Monthly Archives: July 2009

Blood brothers scarred by war

The Sunday Times ‘Dad, I’m sorry,” were my brother’s first intelligible words, whispered through swollen lips and an oxygen mask. Dad leant in close and told his son how proud he was of him. For three days we had hovered around Jim’s bedside in Birmingham’s Selly Oak hospital — as he lay doped up on […]

Corporal Danger dodges Taliban fire to save wounded comrade

The Sunday Times THE Taliban opened fire while four British soldiers were crossing a barren field. As they dashed for cover, a bullet tore through the thigh of one of the riflemen, bringing him crashing to the ground as more rounds thudded into the earth beside him. It would only be a matter of seconds […]

Helicopter shortage has troops at mercy of Taliban

The Sunday Times Five British troops killed in Afghanistan on Friday were caught in a cruel trap, retreating from one blast only to become the targets of a second, even more lethal explosion. At 5am, a 30-man platoon was making its way along an alley in Wishtan, one of the most dangerous parts of the […]