Richard Kemp - Attack State Red

This book would not have been possible without the frankness and forbearance of the soldiers who fought as members of the Royal Anglian Battle Group in Helmand in 2007, who voluntarily gave up so much of their time in more than 300 interviews. Those who were interviewed are included in the list of battle group members at the back of this book. Without exception they told their stories willingly, in graphic detail, with great candour. And often with much emotion. The modesty of every person interviewed, and their determination to give credit to others rather than themselves, was humbling. This is their story.

Special thanks to Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Carver DSO, the Royal Anglian Battle Group Commander, who enthusiastically embraced this project from its earliest stages. He and his successor as Commanding Officer of The 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel James Woodham MC, provided the strongest support throughout the research and writing of this book, making their soldiers and battalion facilities freely available.

Thanks also for practical assistance and guidance, as well as for their interviews, to Brigadier John Lorimer DSO, Commander of Task Force Helmand, and to Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Calder, Major Mick Aston MC, Major Dominic Biddick MC, Major Tony Borgnis, Major Phil Messenger, Major Dean Stefanetti MBE, Captain Andy Buxton, Captain Tom Coleman, Captain Graham Goodey, Captain Phil Moxey, Captain Mark Nicholas, Captain Ian Robinson MBE, Captain George Seal-Coon, Captain Andy Wilde, Regimental Sergeant Major Tim Newton, Colour Sergeant Keith Nieves, Sergeant Steve Armon, Sergeant Nathan Love, Sergeant Matt Waters, Sergeant Mark Willsher, Corporal Joel Adlington, Corporal Darren Farrugia, Corporal Richard Jones, Corporal Stuart Parker, Corporal Gav Watts, Lance Corporal Tom Mann, Private Josh Hills, Private Josh Lee and Private Kenny Meighan.

The encouragement and enthusiasm of the literary professionals involved with this book has made writing it a thoroughly rewarding, edifying and above all enjoyable experience. Particular thanks to Mark Lucas, whose expertise and guidance was absolutely invaluable in transforming the ghost of an idea into a living volume; and to his colleagues at LAW, especially Julian Alexander and Alice Saunders. Particular thanks also to Rowland White at Penguin for his vision, flexibility, understanding and guidance; to David Watson, who edited the manuscript with the most admirable skill and patience; to Alan Gilliland who also deployed great skill and patience in producing the maps; to Tom Chicken, Ana-Maria Rivera and Katya Shipster for their imagination and vigour in driving the sales and marketing process; and to Sarah Hulbert and Paulette Hearn for their unflagging energy in tying everything together and simply making it happen!

Thanks for their invaluable advice and assistance to Nick Gurr, Director General of Corporate Communications at the Ministry of Defence, and his team, including Steve Beamont and Colonel Ben Bathurst; and to the corporate communications staff at HQ Land Command.

Thanks to Ryan Alexander for his specialist advice and critical eye, and for his exceptional practical assistance; to Monica Kemp for her wise guidance and encouragement; to Lucy Christie for her outstanding interview transcriptions; to Colonel Patrick Mercer OBE and Major Chris Hunter QGM for sharing their authorial experience as well as their deep military knowledge; to Heather Millican, Colonel Nigel Burrell and Lieutenant Colonel Richard Clements for their practical assistance and encouragement. Finally, thanks to Anna and Lucy they know why.

A special word of thanks to George Davies. Although not involved with this book, his quiet generosity did a tremendous amount to ease the terrible suffering of many wounded British and Allied soldiers, including all of the Royal Anglians described in the pages that follow who were seriously wounded in action, as well as their families, and the families of Royal Anglians killed in action.

Corporal Billy Moore, left, and Private Clarke of A Company an hour before the battle in Nowzad on Friday 13 April in which Private Chris Gray was killed in action and Moore was shot in the arm.

Nineteen-year-old Private Chris Gray with his Minimi light machine-gun in Nowzad District Centre days before he was killed in a close-quarter battle with the Taliban. Chris Gray was the first member of the Royal Anglian Battle Group to be killed in Afghanistan in 2007.

Corporal Moores gunshot wound sustained on Friday 13 April in an exchange of fire with the Taliban. This photo was taken in Nowzad DC just before Moore was CASEVACed by Chinook to the British field hospital in Camp Bastion.

B Company prepare to deploy from Camp Bastion to the battle group assembly area north of Gereshk to commence Operation Silicon. To the right is a Vector 6x6 armoured utility vehicle. The other vehicles are Viking articulated troop-carrying vehicles, crewed by the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group.

Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Carver, the Royal Anglian Battle Group commander, left, and Regimental Sergeant Major Ian Robinson.

Scimitar tracked reconnaissance vehicle of the Royal Anglian Recce Platoon in overwatch.

Taliban fighter killed by B Company during Operation Silicon.

A WMIK from Fire Support Group Charlie moving forward with C Company at Kajaki. The vehicle is fitted with a grenade machine-gun (in the rear) and general-purpose machine-gun.

Air strike near Mazdurak, in support of C Company. With no civilian population in the area, air support could be used to devastating effect.

Major Phil Messenger, C Company commander, during the raid on Mazdurak, near Kajaki. Before moving south to Forward Operating Base Inkerman, C Company had many battles in the Kajaki area, and Messenger and his men were in contact with the Taliban almost every day.