight off the determined and accurate Taliban attack he had shown “gritty leadership” and “prevented considerable loss of life”.
But L/Cpl Leakey said he was only accepting the award on behalf of many other comrades who had fought alongside him that day in August 2013.
He said: “Everything there written [in the citation] says me, me, me. But I definitely feel it’s a team thing. There were blokes who were with me there on the ground right in amongst it and if it was up to me they would be sat here as well.
My big hope is that I can just go back on Monday morning, back to my battalion and say to my platoon ‘Sorry I was away for the last two weeks, what’s next?’ I’m not going to let this become who I am, because it’s not who I am. I am just me.”
To learn more about the Parachute Regiment we recommend reading The Paras by Max Arthur, available from Amazon.
Test week for potential Parachute Regiment recruits is theweek to see if they have got what it takes to join the Para’s. Recruits will be expected to run, march and carry dead weights over 1-20 miles on undulating terrain. The week will consist of eight separate events, seven events are scored and one, the Trainasium is a straight pass or fail.
The Trainasium is unique to Pegasus Company (P Coy), it’s described as a big adult climbing frame which stands around (at its highest point) 30 feet above the ground.
It has a simple aim of testing recruits ability to carry out basic tasks at height. As a recruit is making his way around the frame, a member of the training team will shout instructions, which the recruit must do to avoid failing the section.
The shuffle bars (which are at the highest point) are said to be the hardest part, and it is how it sounds, shuffling across two poles at height. Other parts include an illusion jump, which simulates jumping from a plane and a dive into a cargo net.
Recruits find it hard as this one is a straight pass or fail.
16 Air Assault Brigade is the British Army’s rapid reaction force, ready to deploy at short notice on operations anywhere in the world. It’s the Army’s largest brigade with some 6’200 soldiers with the ability to take on both air and land operations.
In recent years the Brigade’s soldiers have deployed multiple times on operations in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as supporting civilian authorities in UK.
The Brigade is made up of:
7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault)
1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment
2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment
3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment
3 Regiment Army Air Corps
4 Regiment Army Air Corps
13 Air Assault Regiment Royal Logistics Corps
16 Medical Regiment
7 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
216 (Parachute) Signals Squadron
156 Provost Company Royal Military Police
Pathfinder Platoon
In early 2002 16 Air Assault Brigade took a lead role in the International Assistance Security Force (ISFA). They were deployed to assist the new Afghan Interim Authority helping with security and the stability of Kabul.
British troops are taking part in two separate missions in Afghanistan.
Operation Fingal is the UK-led peacekeeping mission. Almost 20 other nations have contributed to this operation based in the Afghan capital Kabul.
The second is Operation Veritas, an offensive mission led by US forces against Taleban and al-Qaeda units still operating in Afghanistan.
The men from 2 PARA started to deploy on 30th December to Afghanistan on Operation Fingal, the journey to Afghanistan took over a month due to limitations on the use of Bagram airfield. The airfield is the largest US military base in Afghanistan and is located next to the ancient city of Bagram.
2 PARA where responsible for the security/peacekeeping of southern Kabul, which had been left in a bad way with over 23 years of war. The Battalion set about its role of peacekeeping, using traditional styles of making friends and deterring potential enemies.
During this operation, the first ever battalion of the Afgan National Guard was recruited and trained by 2 PARA, these been the first group to then start training the rest.
By early April the Paras had handed over to 1 Royal Anglian and returned to Colchester.
A parade at Colchester’s Merville Barracks formally marked the end of 16 Air Assault Brigade’s involvement in Afghanistan and honoured the memory of the 58 soldiers killed while under the brigade’s command.
Some 1,000 soldiers from all of the units that deployed with 16 Air Assault Brigade, plus civilian support staff, were on parade for a short but solemn service that including the reading of the names of the soldiers who gave their lives. Music was provided by The Band of the Parachute Regiment.
The Brigade Senior Chaplain, Reverend Alan Steele, who deployed to Afghanistan on three occasions with the Brigade, said: “In December 2014 the last soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade returned home from operational deployments to Afghanistan, bringing to an end a commitment to that theatre of operations which began in January 2002. It is important that we, as a Brigade, gather together to mark this moment and pause to reflect on our overall involvement in Afghanistan.
James DeGale prepares for his upcoming fight on November 22nd the best way he can, training with one of Britain's elite military units, The Parachute Regiment.
Why do the Parachute Regiment wear a maroon beret?
The maroon beret was introduced to the airborne forces during World War 2 in 1942 at the direction of General Frederick Browning, who was commander of the British 1st Airborne Division.
It was first worn by the Parachute Regiment in November 1942 during action in North Africa. It is reported the colour was actually chosen by his wife, Daphne du Maurier.
It is also now an international symbol of elite airborne forces with many parachute qualified and special forces around the world wearing maroon coloured berets.
For wannabe paras it’s the end goal of all the hard work and training it takes to joining the Parachute Regiment. Para Recruits actually wear the maroon beret at the 6 weeks point when they pass off the square, green backing is behind the regimental capbadge to show they have not yet passed p-company.
To learn more about the Parachute Regiment we recommend reading The Paras by Max Arthur, available from Amazon.
Pre Parachute Regiment Training – 5 ways to beat a Running Plateau
When you make the decision to join the Parachute Regiment you know you need to get your fitness into check. But one big obstacle you may meet is a plateau in performance – it’s a flat-line, a point you just can’t get past. Here are 5 quick tips on beating your running plateau.
2 - Check your diet
Diet can account for 80% of your training goals – if you are filling your body with the wrong foods & drink, your progress whilst training will be negatively impacted. When you reach the plateau point, assess your diet and cut out junk food and alcohol – this will have a positive impact on your training and you will lose weight in the process (which should bring your running times down).
3 - Run with a partner
Don’t just find any partner to run with, they have to be a faster runner or someone who can do the distance. Run with them to keep pace, they will push you to break the plateau.
4 - Enter an event or competition
Competition is a great way to increase your performance, it re-focuses your mind to achieve a goal. Choose an event or competition which fit the obstacle you are trying to get over, if you are struggling with speed, enter a short race. If you are needing to increase your stamina try a race which goes over a further distance.
5 – Have a rest
Don’t underestimate the need to have proper rest. Having a week off training will help you re-charge and feel a whole lot better when you start training again. It will allow your body to relax and also re-focus your mind, to make it start thinking when you re-start.
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