Headbutting Bullets

Alex Harrison talks us through how he came to being shot in the head, walking off the battlefield after pointing out where the enemy were - for which he was subsequently decorated and the slide into the abyss that is PTSD and his subsequent recovery.  A remarkable man who has a very matter of fact way of telling his story.

Alex can be found on Insta at: https://www.instagram.com/one_eyed_harry/#

The Charities Alex refers to who have helped in his recovery:

The Colonel's Fund - Grenadier Guards (grengds.com)

Welcome - Walking With The Wounded

The Not Forgotten - The Not Forgotten

Behind the Heroes CiC

To contact me email: [e-mail] if you have a story to tell.

Episode Transcript

(00:08):
Hello and welcome to this episode of talking with the wounded where veterans talk us through the moment that their life changed their military careers were changed and the repercussions thereafter.
My guest today.
There's none other than Alex Harrison.
Hello! Alex, thank you very much for agreeing to do this.

(00:33):
Let's start with your journey. 6 00:00:36,779.999 --> 00:00:38,060 Cool, let's get into it.
.001so, you decide to join the army at what age? Sixteen. 8 00:00:44,170.001 --> 00:00:45,80.001 You're living in... 9 00:00:45,595.001 --> 00:00:46,75.001 Lincoln. 10 00:00:46,155.001 --> 00:00:49,625.001 And that's home, that's where you've been brought up? Yeah, yeah. 11 00:00:49,625.001 --> 00:00:53,165.001 We well, my family first started out in the sticks, out in Horncastle. 12 00:00:53,185.001 --> 00:00:58,245.002 Then my mum and dad split up and the result of that was me and my mum, living in Lincoln. 13 00:00:58,565.002 --> 00:01:03,85.002 So, you're living and schooling in Lincoln. 14 00:01:03,725.002 --> 00:01:04,935.002 And you decide... 15 00:01:05,380.002 --> 00:01:06,900.002 The army's the way ahead for you. 16 00:01:07,140.002 --> 00:01:12,120.002 Is that because there's a family connection with the military? No it's just... 17 00:01:12,810.002 --> 00:01:16,680.003 I'll be brutally honest, it's because of the rough rough upbringing that I had. 18 00:01:17,60.002 --> 00:01:22,430.002 With the separation of my parents and other stuff that was going on amongst my youth. 19 00:01:23,40.002 --> 00:01:27,860.002 So it's, it was an escape, a way of getting out of the situation. 20 00:01:28,260.002 --> 00:01:31,960.002 To try and create a better situation and better living environment. 21 00:01:32,560.002 --> 00:01:45,860.001 So you're living on a rough council estate or something? And you're not exactly a model student at school, is that what you're saying? Yeah, I was, I was I was a bit of a rough student because I actually have quite heavy dyslexia.

(01:45):
.001And at the time, my school I went to really didn't like getting kids tested for it. 23 00:01:53,235.001 --> 00:02:03,825 So they refused to test me for dyslexia, but then I've joined the army, and two weeks into being at Arrogate, I was told that I was severely memory dyslexic.
.999so the school just thought you were disruptive? Yeah, just a pain in the arse. 25 00:02:07,884.999 --> 00:02:13,324.999 So, you get out of school and you go to Harrogate Army Foundation College. 26 00:02:13,544.999 --> 00:02:20,134.999 Yeah, so I was at Harrogate for a year doing my phase one training and further education. 27 00:02:20,654.999 --> 00:02:25,674.999 and then once I finished that, I then went to Catrick and did 10 weeks infantry training. 28 00:02:27,104.999 --> 00:02:34,834.999 What stage you did you choose to be a grenadier as soon as well I when I was going through teenage years, I joined the army cadet force. 29 00:02:35,14.999 --> 00:02:41,304.999 Okay, and I was cap badge grenadier guards at that so The seed was sewn. 30 00:02:41,304.999 --> 00:02:41,424.999 Yeah. 31 00:02:41,444.999 --> 00:02:42,229.999 The seed was sown. 32 00:02:42,229.999 --> 00:02:42,439.999 Yeah. 33 00:02:42,469.999 --> 00:02:46,99.999 'cause once you, when you're in a cadet, you have to learn about the regiment, your cat badge too. 34 00:02:46,489.999 --> 00:02:55,544.999 And on learning about all the ceremonial stuff and the fact that, you know, you, you're twice the man in the grenadiers it just really appealed for me from a really young age. 35 00:02:55,964.999 --> 00:02:57,255.999 So the sea basson and I was. 36 00:02:58,39.999 --> 00:03:08,189.899 I was committed to going to the Grenadiers, so as soon as I went into the recruiting office, at 15 and a half years old, I joined, I walked in and said, yeah, I want to join the Grenadiers, and that was it. 37 00:03:08,189.999 --> 00:03:12,709.9985 And what was the cat badge sat opposite you in the, in the career? It was a Grenadier. 38 00:03:12,749.9985 --> 00:03:15,139.9975 You see, it always happens like that, weirdly enough. 39 00:03:15,289.9985 --> 00:03:25,239.9985 Quite a lot of the people we interview on this podcast seem to end up in the regimen that whoever sat behind the desk sells them the dream, but you already went in with the dream. 40 00:03:25,279.9975 --> 00:03:26,859.8985 Yeah, I already knew what I was going to do. 41 00:03:27,109.9985 --> 00:03:29,159.9985 So you join the Grenadiers in 2004. 42 00:03:29,729.9985 --> 00:03:32,99.9985 Aged, 17 now? Yeah, 17 man, yeah. 43 00:03:32,149.9985 --> 00:03:37,419.997 And you go straight to Nijmegen Company that was based in Wellington Barracks in London. 44 00:03:37,439.998 --> 00:03:41,89.997 And you're straight into ceremonial stuff? Yeah, yeah. 45 00:03:41,159.996 --> 00:03:52,729.997 So for those of you that don't know, that's everything from Trooping the Colour, Guard of Honours for State Visits, Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, St James's Palace, Windsor Castle. 46 00:03:53,34.997 --> 00:03:56,964.997 So you're doing all of that, and at the same time, a bit of green soldering. 47 00:03:57,64.997 --> 00:04:00,454.997 Yeah, because while I was at my main company, I I did camping patrol. 48 00:04:00,504.997 --> 00:04:01,414.997 Yeah, that's tough geek. 49 00:04:01,524.997 --> 00:04:07,864.997 Which for anybody that doesn't know, it is known as the hardest military competition in the world. 50 00:04:07,944.996 --> 00:04:10,334.997 Yeah, I've had the joy of doing that myself. 51 00:04:10,734.997 --> 00:04:12,654.997 Not that I'm bragging, but I come away with gold. 52 00:04:13,599.997 --> 00:04:18,99.997 That's better than I did! Brilliant, well done, chapeau. 53 00:04:18,309.997 --> 00:04:32,899.998 Okay, so, you're there, you're doing, a lot of ceremonials, any fun stories with the Royals? Bump into them a bit? Yeah, well, being Queen's company later in, in my career, I come across a lot of them, but while I was in our main company. 54 00:04:33,334.998 --> 00:04:48,414.997 I was on guard at Windsor Castle, while I was there, it was a baking hot day and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh came out and walked past me and I've, I've come to, you know, did a general salute and he was like, Blimey, you must be bloody hot, boy. 55 00:04:49,754.998 --> 00:04:55,914.998 So he, yeah, so he, he took my bearskin and my rifle off me, put it on the floor, well, I say put it, he... 56 00:04:56,204.998 --> 00:04:57,554.998 Basically just throw it on the floor. 57 00:04:57,944.998 --> 00:05:13,624.998 And then uh, like, trot it off inside For some reason at that point I didn't know and all I could think at that moment in time was if my guard commander comes around the corner and sees that I've got my weapon and my bearskin on the floor, my bollocks are gonna be hanging. 58 00:05:13,754.998 --> 00:05:21,494.999 But luckily they didn't and Prince Philip come back with a jug of water and a glass and told me to get some hydration in me. 59 00:05:21,879.999 --> 00:05:25,239.999 So that was, yeah, that was pretty cool and then he sort of disappeared off into the garden. 60 00:05:25,839.999 --> 00:05:28,79.999 Happy days, leaving you with the jug and the glass. 61 00:05:28,999.999 --> 00:05:34,549.998 Yeah, looking very sheepish still hoping that my guide commander didn't come round the corner when I stood there. 62 00:05:34,699.998 --> 00:05:37,709.997 Supposedly on guard, just wagging away at some water. 63 00:05:39,279.997 --> 00:05:39,809.997 Brilliant. 64 00:05:40,739.997 --> 00:05:41,169.997 Oh well. 65 00:05:41,954.998 --> 00:05:44,944.998 That's, that's pretty unusual for a 19 year old Ladd from Lincoln. 66 00:05:45,19.998 --> 00:05:46,624.998 It, it was very unusual. 67 00:05:46,624.998 --> 00:05:54,704.998 Yeah, So you then move on from there and you joined the first battalion Grenadier guards based down in Windsor in 2005 Yeah, I joined the Queen's company. 68 00:05:54,704.998 --> 00:05:54,944.998 Yeah. 69 00:05:55,244.998 --> 00:05:55,934.998 So. 70 00:05:56,929.998 --> 00:06:06,209.998 You're with them and Yeah, the battalion moves to Aldershot, getting ready to sort of build up and start doing pre deployment training for Iraq. 71 00:06:06,539.998 --> 00:06:07,454.9985 OpTelic, yeah. 72 00:06:07,454.9985 --> 00:06:10,939.999 So you get deployed with the Queen's Company? Yeah, so this is your first operational tour. 73 00:06:11,939.999 --> 00:06:12,389.999 Yep. 74 00:06:13,59.999 --> 00:06:15,489.999 Going to get a medal on your chest, off you go. 75 00:06:15,699.999 --> 00:06:32,29.999 Yeah, it was yeah, it was quite surreal to be fair, because you always want to do that when you join the army, but when it actually comes to being deployed and going on a tour, especially one like the Middle East, Iraq, it's it's, 18 year old. 76 00:06:32,424.999 --> 00:06:34,974.999 At the time I was a bit overwhelmed a bit. 77 00:06:35,34.999 --> 00:06:36,84.999 Oh shit. 78 00:06:36,864.999 --> 00:06:39,624.999 What have I got myself into? Okay. 79 00:06:39,954.999 --> 00:06:43,974.999 And you filled out the insurance form, you've written the will, you've jumped on the plane. 80 00:06:43,979.999 --> 00:06:44,424.999 Yeah. 81 00:06:44,424.999 --> 00:06:45,234.999 You're off to war. 82 00:06:45,234.999 --> 00:06:45,684.999 This is it. 83 00:06:45,689.999 --> 00:06:45,744.999 Yeah. 84 00:06:45,774.999 --> 00:06:47,64.999 Said, said goodbye to me. 85 00:06:47,64.999 --> 00:06:47,874.999 Loved ones. 86 00:06:47,984.999 --> 00:06:48,914.999 And yeah. 87 00:06:49,564.999 --> 00:06:51,94.999 Got on a plane and see what happened. 88 00:06:51,364.999 --> 00:06:51,994.999 Yes. 89 00:06:52,354.999 --> 00:06:55,424.999 So you're 18, and how did that tour go? it was pretty. 90 00:06:56,14.999 --> 00:06:57,884.999 I call it boring because nothing really happened. 91 00:06:57,884.999 --> 00:07:07,844.998 We went up to Baghdad the first six weeks just ushering five star generals around, doing supply runs back and forth to the, to the airport. 92 00:07:09,804.999 --> 00:07:10,794.999 Other than that, nothing. 93 00:07:10,814.999 --> 00:07:16,465.099 And Baghdad, nice place to be in or was it pretty hot at the time? I don't mean temperature wise, I mean, you know. 94 00:07:16,465.099 --> 00:07:18,635.099 There was plenty of stuff going on. 95 00:07:18,960.099 --> 00:07:21,460.099 But we didn't have an awful lot to do with it. 96 00:07:21,460.099 --> 00:07:29,320.099 We, we was strictly there to, to sort of shepherd around the five star generals around to meetings around the green zone gotcha. 97 00:07:29,530.1 --> 00:07:29,830.1 Yeah. 98 00:07:29,880.1 --> 00:07:35,240.1 The, the ride in there was pretty, pretty interesting because we flew into Baghdad air international airport. 99 00:07:35,330.1 --> 00:07:35,940.1 Yeah. 100 00:07:36,220.1 --> 00:07:39,630.1 On a hook, I think and then from that, we got on a black Hawk. 101 00:07:40,980.1 --> 00:07:44,220.1 Yeah, American Blackhawk into the green zone, and... 102 00:07:44,370.1 --> 00:07:47,30.1 So you're just thinking, Blackhawk down, this is it. 103 00:07:47,60.1 --> 00:07:47,410.1 Well, yeah. 104 00:07:49,450.1 --> 00:08:05,820.1 I'm not a massive fan of flying anyway, so yeah, so I was pretty nervous of flying, I still am today to be fair but yeah, getting onto a blackhawk with the doors wide open the helicopter was bouncing over the top of buildings, doing tactical flying, So you're thinking, you're thinking, right, this is it, we're real. 105 00:08:05,890.1 --> 00:08:06,240.1 Yeah. 106 00:08:06,300.1 --> 00:08:06,760.1 Okay. 107 00:08:06,790.099 --> 00:08:09,150.1 And it was, yeah, it was real baptism by fire. 108 00:08:09,300.099 --> 00:08:13,60.099 So then you, move out to Basra. 109 00:08:13,95.099 --> 00:08:13,275.099 Yeah. 110 00:08:13,275.099 --> 00:08:17,115.099 Moved down to just outside Basra, which is Shiba Logistics base. 111 00:08:17,205.099 --> 00:08:17,475.099 Yeah. 112 00:08:17,805.099 --> 00:08:23,345.099 And what are you doing down there? We were staggering on the POW camp, which is prisoner of war camp. 113 00:08:23,445.099 --> 00:08:26,950.099 Staggering on, for those of you not in the military means Oh, yeah, yeah. 114 00:08:27,315.099 --> 00:08:27,915.099 Being on guard. 115 00:08:27,920.099 --> 00:08:30,885.099 Yeah, we did, we did security for the prisoners war. 116 00:08:30,890.099 --> 00:08:31,110.099 Yeah. 117 00:08:31,150.099 --> 00:08:31,230.099 Security. 118 00:08:31,235.099 --> 00:08:31,335.099 Yeah. 119 00:08:31,335.099 --> 00:08:31,910.099 That's about, yeah. 120 00:08:32,325.099 --> 00:08:32,595.099 Yeah. 121 00:08:32,595.099 --> 00:08:36,315.099 We were You're, you're stopping people getting in or you're stopping people getting out? Both. 122 00:08:36,675.099 --> 00:08:37,35.099 Okay. 123 00:08:37,165.099 --> 00:08:37,166.099 Yeah. 124 00:08:37,715.099 --> 00:08:39,935.099 I can't really talk, I'm not, I'm not allowed to talk about that. 125 00:08:40,365.099 --> 00:08:40,795.099 Of course you're not. 126 00:08:41,245.099 --> 00:08:44,155.099 But yeah, so, yeah, that's what we were doing the latter end of that. 127 00:08:44,595.099 --> 00:08:49,445.1 We did go on a few foot patrols just clearing outside the wire. 128 00:08:49,555.099 --> 00:08:53,455.099 We, we had a farmer shoot at us and that's about as interesting as it got. 129 00:08:53,685.099 --> 00:08:54,15.099 Okay. 130 00:08:54,585.099 --> 00:08:54,605.099 Yeah. 131 00:08:54,645.099 --> 00:08:56,125.099 So that tour ends. 132 00:08:56,145.099 --> 00:08:56,615.099 Yeah. 133 00:08:56,695.099 --> 00:08:58,405.099 You come home, safe and sound. 134 00:08:59,575.099 --> 00:09:01,205.099 Somebody pins a medal on your chest. 135 00:09:01,235.099 --> 00:09:01,565.099 Yeah. 136 00:09:02,5.099 --> 00:09:04,655.099 And you're thinking, all right, so you're back to the battalion. 137 00:09:04,795.099 --> 00:09:06,75.099 Yeah, back to battalion. 138 00:09:06,165.099 --> 00:09:08,445.099 And it's now... 139 00:09:09,135.099 --> 00:09:10,845.099 Back end of 2006. 140 00:09:10,875.099 --> 00:09:11,295.099 Yeah. 141 00:09:11,295.099 --> 00:09:14,325.099 And yeah, so you were told to turn around and go again. 142 00:09:14,415.099 --> 00:09:18,805.099 So, yeah, so we when we got back we were straight on four weeks post tour leave. 143 00:09:18,985.099 --> 00:09:19,165.099 Yeah. 144 00:09:19,255.099 --> 00:09:24,835.099 And then as soon as we got back that first week, we was told we're going to Afghanistan in 2007. 145 00:09:25,305.099 --> 00:09:31,995.099 There's a bit of a shakeout for a couple of weeks where everyone was getting a bit panicky and thinking, oh shit, we've just got back from the tour. 146 00:09:31,995.099 --> 00:09:33,135.099 We need some training. 147 00:09:33,165.099 --> 00:09:34,635.099 It's gonna be a completely different tour. 148 00:09:35,470.099 --> 00:09:39,550.099 Because the intel at the time was, it was very, very hot. 149 00:09:39,610.099 --> 00:09:40,0.099 Yes. 150 00:09:40,30.099 --> 00:09:40,450.099 Yeah. 151 00:09:40,500.099 --> 00:09:41,550.099 And kinetic. 152 00:09:41,610.099 --> 00:09:41,880.099 Yes. 153 00:09:42,330.099 --> 00:09:44,70.099 In, in Afghanistan at that time. 154 00:09:44,70.099 --> 00:09:47,580.099 So it was, it was all getting a bit twitch and a bit nervous that Okay. 155 00:09:47,585.099 --> 00:09:49,110.099 No, this is what we joined the army for. 156 00:09:49,320.099 --> 00:09:50,400.099 We are infant tears. 157 00:09:50,760.099 --> 00:09:52,710.099 Let's go do infantry stuff. 158 00:09:52,710.099 --> 00:09:52,980.099 Yeah. 159 00:09:53,710.099 --> 00:10:04,540.098 And then yeah, a couple of weeks went by and we were told that they're sending a section of Grenadiers from each fighting company over to the Viking Battle Group, 1st Battalion Royal Anglians. 160 00:10:04,760.099 --> 00:10:08,60.099 And I was on the Queen's Company section. 161 00:10:08,220.099 --> 00:10:09,650.099 So so yeah. 162 00:10:09,650.099 --> 00:10:18,630.1 So you're a section of Grenadiers, you get attached to a platoon of the Royal Anglians, yeah, so it was literally straight into pre deployment training. 163 00:10:18,920.1 --> 00:10:25,180.1 So, you go through all of that, and you deployed to Afghanistan? Yeah, April 2007. 164 00:10:25,450.1 --> 00:10:28,300.1 Op Herik 6? 6. 165 00:10:28,560.1 --> 00:10:28,850.1 Yeah. 166 00:10:29,70.1 --> 00:10:32,390.1 And where do you go? Well, we fly into Bastion. 167 00:10:32,900.1 --> 00:10:33,804.9005 And then we... 168 00:10:34,135.0005 --> 00:10:38,864.9995 We had a very quick turnaround There was no climatization or fuck all. 169 00:10:39,385.0005 --> 00:10:50,404.9995 And we were straight on a, on a Chinook to Kajaki the forward operating base, we had a company of British which was the Anglians, which we was attached to. 170 00:10:50,445.0005 --> 00:10:59,384.9995 And then there was a full company of Afghan National Army, which was being taught and coached by the Grenadier Guards. 171 00:10:59,524.9995 --> 00:10:59,904.9995 Okay. 172 00:11:00,984.9995 --> 00:11:14,174.9995 So what's that like working with the royal a having been grenadier all the time, gone through all your grenadier training, all your customs, all that sort of thing? Or is infantry unit one much the same as the other one? You actually get down to it with the blokes and the brass tacks. 173 00:11:14,204.9995 --> 00:11:14,414.9995 Yeah. 174 00:11:14,414.9995 --> 00:11:19,634.9995 I mean, infantry from one unit to the other, the skills and drills are pretty much exactly the same. 175 00:11:20,794.9995 --> 00:11:28,304.9995 It's slightly different when it comes to discipline, culture, and parts thereof. 176 00:11:28,324.9995 --> 00:11:34,644.9995 What do you mean? Do you mean their discipline was even more than the ground? Yeah, yeah, different. 177 00:11:34,804.9995 --> 00:11:39,94.9985 Like, it just seemed a bit more relaxed. 178 00:11:39,94.9985 --> 00:11:41,274.9985 Infantry soldiers just do infantry stuff. 179 00:11:44,529.9995 --> 00:11:58,569.9995 Where, you know, in the Grenadiers, you do the ceremonial stuff as well, so there's always that, um, awkward, sort of, to and fro between the two, where you, you don't really know whether you're coming, going, or gone. 180 00:11:58,669.9995 --> 00:11:58,979.9995 Yeah. 181 00:11:59,89.9985 --> 00:12:01,129.9975 Where in the Anglians, you don't have that. 182 00:12:01,199.9985 --> 00:12:02,309.9985 It's what they do all the time. 183 00:12:02,579.9985 --> 00:12:05,169.9985 Yeah, they are just doing what they do all the time. 184 00:12:05,379.9985 --> 00:12:05,799.9985 And they're good at it. 185 00:12:06,249.9985 --> 00:12:07,349.9985 Yeah, and they're bloody good at it. 186 00:12:07,449.9985 --> 00:12:07,719.9985 Yeah. 187 00:12:08,379.9985 --> 00:12:10,799.9985 So, there you are, Inca Jacky. 188 00:12:11,509.9985 --> 00:12:18,139.9985 And what are you doing as a platoon? what is your, what's your day job? Well, when we first got out there, we took over from the Marines. 189 00:12:18,409.9995 --> 00:12:43,609.9975 And that was interesting because the the Sergeant Major, from the Marines, as soon as we touched down and the Marines got on the Chinook to go back the Sergeant Major did the handover takeover, and he was like, yeah, let's Let's get you out and pick a fight and we was a bit like, sorry, sorry, what? Come again? It was like, yeah, yeah, we'll take I'll take you out to where you know, where you can pick a fight And we was like, okay, like cool. 190 00:12:43,659.9975 --> 00:12:46,994.9975 We're not gonna do any training first or we just Okay. 191 00:12:46,994.9975 --> 00:12:48,134.9975 No, we're going to get straight into it. 192 00:12:48,134.9975 --> 00:12:48,434.9975 Okay. 193 00:12:48,804.9975 --> 00:12:58,464.9975 So yeah, literally that afternoon we was out on the ground having a, a bit, a long distance trading match of bullets with the Taliban two-way range. 194 00:12:58,494.9975 --> 00:12:58,674.9975 Yeah. 195 00:12:58,674.9975 --> 00:12:59,334.9975 Two-way range. 196 00:12:59,334.9975 --> 00:13:00,779.9975 So, you are going out on patrol. 197 00:13:00,779.9975 --> 00:13:16,994.9975 what's the, the objective? Are you, you, you're trying to dominate the ground? So, yeah, so the, the objective of being in Kajaki was to keep a two kilometer bubble minimum around the Kajaki dams, so the Taliban can't get hold and control the dam. 198 00:13:17,364.9975 --> 00:13:21,174.9975 so Kajaki Dam is a hydro hydrostatic dam. 199 00:13:21,569.9975 --> 00:13:24,999.9975 That provides power for the rest of Helmand province. 200 00:13:25,189.9975 --> 00:13:26,229.9975 Okay, so it's an important asset. 201 00:13:26,899.9975 --> 00:13:28,679.9975 Yeah, a very important asset, and we was, yeah. 202 00:13:28,689.9975 --> 00:13:35,219.9975 And you're making sure the Taliban, A, can't blow it up, or B, get control of power and decide who gets what. 203 00:13:35,539.9975 --> 00:13:36,519.9975 Yeah, that's exactly it, yeah. 204 00:13:36,839.9975 --> 00:13:56,69.9975 And they're quite keen on getting it, are they? We was told that, yeah, I mean, they, they never got anywhere close to it while we was there, but we So you are patrolling a zone around this and dominating the, trying to dominate the ground or just show of force really? So like the geography of kajaki in FOB. 205 00:13:57,469.9975 --> 00:14:00,629.9975 It's at the bottom of three peaks of a mountain range. 206 00:14:00,719.9975 --> 00:14:03,339.9975 Them three peaks have got observation points on top. 207 00:14:03,399.9965 --> 00:14:03,659.9965 Yeah. 208 00:14:03,759.9965 --> 00:14:06,809.9965 And have you seen the film Kajaki? Yes. 209 00:14:06,819.9965 --> 00:14:07,419.9955 By the powers. 210 00:14:07,459.9955 --> 00:14:07,669.9955 Yes. 211 00:14:07,849.9965 --> 00:14:09,409.9955 That's, they was on them three peaks. 212 00:14:09,469.9965 --> 00:14:09,779.9965 Yes. 213 00:14:09,799.9965 --> 00:14:10,319.997 Yeah, yeah. 214 00:14:10,369.997 --> 00:14:13,244.997 So, yeah, so the, the the fob is at the base of them. 215 00:14:13,334.997 --> 00:14:13,634.997 Yeah, yeah. 216 00:14:13,789.997 --> 00:14:21,469.997 MF ops and we was, so there's only two ways you can go out of the camp is go over the Hillman River Yeah. 217 00:14:21,654.997 --> 00:14:23,904.997 And across sort of northbound. 218 00:14:24,414.997 --> 00:14:32,284.997 And the other side is going south around the bottom of the mountain, staying on the same side as the river and going down into Kajaki softly. 219 00:14:32,749.997 --> 00:14:55,539.997 Okay, because everything else is mountains, yeah, or a big reservoir, so they're funneled in, yeah, so it's, it's it's, and do you, do you think, I mean, I certainly know from, from some of my experience in the military, sometimes the objective seems to have been lost on the enemy and that we just become the target because we're there. 220 00:14:56,274.997 --> 00:14:56,814.997 Yeah. 221 00:14:57,84.997 --> 00:14:58,44.997 Yeah, absolutely. 222 00:14:58,44.997 --> 00:14:58,284.997 Yeah. 223 00:14:58,284.997 --> 00:15:05,724.997 So they, they, I don't think they're picking a fight with you because you are there, not because they're going Well, if we own that Yeah. 224 00:15:05,724.997 --> 00:15:15,264.997 Piece of high ground and that, then we can't Yeah, don't can dam Don't think they, I don't think they, well, I think they knew, they did have not have a chance of getting anywhere close to that dam. 225 00:15:15,264.997 --> 00:15:22,75.997 So they, you know, whenever we went out on the ground, they'd just pick a fight with us and try and get as many casualties as they could. 226 00:15:22,75.997 --> 00:15:22,884.997 As they could try and wait. 227 00:15:22,884.997 --> 00:15:23,184.997 Yeah. 228 00:15:23,334.997 --> 00:15:23,694.997 Yeah. 229 00:15:23,844.997 --> 00:15:24,594.997 So, so. 230 00:15:26,289.997 --> 00:15:29,219.997 You're straight into it, you've worked out it's a two way range. 231 00:15:29,269.997 --> 00:15:29,579.997 Yeah. 232 00:15:30,99.997 --> 00:15:44,829.999 You're out on patrol, give us a, very briefly, your living conditions, a bit exposed to the elements, but because of the Taliban being pushed back as far as they was. 233 00:15:45,164.999 --> 00:15:53,64.999 There was the only, the only real threat was mortars but that we only got mortared once and that was it. 234 00:15:53,564.999 --> 00:15:57,124.999 So yeah, we didn't even concentrate about, didn't even think about that really. 235 00:15:57,264.998 --> 00:15:57,484.998 Yeah. 236 00:15:58,334.998 --> 00:16:05,274.999 But like the living conditions, we was, was in, it's like a old military accommodation and we was in four man rooms. 237 00:16:05,974.999 --> 00:16:07,664.999 It's the dog trying to get in. 238 00:16:07,854.999 --> 00:16:08,314.999 Nevermind. 239 00:16:08,464.999 --> 00:16:11,54.999 Yeah, so we was in four man rooms. 240 00:16:11,574.999 --> 00:16:19,214.999 With high top, high level windows on the walls, which to be fair, wasn't an awful lot of light getting in them because it was all sandbagged up. 241 00:16:19,214.999 --> 00:16:19,644.999 Yeah. 242 00:16:20,414.999 --> 00:16:20,534.999 Yeah. 243 00:16:20,604.998 --> 00:16:21,634.998 But good, you know, you're getting well fed. 244 00:16:21,914.999 --> 00:16:26,844.999 Yeah, yeah, we had, we had with a combat chef, combat chef, I don't think, an army chef. 245 00:16:26,845.099 --> 00:16:27,184.999 Combat chef, yeah. 246 00:16:29,184.999 --> 00:16:36,464.999 I don't think combat and chef yeah, we had a chef out there with us who was pretty, pretty cool. 247 00:16:36,464.999 --> 00:16:36,484.999 Yeah. 248 00:16:38,89.999 --> 00:16:41,549.999 Doing meals at 10 man rash packs, ration packs. 249 00:16:43,29.999 --> 00:16:44,279.999 We've been joined by the dog. 250 00:16:44,689.999 --> 00:16:46,99.999 So, so life's pretty good. 251 00:16:46,159.999 --> 00:16:49,419.999 Life's comfortable in there, but you are baptism of fire. 252 00:16:49,589.999 --> 00:16:49,989.999 Yeah. 253 00:16:50,359.999 --> 00:16:51,739.999 You've had your contacts. 254 00:16:51,949.999 --> 00:16:52,279.999 Yeah. 255 00:16:52,299.999 --> 00:16:57,909.998 It was all it was all pretty chilled until about day three. 256 00:16:58,739.998 --> 00:16:59,259.998 Oh, right. 257 00:16:59,609.998 --> 00:17:01,409.998 That's when we took our first casualty. 258 00:17:02,44.998 --> 00:17:05,804.998 Okay, so, your first casualties, this is in your section, in your platoon. 259 00:17:05,904.998 --> 00:17:07,714.998 It was the support element. 260 00:17:08,64.997 --> 00:17:08,474.997 Okay. 261 00:17:08,474.998 --> 00:17:13,124.998 It was it was the 50 cal gunner on one of the vehicles. 262 00:17:13,294.998 --> 00:17:13,634.998 Yeah. 263 00:17:13,894.997 --> 00:17:23,94.997 And it was, we was out on patrol and a sniper took a pop shot at the driver, missed the driver, and the round went through. 264 00:17:23,509.997 --> 00:17:28,749.997 The gunner's pelvis, luckily, missing absolutely everything vital. 265 00:17:28,829.997 --> 00:17:29,259.997 Okay. 266 00:17:29,459.997 --> 00:17:37,529.998 So yeah, it was very lucky, but also a very good eye opener, no pun intended. 267 00:17:38,559.997 --> 00:17:42,479.998 To the rest of us that casualties are gonna happen. 268 00:17:42,560.098 --> 00:17:42,839.898 Yeah,. 269 00:17:42,889.998 --> 00:17:43,929.998 This stuff's real. 270 00:17:44,59.998 --> 00:17:44,429.998 Yeah. 271 00:17:44,449.998 --> 00:17:45,469.998 The enemy's real. 272 00:17:45,479.998 --> 00:17:46,889.998 We're not playing Call of Duty anymore. 273 00:17:47,389.998 --> 00:17:47,539.998 Yeah. 274 00:17:47,629.998 --> 00:17:51,949.998 People have got the potential to go to sleep and never wake up again. 275 00:17:52,69.997 --> 00:17:52,439.997 Yeah. 276 00:17:52,989.998 --> 00:17:54,219.999 So you're out doing your thing. 277 00:17:54,489.998 --> 00:17:54,939.998 Yeah. 278 00:17:55,279.999 --> 00:17:56,39.999 You're confident. 279 00:17:56,159.999 --> 00:17:57,429.999 The team's working well. 280 00:17:57,499.999 --> 00:17:57,759.999 Yeah. 281 00:17:57,759.999 --> 00:17:58,49.999 Yeah. 282 00:17:58,69.999 --> 00:17:58,299.999 Yeah. 283 00:17:58,299.999 --> 00:18:00,609.999 Been in contact a few times and then yeah. 284 00:18:00,859.998 --> 00:18:28,744.998 So let's talk about your moment yeah bearing in mind that you know this is talking with the wounded so yeah yeah the clues in the title it is yeah Alex is Alex is wounded so you're out on on normal patrol yeah normal fight patrol we were early morning late at night what early early morning really early morning we went out under cover of darkness and cold it was fresh. 285 00:18:29,14.998 --> 00:18:29,234.998 Yeah. 286 00:18:29,234.999 --> 00:18:30,344.999 It must've been. 287 00:18:31,374.999 --> 00:18:35,404.999 Three, four o'clock in the morning when we sat out onto the ground and we was on foot. 288 00:18:35,494.999 --> 00:18:37,84.999 So we was tab out onto the ground. 289 00:18:37,224.999 --> 00:18:38,454.999 TAing out about four k. 290 00:18:39,49.999 --> 00:18:39,339.999 Yeah. 291 00:18:39,454.999 --> 00:18:40,174.999 Carrying all our kit. 292 00:18:40,174.999 --> 00:18:44,39.999 Because you're out for a long, for the, for the day, as long as it, as long as it takes. 293 00:18:44,39.999 --> 00:18:55,829.999 So our objective that day was to clear or find clear and deny enemy trench systems and tunnel systems that the Taliban had been digging in and using. 294 00:18:56,199.999 --> 00:18:58,479.999 To pop up and sort of attack. 295 00:18:58,529.999 --> 00:18:58,749.999 Yeah. 296 00:18:58,749.999 --> 00:19:00,69.999 Attackers actively. 297 00:19:00,679.999 --> 00:19:08,49.998 So yeah, we was, uh, set off under the cover of darkness, like I said, got out on the ground just as the sun was starting to come up. 298 00:19:09,19.999 --> 00:19:15,509.999 We, we launched our assault onto a particular set of compounds and that, that set of compounds. 299 00:19:15,719.999 --> 00:19:17,569.999 These are mud walled housing. 300 00:19:17,579.999 --> 00:19:17,869.999 Yeah. 301 00:19:17,869.999 --> 00:19:19,79.999 Mud walled housing. 302 00:19:19,379.999 --> 00:19:21,59.999 So like a big exterior wall. 303 00:19:21,584.999 --> 00:19:30,504.9985 We've like individual rooms in built into them exterior walls and gardens and divider walls and also courtyards I'm having courtyards and stuff. 304 00:19:30,504.9985 --> 00:19:30,834.998 Yes. 305 00:19:31,64.999 --> 00:19:38,824.999 This is all dusty tracks in between the buildings and our main mode of transport was walking through the wads, which are dried up riverbeds. 306 00:19:38,854.999 --> 00:19:38,914.999 Yeah. 307 00:19:39,204.999 --> 00:19:44,484.999 'cause we was, we was, when we was out there, it was beginning of the hot season, so there was no rainfall. 308 00:19:44,604.999 --> 00:19:44,664.999 Yeah. 309 00:19:44,724.999 --> 00:19:47,754.999 Snow caps were already melted as much as they're gonna melt. 310 00:19:47,759.999 --> 00:19:48,684.999 River beds are dry. 311 00:19:48,684.999 --> 00:19:48,924.999 Yeah. 312 00:19:49,569.999 --> 00:19:53,219.999 So yeah, so that's how we sort of got about and that's what we used to navigate. 313 00:19:53,229.999 --> 00:19:56,919.999 There was, there was one or two roads, but nothing to sort of sing and dance about. 314 00:19:56,979.999 --> 00:19:59,159.998 So you get into clearing these buildings. 315 00:19:59,389.999 --> 00:20:03,859.999 Yeah yeah, so the the buildings that we went into, there was mortar the day before. 316 00:20:03,859.999 --> 00:20:10,159.999 So one of the walls that we was the side of the wall that we was approaching from had been like collapsed. 317 00:20:10,329.999 --> 00:20:11,599.999 So it was just a pile of rubble. 318 00:20:12,459.999 --> 00:20:14,309.999 And I was point man in my section. 319 00:20:14,629.999 --> 00:20:18,669.999 And this is so you're not in contact yet? No, no, not in contact yet. 320 00:20:18,719.999 --> 00:20:22,239.899 You're just walking up to these buildings? Eh, briskly walking, yeah. 321 00:20:22,239.999 --> 00:20:29,219.9995 Yeah, but so you know that that's an enemy, enemy location? Yeah, because the OP is on the mountain. 322 00:20:29,229.9995 --> 00:20:30,719.9995 We can see where the Taliban are. 323 00:20:31,689.9995 --> 00:20:32,259.9995 And... 324 00:20:33,749.9995 --> 00:20:37,69.9995 So we knew where we, where we were going, we knew what we needed to do. 325 00:20:37,129.9995 --> 00:20:37,399.9995 Yeah. 326 00:20:38,839.9995 --> 00:20:42,679.9995 So it is, yeah, it was just a case of get there and do what infantry do best. 327 00:20:42,739.9995 --> 00:20:43,9.9995 Yep. 328 00:20:43,129.9995 --> 00:20:50,769.9995 And yeah, we approached through the broken wall and I was first one in and first cleared. 329 00:20:50,769.9995 --> 00:21:00,649.9995 The first first room bounced on the second fine cleared that bounced onto the third and there was a hole in the back of it a tunnel going out the back of the room. 330 00:21:01,9.9995 --> 00:21:05,379.9995 So we so I just sat and watched that while the rest of the platoon moved through. 331 00:21:05,824.9995 --> 00:21:07,244.9995 To clear the rest of the compound. 332 00:21:07,634.9995 --> 00:21:13,674.9995 All going smoothly until the platoon signaler got confused and went through the wrong doorway. 333 00:21:13,994.9995 --> 00:21:16,724.9995 And that's when all hell broke loose. 334 00:21:16,774.9995 --> 00:21:18,665.0005 The Taliban opened up, they were laying in wait. 335 00:21:19,635.0005 --> 00:21:22,205.0015 The platoon signaler got shot twice. 336 00:21:22,205.0015 --> 00:21:24,605.0015 Once through the his love handle. 337 00:21:24,815.0015 --> 00:21:26,735.0015 And once through the top of his shoulder. 338 00:21:27,695.0015 --> 00:21:29,635.0015 Again, missing everything vital. 339 00:21:30,720.0015 --> 00:21:32,650.0015 As he called it, mere flesh wound. 340 00:21:34,430.0015 --> 00:21:38,890.0015 And yeah, and then that's when the ante was ramped up massively. 341 00:21:39,10.0015 --> 00:21:40,790.0005 Yeah, so it's all hell's broken loose. 342 00:21:40,830.0015 --> 00:21:46,550.0015 There was a trade of gunfire RPG fire, grenades being thrown at each other. 343 00:21:46,620.0015 --> 00:21:47,610.0015 It, yeah. 344 00:21:47,870.0015 --> 00:21:48,950.0015 And it's all quite close. 345 00:21:49,120.0015 --> 00:21:53,610.0015 Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, the, the, yeah, the enemy was only... 346 00:21:55,875.0015 --> 00:21:57,135.0015 Less than 100 metres away. 347 00:21:57,135.1015 --> 00:21:58,855.1015 shooting at us from other compounds and stuff. 348 00:21:58,855.1015 --> 00:21:59,745.1015 And waiting for us. 349 00:22:00,325.1015 --> 00:22:05,205.1005 While all that's going on, I'm still looking at this hole thinking there's going to be a grenade coming through there any time. 350 00:22:05,805.1015 --> 00:22:06,575.1005 Any time. 351 00:22:06,585.1005 --> 00:22:08,225.1005 My, my arse was twitching. 352 00:22:08,455.1015 --> 00:22:09,265.1015 Yeah, I bet. 353 00:22:09,485.1005 --> 00:22:11,375.1015 Yeah, I was, I was getting very nervous. 354 00:22:11,615.1015 --> 00:22:12,835.1015 Very nervous. 355 00:22:12,855.1015 --> 00:22:18,185.1015 So you fancied moving? Yeah, so yeah, so I, I wanted off that hole to go... 356 00:22:19,605.1015 --> 00:22:20,585.1015 do something else. 357 00:22:20,635.1015 --> 00:22:27,345.0015 What I didn't quite anticipate is that our section was voluntold to take the first bounce forward. 358 00:22:27,345.0015 --> 00:22:29,305.0015 Voluntold, I love that. 359 00:22:29,455.0015 --> 00:22:30,5.0015 Yeah, voluntold. 360 00:22:31,545.0015 --> 00:22:31,705.0015 Voluntold. 361 00:22:31,715.0015 --> 00:22:35,185.0015 Yeah, you never get volunteered, you never get told, it's always voluntold. 362 00:22:37,355.0015 --> 00:22:37,845.0015 So yeah, so... 363 00:22:38,535.0015 --> 00:22:43,157.5515 We got, we got a briefing from the platoon sergeant, and as we were looking out the door... 364 00:22:43,157.5515 --> 00:22:46,945.0015 This is to take the first bounce to go, we're going to go, going to the enemy. 365 00:22:46,955.0015 --> 00:22:47,845.0015 Yeah, first bounce forward. 366 00:22:47,955.0005 --> 00:22:49,105.0005 Take the fight to the enemy. 367 00:22:49,375.0005 --> 00:23:00,354.999 And we yeah, so I got the briefing off, off the platoon sergeant, and as we were looking out the same doorway the platoon signal went through he was pointing across the courtyardy sort of bit like a bit of a section between...

(23:01):
One, two, about five different compounds.
Yep.
And there was a bit of like an opening inside it.
And then, a Yeah, told me, right, that big compound across the way, that's the one I want you to go in.
And I stuck my head out and had a quick look around, saw halfway across the opening was a really small compound, probably two meters by two meters.

(23:24):
.999Not big at all.
Yeah.
.001And I said to the platoon sergeant, I said, ah, do you want me to clear that first and then bounce onto the big one? Because we don't know where the gunfire is coming from. 376 00:23:33,485.001 --> 00:23:43,115.001 And he was, he was, he said to me, and it's a decision he regrets to this day nope, it's too small, there's going to be no one in there, just hit the big compound. 377 00:23:44,525.001 --> 00:23:48,515.001 And, yeah, as I was stood there looking out of the doorway. 378 00:23:48,890.001 --> 00:23:55,910.001 I just felt it in my stomach, and I was like, right, shit's about to go down, time to put my big boy pants on, and be a fucking soldier. 379 00:23:56,160.001 --> 00:23:56,660.001 Okay. 380 00:23:56,830.001 --> 00:23:59,10.002 Because I already knew what was coming. 381 00:23:59,120.001 --> 00:24:06,590.002 It, it, I just, I don't know, sixth sense kicks in, and you just, I don't know, it just, I just knew it was going to happen. 382 00:24:06,800.002 --> 00:24:11,770.002 The odds, the odds calculator in the back of the mind are going, the odds have just ramped. 383 00:24:11,770.002 --> 00:24:12,150.002 Yeah. 384 00:24:12,250.002 --> 00:24:12,740.002 Okay. 385 00:24:13,290.002 --> 00:24:16,275.002 So, despite all of that, Off your trot. 386 00:24:16,325.002 --> 00:24:16,755.002 Yeah. 387 00:24:16,845.002 --> 00:24:18,25.002 With your section. 388 00:24:18,35.002 --> 00:24:19,175.002 You're the point man. 389 00:24:19,355.002 --> 00:24:21,345.002 Given my countdown and we was off. 390 00:24:21,345.002 --> 00:24:26,525.002 So we went out the doorway took a sharp right down the front of the compound we was occupying. 391 00:24:26,655.002 --> 00:24:26,895.002 Yeah. 392 00:24:26,945.002 --> 00:24:28,55.002 We was running across the front. 393 00:24:28,125.002 --> 00:24:28,525.002 Yeah. 394 00:24:28,525.102 --> 00:24:31,281.7353333 So yeah, and then as I ran past. 395 00:24:31,671.7353333 --> 00:24:34,991.7353333 The doorway of that small little compound I've been told to ignore. 396 00:24:36,981.7353333 --> 00:24:38,381.7353333 Tell them I was out in there waiting. 397 00:24:38,651.7353333 --> 00:24:43,91.7353333 And opened up first round, went through my helmet, in my temple. 398 00:24:43,331.7353333 --> 00:24:45,311.6343333 This is in the right hand side of your head. 399 00:24:45,311.7343333 --> 00:24:46,781.7353333 Yeah, right hand side of my head. 400 00:24:47,1.7353333 --> 00:24:50,871.7353333 Yeah, went through my helmet, in my temple, bounced off the bottom of my eye socket and came out. 401 00:24:51,431.7353333 --> 00:24:53,721.7353333 Came out where your eye? Yeah, out my eye. 402 00:24:54,291.7353333 --> 00:24:55,221.7353333 Out my eye hole. 403 00:24:55,901.7353333 --> 00:24:56,241.7353333 Yep. 404 00:24:56,851.7353333 --> 00:24:57,531.7353333 Yeah, out my eye socket. 405 00:24:57,691.7353333 --> 00:24:58,181.7353333 Okay. 406 00:24:58,371.7353333 --> 00:25:01,61.7353333 So you're the, you're the, you're the lead man. 407 00:25:01,61.7353333 --> 00:25:03,701.7353333 So you presumably hit the deck. 408 00:25:03,861.7353333 --> 00:25:06,241.7353333 Yeah, it took me clean off me, off me feet. 409 00:25:06,451.7353333 --> 00:25:11,271.7363333 The rest of my section tucked in behind the, sort of... 410 00:25:12,11.7363333 --> 00:25:15,851.7363333 The little wall? Yeah, the wall, like, outside of that compound. 411 00:25:16,11.7353333 --> 00:25:16,221.7353333 Yeah. 412 00:25:16,251.7353333 --> 00:25:20,831.7363333 And then they just started dropping fucking grenades up the wall, because the wall was only about six foot high. 413 00:25:21,806.7363333 --> 00:25:29,666.7363333 So they know, they've watched you run, you've taken a round from the right hand side, into their head, from the doorway. 414 00:25:30,116.7363333 --> 00:25:36,806.7363333 So they now know in the small compound that we're all told to ignore before we get to the big one, is where the enemy are. 415 00:25:36,816.7363333 --> 00:25:42,616.7863333 So they then, gotta, they've gotta suppress the fire, right? Yeah, they, they, they, they're fuckin lovin it. 416 00:25:42,616.7863333 --> 00:25:45,36.7363333 So you're lying on the ground at this stage, going... 417 00:25:45,681.7363333 --> 00:25:49,561.7363333 What's just happened? Well, at first I thought it was an RPG round that hit the wall. 418 00:25:49,661.7363333 --> 00:25:53,751.7353333 Like, I was wondering cause, how they work, cause they, they arc out, don't they? That's right, yeah. 419 00:25:53,841.7363333 --> 00:26:01,171.7353333 So I thought an RPG had hit the wall, and it had taken half my face off, cause the right hand side of my face had just gone completely numb. 420 00:26:01,391.7353333 --> 00:26:01,611.7353333 Yeah. 421 00:26:01,641.7353333 --> 00:26:02,791.7343333 Couldn't feel any of it. 422 00:26:03,711.7343333 --> 00:26:05,81.7343333 Got myself on my hands and knees. 423 00:26:05,601.7353333 --> 00:26:10,781.6353333 And I sort of, holy shit, what the fuck went to fill my hou fill my face with my hand. 424 00:26:10,971.6353333 --> 00:26:11,361.6353333 Yeah. 425 00:26:11,441.6353333 --> 00:26:15,781.6363333 As I did that and pulled my hand away that's when the blood started dripping. 426 00:26:15,841.6363333 --> 00:26:18,131.6363333 And I was like, ah, this is not good. 427 00:26:18,751.6353333 --> 00:26:21,911.6353333 I can't feel my face, there is blood coming out of a hole somewhere. 428 00:26:22,381.6353333 --> 00:26:23,881.6353333 I need to get the fuck out of here. 429 00:26:24,81.6353333 --> 00:26:27,271.6353333 Have you got a headache? No, it was just numb. 430 00:26:27,361.7353333 --> 00:26:31,491.6353333 No, no, no, like, that's, like, people think it hurts, and it doesn't hurt. 431 00:26:33,21.6353333 --> 00:26:38,31.6353333 Getting shot in such a sensitive area of your body, it doesn't hurt at all. 432 00:26:38,731.6343333 --> 00:26:45,821.6343333 Okay, so, you're lying, the guys are now chucking grenades, you're under contact, you're on all fours going... 433 00:26:46,521.6353333 --> 00:26:46,951.6353333 Shit. 434 00:26:47,681.6353333 --> 00:26:49,181.6353333 This isn't good, I need to get out of here. 435 00:26:49,191.6353333 --> 00:26:49,791.6353333 Yeah, yeah. 436 00:26:49,921.6353333 --> 00:26:55,971.6353333 At some point while I was doing that and going through that process, a grenade went off and got me in my arse cheek. 437 00:26:56,231.6353333 --> 00:26:58,361.6686667 So I got shrapnel in my arse cheek. 438 00:26:58,361.6686667 --> 00:27:00,211.6343333 So you're, because you're still in front of the doorway. 439 00:27:00,531.6353333 --> 00:27:01,621.6353333 Yeah, to a degree, yeah. 440 00:27:01,681.6353333 --> 00:27:07,691.6353333 And the boys are chucking grenades in, so, so you've been shot on the side of the head, now you've got shrapnel in the arse. 441 00:27:07,721.6353333 --> 00:27:07,951.6353333 Yeah. 442 00:27:07,951.6353333 --> 00:27:09,401.6353333 Because of one of their grenades. 443 00:27:09,401.6353333 --> 00:27:09,671.6353333 Yeah.. 444 00:27:10,261.6353333 --> 00:27:11,551.6353333 Anything else? Yeah. 445 00:27:11,741.6353333 --> 00:27:15,861.6353333 So while I was still on my hands and knees, I I checked my legs. 446 00:27:16,31.6353333 --> 00:27:20,381.6353333 They're like a good infantry soldier does make sure that they're still attached and still working. 447 00:27:20,811.6353333 --> 00:27:28,91.6343333 And as I checked my legs, a green trace around went through my trousers just inside not close enough to hit me, but close enough to burn me. 448 00:27:28,531.6343333 --> 00:27:31,731.6343333 So I've got a little scar just inside my leg is somewhere. 449 00:27:31,801.6343333 --> 00:27:32,231.6343333 Yeah. 450 00:27:32,826.6343333 --> 00:27:40,936.6333333 Okay, yeah, so that fizzes through who shot who that was Taliban, okay So he's still having a pop at you. 451 00:27:40,976.6343333 --> 00:27:47,426.6338333 Oh, yeah, cuz what their plan well looking back now I know what the plan was but at the time I was like not fucking clear. 452 00:27:47,426.6338333 --> 00:27:55,416.6343333 But yeah, so what they were doing is there was just suppressing fire around me, keeping me where I, where I was. 453 00:27:55,456.6343333 --> 00:27:55,886.6343333 Yes. 454 00:27:55,946.6343333 --> 00:27:59,36.6343333 So in the hope that somebody was going to come fucking grab me. 455 00:27:59,266.6343333 --> 00:28:00,426.6333333 And then get them as well. 456 00:28:00,476.6343333 --> 00:28:00,776.6343333 Yeah. 457 00:28:00,876.6333333 --> 00:28:13,366.6333333 Didn't happen like that because I think they bit off more than can chew by, because by this point there's another section on the compound that we'd already cleared and they were laying in hard just absolute. 458 00:28:13,951.6333333 --> 00:28:15,841.6333333 Boat feeding the enemy. 459 00:28:15,951.6333333 --> 00:28:16,281.6333333 Yeah. 460 00:28:16,381.6333333 --> 00:28:22,781.6323333 So yeah, so that gave me the opportunity to get up on my feet and get to the wrong side of the doorway. 461 00:28:23,201.6333333 --> 00:28:26,901.6333333 And then just as I got the countdown from the section on the roof behind us. 462 00:28:27,941.6333333 --> 00:28:30,251.6333333 He was counting 3, 2, 1. 463 00:28:30,281.6333333 --> 00:28:32,191.6333333 I wasn't leaving, I wasn't waiting for go. 464 00:28:32,241.6333333 --> 00:28:37,111.6333333 I went and a red phosphorus grenade went off get a bit of red frost just underneath my nose. 465 00:28:37,211.6333333 --> 00:28:37,401.6333333 And... 466 00:28:37,411.6333333 --> 00:28:40,821.6323333 Which is presumably now, you're now inhaling... 467 00:28:40,991.6323333 --> 00:28:41,781.6328333 Yeah, I was, yeah. 468 00:28:41,781.6328333 --> 00:28:44,51.6333333 Smoky, bullets... 469 00:28:44,101.6333333 --> 00:28:47,341.6323333 This is burning out your nose, is it? Yeah, yeah, just underneath my nose, yeah. 470 00:28:47,341.6323333 --> 00:28:48,771.5333333 Just burning, yeah, just burning... 471 00:28:50,151.6333333 --> 00:28:50,471.6333333 Foss. 472 00:28:50,471.6333333 --> 00:28:50,771.6333333 yeah. 473 00:28:50,811.6333333 --> 00:28:51,241.6333333 Yeah. 474 00:28:51,701.6333333 --> 00:28:57,481.6333333 And people always ask me like, well, what's red foss? And it's like, the best way to describe it, it's like magnesium, but you don't light it. 475 00:28:57,561.6333333 --> 00:28:59,771.6333333 It just ignites on oxygen. 476 00:28:59,771.6333333 --> 00:29:00,491.6333333 It just loves oxygen. 477 00:29:00,601.6333333 --> 00:29:00,801.6333333 Yeah. 478 00:29:00,801.6333333 --> 00:29:01,81.6333333 Yeah. 479 00:29:01,421.6333333 --> 00:29:02,301.6333333 And you can't burn it out. 480 00:29:02,521.6323333 --> 00:29:03,171.6333333 You can't. 481 00:29:03,201.6333333 --> 00:29:03,441.6333333 Yeah. 482 00:29:03,641.6333333 --> 00:29:05,41.6333333 So yeah, that was burning. 483 00:29:05,81.6323333 --> 00:29:06,71.6333333 I breathed all that in. 484 00:29:06,101.6323333 --> 00:29:07,281.6333333 That burnt all my airways. 485 00:29:07,371.6333333 --> 00:29:07,771.6333333 Okay. 486 00:29:08,121.6333333 --> 00:29:10,201.6333333 So, shot in the head, not quite enough. 487 00:29:10,216.7333333 --> 00:29:13,496.6333333 Yeah, shat arse cheek, still not enough. 488 00:29:13,636.6333333 --> 00:29:16,536.6333333 A round through the leg, still not enough. 489 00:29:16,536.6333333 --> 00:29:18,856.6323333 And then got a bit of red foss just to top it all off. 490 00:29:19,656.6333333 --> 00:29:20,116.6333333 Okay. 491 00:29:20,176.6333333 --> 00:29:27,896.6323333 Yeah, and then while I was running back, So you're, so wait a minute, you, you, have you picked up your rifle and your helmet? Oh no, my helmet's still on my head. 492 00:29:27,966.6323333 --> 00:29:28,56.6323333 Okay. 493 00:29:28,56.6323333 --> 00:29:29,566.6323333 The rifle that's got fucked off. 494 00:29:30,121.6333333 --> 00:29:35,291.6333333 Cause I, I did reach out for that, but about 30 enemy rounds bounced off and I thought, Nah, I don't need that anymore. 495 00:29:35,631.6333333 --> 00:29:36,541.6333333 I'm going home. 496 00:29:36,661.6333333 --> 00:29:41,351.6333333 So you crawl over to get your rifle, but think, no, no, no, it's attracting too much attention. 497 00:29:41,391.6323333 --> 00:29:42,441.6328333 Yeah, So you left that. 498 00:29:42,441.6328333 --> 00:29:43,441.6328333 I just left it, yeah. 499 00:29:43,531.6338333 --> 00:29:45,741.6338333 So then you leg it back to the blokes. 500 00:29:46,131.6328333 --> 00:29:46,461.6328333 Yep. 501 00:29:46,841.6338333 --> 00:29:48,131.6338333 so I guess you know where they are. 502 00:29:48,131.6338333 --> 00:29:50,261.6338333 So you've not, you're not totally disorientated. 503 00:29:50,281.6338333 --> 00:29:50,861.6338333 No, no. 504 00:29:50,901.6338333 --> 00:29:55,31.6338333 And as far as you're concerned, you can see because you've got an eye that works. 505 00:29:55,101.6338333 --> 00:30:01,781.6338333 And as, at some point within all of that, I, I looked, I got my head up and had a good look around to see what the hell was going on. 506 00:30:02,181.6338333 --> 00:30:08,131.6338333 And that's when I saw the three enemy positions that was basically just peppering the area that we was in. 507 00:30:08,311.6338333 --> 00:30:08,561.6338333 Yeah. 508 00:30:08,891.6338333 --> 00:30:20,391.6343333 And then so because of, because I saw where the enemy were I got back to the platoon sergeant, which I was met by the, you're able to, you're, you're able to run still. 509 00:30:20,391.6343333 --> 00:30:20,501.6338333 Yeah. 510 00:30:20,501.6348333 --> 00:30:20,771.6348333 Yeah. 511 00:30:21,761.6338333 --> 00:30:24,91.6348333 I was fully in control of what was going on. 512 00:30:24,91.6348333 --> 00:30:24,311.6348333 Yeah. 513 00:30:25,81.6348333 --> 00:30:29,721.6348333 But you, you know, you've got something wrong in your arse, something wrong with my leg. 514 00:30:29,751.6348333 --> 00:30:32,621.6348333 My arse cheek hurts and I can't breathe properly. 515 00:30:32,691.6348333 --> 00:30:33,981.6348333 And I can't see very well. 516 00:30:34,31.6348333 --> 00:30:34,431.6348333 Yeah. 517 00:30:35,511.6348333 --> 00:30:41,421.6348333 But the site didn't really register, but I can, but I can, I know where I'm going and I'm getting there. 518 00:30:41,521.6348333 --> 00:30:43,401.6348333 So you get to the platoon sergeant. 519 00:30:43,591.6338333 --> 00:30:46,931.6348333 Yeah, get met by the the combat doctor that was out on the ground with us. 520 00:30:46,991.6348333 --> 00:30:52,751.6338333 Which I think was very fortunate because if it wasn't for him, I would have injected myself with morphine. 521 00:30:52,751.6338333 --> 00:30:57,681.6348333 Cause on the run back, I'd managed to get my auto injector out my combat trousers. 522 00:30:57,681.6348333 --> 00:31:05,921.6348333 And you're reaching for this because it's beginning to hurt? No, it's more of the, there's blood coming from somewhere, I don't know what the fuck is going on, I'm getting high. 523 00:31:06,951.6348333 --> 00:31:13,601.6348333 Oh, automatic response morphine? Okay, so he grabs ahold of you and goes... 524 00:31:13,601.6348333 --> 00:31:23,811.6348333 Yeah, so as I was running back, I got my auto ejector out, got it primed, ready to stick in my leg as I walked back in the doorway, or ran into the doorway, as he grabbed my arm and said, no, you can't have that, you have a head injury. 525 00:31:24,221.6348333 --> 00:31:25,371.6348333 No morphine for heads. 526 00:31:25,411.6348333 --> 00:31:27,971.6348333 Yeah, so no morphine for me, and I was gutted. 527 00:31:28,641.6348333 --> 00:31:31,891.6348333 And, so yeah, so he, so then he whipped my helmet off. 528 00:31:32,491.6348333 --> 00:31:35,161.6353333 Whacked a first field dressing on my, on my noggin. 529 00:31:35,531.6353333 --> 00:31:37,201.6353333 To try and soak some of that blood up. 530 00:31:37,671.6333333 --> 00:31:43,591.6343333 And then, cause I couldn't breathe properly he had my body armour off as well, cause he was looking for a sucking chest wound. 531 00:31:43,641.6343333 --> 00:31:49,401.6333333 So, I was laid, well, propped up against a wall, with no body or helmet on. 532 00:31:49,846.6343333 --> 00:31:52,406.6343333 Well, all houses fucking breaking loose next to me. 533 00:31:52,906.6343333 --> 00:32:08,266.6333333 And at that point, the platoon sergeant was sort of looking really confused and like, where the fuck is the casualty? What the fuck is going on? And I, me being the casualty, I sort of waved them over and I was like, look, no sir, there's enemy. 534 00:32:08,546.6333333 --> 00:32:10,846.6333333 And because of the airways, I couldn't talk properly. 535 00:32:11,86.6333333 --> 00:32:13,746.6333333 So then I drew a map in the sand. 536 00:32:15,221.6343333 --> 00:32:20,761.6343333 I think, I thought I did it with my finger, drew a map in the sand with my finger, but apparently I did it with a spent round. 537 00:32:20,951.6343333 --> 00:32:21,861.6343333 An empty case. 538 00:32:21,951.6343333 --> 00:32:26,751.6343333 So yeah, so I drew a map in the sand of the three enemy positions to compound where we were. 539 00:32:26,761.6333333 --> 00:32:28,161.6333333 Whilst the doc is patching you up. 540 00:32:28,161.6343333 --> 00:32:30,651.6333333 Yeah, while the doc is sorting, yeah, sorting me out. 541 00:32:31,11.6343333 --> 00:32:33,871.6343333 Yeah, to try and, just basically relaying information. 542 00:32:33,921.6343333 --> 00:32:35,571.5343333 Yeah, yeah, I get it, I get it. 543 00:32:37,156.5343333 --> 00:32:40,876.5343333 because you know, at that point I was the only bloke to go that far forward. 544 00:32:40,876.5343333 --> 00:32:46,846.5343333 So you and you'd seen Yeah, and I'd sinned where the Emmy were and you know, I knew the So he on between sound works out. 545 00:32:46,851.5343333 --> 00:32:47,866.5343333 You are the casualty. 546 00:32:47,926.5343333 --> 00:32:48,316.5343333 Yeah. 547 00:32:49,196.5343333 --> 00:32:51,566.5343333 And the doc's patching you up. 548 00:32:52,496.5343333 --> 00:32:57,296.5343333 At what moment do you go? I, I think I might have lost an eye here. 549 00:32:58,226.5343333 --> 00:33:09,371.5343333 Oh, fucking, I didn't wake not until I woke up so so when you say you've not until you wake up you're what so what happens next you tip you told the platoon Sergeant this where the enemy I've drawn in the map. 550 00:33:09,421.5343333 --> 00:33:16,811.5343333 Yeah And then the decision was made from High Restaurant that we are getting the fuck out of here, this is too, too difficult. 551 00:33:16,821.5343333 --> 00:33:20,671.5343333 But are they not kazevacking you out now? Yeah, yeah, so yeah, I start getting kazevacked. 552 00:33:20,831.5343333 --> 00:33:25,111.5333333 At that point, that's when I start losing consciousness due to blood loss. 553 00:33:25,191.5333333 --> 00:33:25,461.5333333 Huh. 554 00:33:25,911.5343333 --> 00:33:27,341.5343333 So I'm in and out of consciousness. 555 00:33:27,341.5343333 --> 00:33:28,761.5343333 Does the doc know that you've got... 556 00:33:29,431.5343333 --> 00:33:29,711.5343333 Yeah. 557 00:33:29,751.5343333 --> 00:33:32,441.5343333 Shuttle in your arse, and you told him everything. 558 00:33:32,471.5343333 --> 00:33:36,461.5343333 Yeah, because once he, yeah, he was looking for my sucking chest wound that I didn't have. 559 00:33:36,461.5343333 --> 00:33:37,921.5343333 I was like, no fucking bollocks about it. 560 00:33:37,961.5343333 --> 00:33:40,481.5343333 Sort my arse cheek out, that really hurts. 561 00:33:40,921.5343333 --> 00:33:44,831.5343333 So, he was like, huh? Because it's literally, it's like... 562 00:33:45,381.5343333 --> 00:33:50,461.5343333 A 5mm bit of shrapnel in my ass cheek that wasn't very deep at all. 563 00:33:50,881.5343333 --> 00:33:51,801.5343333 Painful? Yeah. 564 00:33:52,341.5343333 --> 00:33:53,231.4333333 It was fucking painful, yeah. 565 00:33:53,231.4343333 --> 00:34:04,341.3343333 So he was just like, looking at me like, What the fuck, Alex? Like, shut the f like, Yeah, yeah, my job? So he was, Well, he, well, he, but he's also looking at something which you haven't quite maybe realised. 566 00:34:04,341.4343333 --> 00:34:04,671.4343333 Yeah. 567 00:34:04,726.4343333 --> 00:34:05,186.4343333 That's it. 568 00:34:05,186.4343333 --> 00:34:07,506.4343333 Well, yeah, he's got a major head injury. 569 00:34:07,506.4343333 --> 00:34:07,896.4343333 Yeah. 570 00:34:08,26.4343333 --> 00:34:09,216.4343333 Major head injury. 571 00:34:09,216.4343333 --> 00:34:09,326.4343333 Yeah. 572 00:34:09,546.4343333 --> 00:34:09,796.4343333 Yeah. 573 00:34:09,956.4343333 --> 00:34:11,286.4343333 Just tank to 7. 574 00:34:11,496.4343333 --> 00:34:12,156.4343333 62 to the forehead. 575 00:34:12,696.4343333 --> 00:34:13,46.4343333 Yeah. 576 00:34:13,286.4333333 --> 00:34:14,586.4343333 And he doesn't seem bothered about it. 577 00:34:15,276.4333333 --> 00:34:26,506.4343333 So, so you then start passing out and they, yeah, you know what the Kazevac Was, what did they so yeah, so I got the platoon sergeant, ironically was the one that started ca vacuuming me. 578 00:34:26,506.4343333 --> 00:34:31,31.4343333 He had me on his dayak and he was running across the well he slung you over his shoulder. 579 00:34:31,91.4343333 --> 00:34:31,751.4343333 Yeah, I was, yeah. 580 00:34:31,751.4343333 --> 00:34:34,451.4343333 Fireman's lift on the top of his deac over his shoulders. 581 00:34:34,481.4343333 --> 00:34:34,541.4343333 Yeah. 582 00:34:34,541.4343333 --> 00:34:41,51.4343333 And he was, he was running across a poppy field and he took two rounds, about three inches underneath me into. 583 00:34:41,571.4343333 --> 00:34:44,761.4343333 Day second body armor which then obviously knocked him over. 584 00:34:44,971.4343333 --> 00:34:58,401.4343333 So they're still having a pop at you while you're being Extracted and the platoon sergeant's now taking two rounds to the back, but he's got his body armor and he's lucky it didn't hit you Yeah, cuz I had yeah, I'd fuck all on I was literally skin and t shirt. 585 00:34:58,581.4343333 --> 00:34:58,791.4343333 Yeah. 586 00:34:58,791.4343333 --> 00:34:59,51.4343333 Yeah. 587 00:34:59,51.4343333 --> 00:34:59,921.4343333 Cause they've stripped that off. 588 00:34:59,921.4343333 --> 00:35:01,441.4343333 You're looking for your injuries. 589 00:35:01,441.4343333 --> 00:35:01,821.4343333 Yeah. 590 00:35:01,831.4343333 --> 00:35:02,611.4343333 So yeah. 591 00:35:02,811.4343333 --> 00:35:05,721.4343333 So they're, they're still cracking at you while you're legging it away. 592 00:35:06,411.4343333 --> 00:35:06,431.4343333 Yeah. 593 00:35:06,451.4343333 --> 00:35:08,211.4343333 So he, you all fall down. 594 00:35:08,241.4343333 --> 00:35:08,421.4343333 Yeah. 595 00:35:08,421.4343333 --> 00:35:09,781.4343333 We, we both hit the floor. 596 00:35:09,781.4343333 --> 00:35:14,71.4343333 And that's when I sort of come back round again because of the, I'm assuming just the jolt. 597 00:35:14,171.4333333 --> 00:35:14,421.4333333 Yeah. 598 00:35:14,471.4343333 --> 00:35:23,731.4343333 And that's, that's when I'm sort of, I remember sort of laying, looking up at the blue sky and poppy heads just popping over the top of me. 599 00:35:25,801.4343333 --> 00:35:32,511.4343333 What, what, the rounds are hitting them? Yeah, so, yeah, so, yeah, I now know that was the rounds hitting the poppies. 600 00:35:33,181.4343333 --> 00:35:34,851.4333333 whIle I'm laid on the deck. 601 00:35:35,131.4343333 --> 00:35:36,961.4343333 Looking up at the blue sky thinking. 602 00:35:37,421.4343333 --> 00:35:38,681.4343333 Is this it? Yeah. 603 00:35:38,741.4343333 --> 00:35:38,981.4343333 Think. 604 00:35:39,41.4343333 --> 00:35:40,511.4343333 Well, I dunno what the fuck I was thinking. 605 00:35:40,511.4343333 --> 00:35:43,691.4343333 I I was also sort of thinking why then poppy headss exploding. 606 00:35:43,846.4343333 --> 00:35:47,681.4343333 What, what is going just like this where confusion starts. 607 00:35:47,751.4343333 --> 00:35:49,281.4343333 Because I've passed out somewhere else. 608 00:35:49,281.4343333 --> 00:35:50,301.4343333 Woke up somewhere else. 609 00:35:50,306.4343333 --> 00:35:53,211.4343333 I was just a bit confused, like what the actual fuck is going on. 610 00:35:53,211.4343333 --> 00:35:53,963.4343333 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 611 00:35:54,561.4343333 --> 00:35:56,996.4343333 So, so for, for sort of I guess for. 612 00:35:57,946.4343333 --> 00:36:01,916.4343333 Civilians, it's like that first 10 seconds coming out of a general anaesthetic. 613 00:36:02,86.4343333 --> 00:36:03,986.4343333 you went in one room, you come out of another. 614 00:36:04,926.4343333 --> 00:36:07,56.4343333 You can't compute what's going on. 615 00:36:07,66.4343333 --> 00:36:07,906.4343333 Yeah, that's exactly it. 616 00:36:08,446.4333333 --> 00:36:14,106.4333333 Yeah, you lost all functionality and awareness of where, who... 617 00:36:14,296.4343333 --> 00:36:18,201.4343333 So how do you get out of the poppy field? I'm assuming they got picked up because I blacked out again. 618 00:36:18,491.4343333 --> 00:36:18,991.4343333 Okay. 619 00:36:18,991.4343333 --> 00:36:21,91.4343333 so I passed out again while laying there. 620 00:36:21,241.4343333 --> 00:36:23,771.4343333 So I'm assuming they sort of picked me up and get running. 621 00:36:24,121.4343333 --> 00:36:31,411.4343333 Because then I woke up again as I was trying to work out how to get me down a cliff into the bottom of a wadi where the Kajabat vehicle was waiting. 622 00:36:32,21.4333333 --> 00:36:32,451.4333333 To... 623 00:36:32,611.4333333 --> 00:36:33,911.4333333 Right, they're not calling in helis. 624 00:36:34,746.4333333 --> 00:36:37,966.4333333 Oh, there is a heli, there is Chinook on it's way, but that's back at the helipad. 625 00:36:38,16.4333333 --> 00:36:40,136.4333333 They're trying to get me back to the base where the helipad is. 626 00:36:40,406.4333333 --> 00:36:41,476.4333333 So you wake up again. 627 00:36:41,486.4333333 --> 00:36:47,476.4333333 Yeah, well they were trying to discuss how they were going to get me down and I just sort of looked at the fuck are you doing? And just jumped. 628 00:36:47,786.4333333 --> 00:36:56,236.4333333 And luckily the driver of the vehicle Sort of caught me in his arms like a baby, but because I had no body armor around my arm I was very light. 629 00:36:56,656.4333333 --> 00:36:57,76.4333333 Yes. 630 00:36:57,86.4333333 --> 00:36:59,516.4333333 So yeah He caught me. 631 00:36:59,516.4333333 --> 00:36:59,646.4333333 It worked. 632 00:36:59,696.4333333 --> 00:37:00,726.4333333 Yeah, it just worked. 633 00:37:00,726.4333333 --> 00:37:03,66.4333333 Yeah, and then I was like, ah, well that solves that problem. 634 00:37:03,136.4323333 --> 00:37:05,566.4333333 So they ushered me onto the onto the vehicle. 635 00:37:05,596.4333333 --> 00:37:10,81.4343333 Is there a medic still with you? No medic was dealing with two other casualties. 636 00:37:10,351.4343333 --> 00:37:13,631.4343333 Okay, so the rest of the gang are now taking... 637 00:37:13,831.4343333 --> 00:37:20,171.4343333 Yeah, so I was, I'm assuming I did have a medic or some description, but I don't remember them being there. 638 00:37:20,701.4343333 --> 00:37:23,381.4333333 So yeah, because on that day we took five casualties. 639 00:37:24,181.4333333 --> 00:37:28,681.4333333 All from that incident? all from that, that assault and withdrawal. 640 00:37:29,551.4343333 --> 00:37:31,81.4343333 so there was the platoon signaler. 641 00:37:31,211.4343333 --> 00:37:32,931.4343333 He got two gunshot wounds. 642 00:37:32,931.5343333 --> 00:37:35,621.4343333 There was me with my gunshot wounds, shrapnel wounds. 643 00:37:36,131.4343333 --> 00:37:42,361.4343333 And then two of the lads was peppered head to toe with 40 mil grenade shrapnel. 644 00:37:42,471.4343333 --> 00:37:46,591.3343333 And one of the other lads was peppered head to toe with RPG shrapnel. 645 00:37:48,221.4343333 --> 00:37:50,701.4343333 So, team sergeant had a busy day. 646 00:37:50,961.4343333 --> 00:37:51,121.4343333 Yeah. 647 00:37:51,361.4343333 --> 00:37:56,611.4343333 Platoon commander amongst all of this? Yeah, platoon commander, every, every man and his fucking dog was involved. 648 00:37:56,711.4343333 --> 00:37:59,291.4333333 The company sergeant major was whizzing people around on his quad bike. 649 00:37:59,291.4343333 --> 00:38:01,481.4338333 it was fucking carnage from what I was told. 650 00:38:01,481.4338333 --> 00:38:03,601.4338333 I, I, I don't recall any of this because I was... 651 00:38:03,941.4348333 --> 00:38:04,491.4348333 You're done. 652 00:38:04,651.4348333 --> 00:38:05,501.4348333 Not trying to die. 653 00:38:05,691.4348333 --> 00:38:08,51.4348333 So, you, you, you get put in this wagon. 654 00:38:08,346.4348333 --> 00:38:09,466.4348333 Extracted back to the base. 655 00:38:09,466.4348333 --> 00:38:16,626.4348333 Yeah, so they're sort of rushing me onto the back of this wagon, and this is, that's where Gordon and one of the other casualties was already sitting. 656 00:38:16,966.4348333 --> 00:38:23,436.4343333 And they had a stretcher on the, on the, on the bed of the wagon, and then like three seats either side. 657 00:38:23,436.4343333 --> 00:38:30,596.4353333 And I said, I can remember walking on, and sort of walking up to it and saying, like, no, Gordon, you're in fucking shit state, you need to get on the, on the stretcher. 658 00:38:30,866.4353333 --> 00:38:35,256.4343333 And his face was fucking pale, looked at me, and said, no mate. 659 00:38:35,591.4353333 --> 00:38:37,31.4353333 You need to be on the stretcher. 660 00:38:37,406.4353333 --> 00:38:46,771.4353333 And I was, and it was at that point it sort of dawned on me, ah, this is bad, this is very bad. 661 00:38:48,81.4353333 --> 00:38:52,671.4353333 aNd then I sort of stumbled onto it and then that was about it. 662 00:38:52,701.4353333 --> 00:38:55,492.4353333 Woke up back at the Heady pa, heady Pad Pad. 663 00:38:56,481.4353333 --> 00:39:05,881.4353333 And the only female we had attached to is, at that forward operating base was a female from the artillery that was on the drones. 664 00:39:05,941.4353333 --> 00:39:06,421.4353333 Yes. 665 00:39:07,831.4353333 --> 00:39:10,71.4348333 so yeah, so she met us at the helipad. 666 00:39:10,151.4348333 --> 00:39:14,171.4348333 And she was sort of trying to give care as best as she can. 667 00:39:14,231.4348333 --> 00:39:17,651.4348333 And I just thought, you know what, I'm going to start chatting, chatting this chick up. 668 00:39:17,931.4348333 --> 00:39:18,711.4348333 So that's what I did. 669 00:39:19,331.4348333 --> 00:39:33,796.4338333 So I was, I was, I was waiting for the Chinook to come in, it was really fucking odd, because I remember it, because I said to her, Ah, can I, can I call you Lucy? Not a fucking clue what her name was, but I said to her, Ah, can I call you Lucy, because that's what my fiancé's name is. 670 00:39:35,176.4348333 --> 00:39:39,406.4348333 At the time, and I was like, and she was like, you can call me whatever the fuck you want. 671 00:39:39,406.4348333 --> 00:39:40,396.4348333 Just don't die on me. 672 00:39:40,726.4348333 --> 00:39:41,626.4348333 And I was like, ah, sweet. 673 00:39:41,656.4348333 --> 00:39:46,246.4348333 Okay, So then, yeah, she was just like, you come here often and you know, yeah. 674 00:39:46,246.4348333 --> 00:39:51,556.4348333 Do you wanna get a drink back when we, you know, when we get back? And she was like, you are just chatting pure shit. 675 00:39:51,556.4348333 --> 00:39:54,581.4348333 What the fuck? Because you, you don't really know what's happening. 676 00:39:54,586.4348333 --> 00:39:54,736.4348333 Yeah. 677 00:39:54,736.4348333 --> 00:39:58,446.4348333 Because I, yeah, I just got into full shock mode and I was just, blabbing. 678 00:39:58,446.4348333 --> 00:40:02,481.4348333 So you then get shoved on the Chinook. 679 00:40:03,121.4348333 --> 00:40:08,641.4328333 Yeah, I walk on to the Chinook so I walked on, sat down full MEDI team. 680 00:40:09,246.4338333 --> 00:40:10,46.4338333 Ready to go. 681 00:40:10,106.4338333 --> 00:40:11,926.4338333 And I was like, really confused. 682 00:40:12,96.4338333 --> 00:40:14,556.4338333 Because they were saying, they were told they had a T1. 683 00:40:14,566.4338333 --> 00:40:15,206.4338333 Which was me. 684 00:40:15,656.4338333 --> 00:40:21,236.4338333 And they were like, where the fuck is he? Where's the T1? And I just walked past him and sat down. 685 00:40:21,896.4328333 --> 00:40:23,966.4338333 And they were like, oh shit, it's him. 686 00:40:24,916.4338333 --> 00:40:28,386.4338333 But at that point I was getting strapped in by the Lodemaster, the crewman. 687 00:40:28,746.4338333 --> 00:40:36,526.4338333 And as he got up to then walk away and strap the next one in, I sort of grabbed him and says, Oh, oh, have you got any pain relief? My head is fucking killing me. 688 00:40:37,86.4338333 --> 00:40:42,276.4328333 And he just looked at me in pure shock, like, What? He's, this is him. 689 00:40:42,286.4338333 --> 00:40:46,186.4338333 Yeah, because apparently by this point, the swelling had already started. 690 00:40:46,476.4338333 --> 00:40:48,86.4338333 And I had a fucking second head. 691 00:40:49,856.4338333 --> 00:40:50,726.4338333 Yeah, so it is. 692 00:40:50,776.4338333 --> 00:40:51,406.4338333 It's pretty gnarly. 693 00:40:51,446.4338333 --> 00:40:52,836.4338333 And then, yeah, the rest was history. 694 00:40:52,836.4338333 --> 00:40:56,396.4338333 I blacked out on the Chinook and woke up in Birmingham. 695 00:40:57,76.4338333 --> 00:41:03,106.4338333 Okay, so, but what you know is that you went back to Bastion? I think so. 696 00:41:03,826.4338333 --> 00:41:15,806.5333333 I mean, they must have stabilised you before getting you to Birmingham, right? Yeah, it was either Bastion or Kanderhart, Right, I mean this is the extraordinary thing, you're on a Chinook, And then you wake up in Birmingham yeah. 697 00:41:15,936.5333333 --> 00:41:16,876.5333333 Is your next conscious moment. 698 00:41:17,106.5333333 --> 00:41:19,706.5318333 I actually woke up in Queen Elizabeth. 699 00:41:19,966.5328333 --> 00:41:29,776.5328333 And you, you, you wake there, and the first question out of my mouth was, How the fuck did you get here, Mum? Because your mum's by your bed. 700 00:41:29,916.5328333 --> 00:41:30,206.5328333 Yeah. 701 00:41:30,606.5328333 --> 00:41:37,536.5328333 And you're going, well, I'm still in Afghanistan, so how did you get here? Well, I just thought I was in Pakistan. 702 00:41:38,476.5328333 --> 00:41:38,876.5328333 Okay. 703 00:41:39,736.5328333 --> 00:41:41,236.5328333 Which apparently happens quite often. 704 00:41:41,806.5328333 --> 00:41:42,116.5328333 Okay. 705 00:41:42,116.6328333 --> 00:41:42,851.4328333 In Birmingham. 706 00:41:43,951.5328333 --> 00:41:45,221.5328333 That's all I'm gonna say on that, but yeah. 707 00:41:45,261.5328333 --> 00:41:45,621.5328333 Right, okay. 708 00:41:46,321.5328333 --> 00:41:47,621.5328333 But yeah, it's the nursing staff. 709 00:41:48,61.5328333 --> 00:41:50,991.5328333 I asked my mum, how the fuck did you get here? You haven't got a passport. 710 00:41:51,61.5328333 --> 00:41:51,216.5328333 Yeah, yeah. 711 00:41:51,216.6328333 --> 00:42:00,501.6328333 And she was like, well where the fuck do you think we are? And I was like, well we're in Pakistan, aren't we? And my mum looked at horror at the nurses and they were like, no, no, it's fine. 712 00:42:00,731.6328333 --> 00:42:01,791.6328333 It happens all the time. 713 00:42:02,741.6328333 --> 00:42:06,171.6328333 Yeah, so mum was like, oh my god, I wish the world would swallow me up. 714 00:42:06,371.6328333 --> 00:42:09,131.6328333 Yeah, but yeah, coming out of a six day coma. 715 00:42:09,281.6318333 --> 00:42:10,871.6308333 so it's six days. 716 00:42:10,871.6328333 --> 00:42:11,911.6318333 Yeah, I was in a six day coma. 717 00:42:12,251.6318333 --> 00:42:21,211.6318333 So from flash to bang, from injury day, shot day, to Birmingham, six days have passed. 718 00:42:21,826.6318333 --> 00:42:22,156.6318333 Yeah. 719 00:42:22,296.6318333 --> 00:42:26,266.6318333 And you've had multiple surgeries that you don't know about? No, I don't think so. 720 00:42:26,796.6318333 --> 00:42:28,366.6318333 No, at that, so at that point.. 721 00:42:28,426.6318333 --> 00:42:38,361.4318333 It was just trying to stabilise me because I, on the flight back from Afghanistan, they actually, they actually put a flight on to get me back to the UK because they wasn't sure I was going to make it. 722 00:42:38,731.5318333 --> 00:42:39,361.5318333 And they wanted... 723 00:42:39,641.5318333 --> 00:42:44,631.5318333 Because they're thinking that there's a lot of brain swelling and brain damage going on. 724 00:42:44,631.5318333 --> 00:42:48,261.5318333 Yeah, because although they've got state of the art facilities out there, Yeah. 725 00:42:48,361.5318333 --> 00:42:50,391.5318333 It's not what we've got in the UK. 726 00:42:50,391.5318333 --> 00:42:50,421.5318333 Sure. 727 00:42:50,631.5318333 --> 00:42:53,211.5318333 So they was, yeah, we need to get them fucking back. 728 00:42:53,311.5318333 --> 00:42:53,601.5318333 Yeah. 729 00:42:53,651.5318333 --> 00:42:54,901.5308333 At the very least... 730 00:42:54,921.5308333 --> 00:42:56,901.5308333 So you got a very expensive flight. 731 00:42:57,141.5318333 --> 00:42:58,751.5318333 Yeah, For one Alex Harrison. 732 00:42:58,811.5318333 --> 00:43:05,741.5318333 And it was even more expensive for Birmingham International, because when I got over the top of Birmingham International, I flatlined twice. 733 00:43:06,381.5308333 --> 00:43:13,691.5328333 So the medical staff had to, on the plane had to stabilise me before the plane was allowed to change altitude. 734 00:43:14,401.5328333 --> 00:43:16,1.5328333 So I closed, I closed. 735 00:43:16,1.5328333 --> 00:43:23,541.5328333 So, so rather, I mean, you, you very,, Nonchalantly sort of, Oh yeah, you're going to get a shot in the head and you're going to get some shrapnel on and then this and that. 736 00:43:23,541.5328333 --> 00:43:29,401.5328333 But actually, it's a very severe injury and by the time you're put on that Chinook. 737 00:43:31,41.5328333 --> 00:43:33,21.5328333 the rest of the world are now very concerned. 738 00:43:33,21.5328333 --> 00:43:35,31.5328333 The medical world that are looking after you. 739 00:43:35,166.5328333 --> 00:43:35,456.5328333 Yeah. 740 00:43:35,461.5328333 --> 00:43:35,511.5328333 Yeah. 741 00:43:35,511.5328333 --> 00:43:39,176.5328333 They was, they were pretty So you were into a coma induced coma? Yeah. 742 00:43:39,181.5328333 --> 00:43:39,291.5328333 Yeah. 743 00:43:39,291.5328333 --> 00:43:42,651.5328333 I was, apparently I was induced on the Chinook, which, okay. 744 00:43:42,711.5328333 --> 00:43:44,661.5328333 I don't remember any fucking needles getting stuck in me. 745 00:43:44,661.5328333 --> 00:43:46,491.5328333 But you don't remember anything. 746 00:43:46,551.5328333 --> 00:43:46,821.5328333 Yeah. 747 00:43:47,151.5328333 --> 00:43:49,701.5328333 So you are waking up six days later in Birmingham. 748 00:43:49,701.5328333 --> 00:43:51,951.5328333 You flatlined twice on the plane? Yeah. 749 00:43:52,191.5328333 --> 00:43:52,941.5328333 Closed Birmingham. 750 00:43:53,1.5328333 --> 00:43:56,951.5328333 'cause your body is in, shock or in yeah, it's something to do with blood pressures and stuff. 751 00:43:57,491.5328333 --> 00:44:02,271.5318333 Which closed Birmingham International Airport down for four hours, which apparently pissed a lot of people off. 752 00:44:03,711.5328333 --> 00:44:04,921.5328333 It's the least they can do. 753 00:44:04,931.5328333 --> 00:44:16,821.5318333 So, you then awake, mum's at the bed and, and when do you realise that actually, what the extent of your injury is? It's, at that point it hadn't really set in. 754 00:44:17,91.5328333 --> 00:44:27,491.5338333 I was still a bit confused of, like, where the fuck am I? How did I get here? What the fuck's going on? And then it was I can remember a doctor sort of giving me a brief outline of what happened. 755 00:44:28,746.5338333 --> 00:44:33,316.5338333 Which was still even more confusing for me, because I'm not a fucking doctor and he was saying it in doctor talk. 756 00:44:33,726.5338333 --> 00:44:36,446.5338333 So I was like, none, really none the wiser. 757 00:44:37,286.5338333 --> 00:44:40,146.5328333 And then it was after that, shortly after that, my mum... 758 00:44:41,326.5338333 --> 00:44:44,966.5338333 Yeah, because they thought, originally, I'd been hit with an RPG. 759 00:44:45,66.5338333 --> 00:44:46,806.5338333 So they thought it was a blast injury. 760 00:44:47,426.5338333 --> 00:44:48,946.5338333 Which it wasn't, it was a gunshot injury. 761 00:44:49,456.5338333 --> 00:44:52,336.5338333 So there was still a lot of confusion amongst them. 762 00:44:53,706.5338333 --> 00:44:56,586.5333333 And so basically it's a lot of confusion going on. 763 00:44:56,656.5343333 --> 00:45:04,696.5333333 And it, it was a couple of days after I'd woken up that it really set in that, uh, okay, yeah, that, that was pretty gnarly. 764 00:45:05,851.5343333 --> 00:45:15,51.5343333 So, for the benefit of our listeners, as you sit here before me today, your round has entered by your temple. 765 00:45:15,111.5343333 --> 00:45:15,761.5343333 Yeah. 766 00:45:16,61.5343333 --> 00:45:18,731.5343333 It's tracked round in your skull. 767 00:45:19,141.5343333 --> 00:45:22,151.5333333 Yeah, sort of come across to the back of my eyes, my eyeball. 768 00:45:22,181.5343333 --> 00:45:22,891.5343333 The eye socket. 769 00:45:22,891.5343333 --> 00:45:26,211.5343333 Pushed my eyeball up into my brain to give me frontal lobe damage. 770 00:45:26,671.5343333 --> 00:45:30,251.5343333 And then bounced off the bottom of my eye socket, next to my nose. 771 00:45:30,301.5343333 --> 00:45:31,441.5343333 and chipped out and bounced out. 772 00:45:31,441.5343333 --> 00:45:33,811.5343333 So it sort of scooped round in that eye socket. 773 00:45:33,851.5333333 --> 00:45:39,361.5343333 That curved eye socket has driven the round, rather than going, continuing into your brain and good like Vienna. 774 00:45:39,501.5343333 --> 00:45:39,761.5343333 Yeah. 775 00:45:39,781.5343333 --> 00:45:41,541.5343333 It's pushed it round and out. 776 00:45:41,741.5343333 --> 00:45:42,61.5343333 Yeah. 777 00:45:42,91.5343333 --> 00:45:45,211.5343333 So you lose your, your right eye. 778 00:45:45,731.5343333 --> 00:45:46,41.5343333 Yeah. 779 00:45:47,611.5343333 --> 00:45:51,361.5343333 And you lose, you lose some brain. 780 00:45:51,781.5343333 --> 00:45:53,46.5343333 Or, or it just been damaged. 781 00:45:53,46.5343333 --> 00:45:54,336.5343333 Yeah, it's, it's, it's still there. 782 00:45:54,336.5343333 --> 00:45:55,206.5343333 It's just damaged. 783 00:45:55,206.5343333 --> 00:45:56,896.5343333 So frontal load damage. 784 00:45:56,896.5343333 --> 00:45:58,696.5343333 So that's like cognitive thinking and stuff. 785 00:45:59,56.5343333 --> 00:45:59,146.5343333 Okay. 786 00:45:59,146.5343333 --> 00:46:05,26.5343333 Like I had to, had to relearn how to, like, make cups of tea and stuff and make, do it in the right order. 787 00:46:05,31.5343333 --> 00:46:05,896.5343333 Oh, okay. 788 00:46:05,896.5343333 --> 00:46:11,216.5343333 'cause like when I first got home, I, I, I went to make a cup of tea for me and my mom. 789 00:46:11,981.5343333 --> 00:46:17,651.5343333 But then put the fucking milk in the kettle, the teabag in the fridge, and dash it on. 790 00:46:17,651.5343333 --> 00:46:18,1.5343333 Oh, okay. 791 00:46:18,171.5343333 --> 00:46:21,951.5343333 Because my brain was just not in the right order, or wouldn't allow me to do it in the right order. 792 00:46:22,81.5333333 --> 00:46:22,231.5333333 Okay. 793 00:46:22,231.5343333 --> 00:46:26,101.5343333 So yeah, so it's like, I could walk and talk and do everything, you know. 794 00:46:26,151.5343333 --> 00:46:27,161.5348333 Everything is normal. 795 00:46:27,161.5348333 --> 00:46:30,681.5343333 It's just by a few things of normal daily living. 796 00:46:31,91.5343333 --> 00:46:32,531.5343333 Yeah, just got a bit, got a bit. 797 00:46:32,541.5343333 --> 00:46:38,491.6343333 So, the, the shrapnel to the asrs, the breathing, all of that settles sorts itself out. 798 00:46:38,551.6343333 --> 00:46:38,611.6343333 Yeah. 799 00:46:38,611.6343333 --> 00:46:40,711.6343333 And there's no repercussions from any of them. 800 00:46:40,711.6343333 --> 00:46:44,161.6343333 I've got scar tissue in my airways. 801 00:46:44,211.6343333 --> 00:46:44,931.6343333 From red phosphorus. 802 00:46:44,936.6343333 --> 00:46:45,676.6343333 That, that's about it. 803 00:46:45,986.6343333 --> 00:46:46,276.6343333 Okay. 804 00:46:46,466.6343333 --> 00:46:46,756.6343333 Yeah. 805 00:46:47,416.6343333 --> 00:46:51,611.6343333 And you just Dfy and I really Quite a journey. 806 00:46:51,861.6343333 --> 00:46:52,431.6343333 From Yeah. 807 00:46:52,431.6343333 --> 00:46:55,626.6343333 It's a, is a lot of information, isn't it? Well, it's just interesting from. 808 00:46:56,491.6343333 --> 00:47:09,761.6333333 dIfficult, obviously for our listeners, but visually, physically, the only thing is a missing eye but actually the trauma of that and the injuries, coma, the flat lining and all of that, you know, it's a major, it's a major thing. 809 00:47:09,771.6333333 --> 00:47:16,231.6333333 But if I just look at you front on, and in fact, if I don't see you front on, I would, you'd be hard pushed to say. 810 00:47:17,191.6343333 --> 00:47:20,141.6343333 Yeah, there was any, any, any, any injury at all. 811 00:47:20,871.6343333 --> 00:47:24,821.6343333 so They've done an amazing job on enhancing your looks. 812 00:47:25,411.6343333 --> 00:47:26,741.5343333 Yeah, yeah. 813 00:47:26,741.6343333 --> 00:47:30,921.6338333 I mean, I do get better looking cause I can't, I haven't got fake eye that I can't put in. 814 00:47:30,921.6338333 --> 00:47:32,671.6338333 I just choose not to wear it anymore. 815 00:47:32,771.6348333 --> 00:47:33,21.6348333 Yeah. 816 00:47:33,21.6348333 --> 00:47:34,611.6348333 It's just Okay. 817 00:47:34,911.6348333 --> 00:47:42,91.6348333 So you're, 19 years old and it's 2007. 818 00:47:43,261.6348333 --> 00:47:46,301.6348333 You get out of Birmingham, you're, you're lots of surgeries. 819 00:47:46,431.6348333 --> 00:47:50,551.6368333 Three surgeries to pit about in my eye socket. 820 00:47:50,901.6358333 --> 00:47:58,91.6368333 First one, obviously taking my eye out, but before they did that, there's endless tests to see if they could get any vision back in it. 821 00:47:58,796.6368333 --> 00:48:00,526.6368333 Because your eye is still, okay. 822 00:48:00,626.6368333 --> 00:48:02,896.6368333 Yeah, because at that point my eye was still in. 823 00:48:03,96.6368333 --> 00:48:03,376.6368333 Okay. 824 00:48:03,376.6368333 --> 00:48:04,176.6368333 My eye was still there. 825 00:48:04,196.6368333 --> 00:48:04,476.6368333 Right. 826 00:48:04,506.6368333 --> 00:48:05,516.6368333 It was just full of blood. 827 00:48:05,566.6368333 --> 00:48:07,886.6368333 So they put like electrodes on the back of my head. 828 00:48:07,906.6368333 --> 00:48:09,626.6368333 They're trying to work out whether or not they can get it to work. 829 00:48:09,746.6368333 --> 00:48:10,226.6368333 Yeah. 830 00:48:10,316.6358333 --> 00:48:10,546.6358333 Okay. 831 00:48:10,556.6368333 --> 00:48:20,416.6368333 And there was very slight signal getting through, but the decision was made from the medical staff that, it's probably going to cause more damage to try and clean it. 832 00:48:20,856.6368333 --> 00:48:21,686.6368333 Just take it out. 833 00:48:21,756.6368333 --> 00:48:25,946.6368333 Did it short period at Hedley Court, and that's when PTSD really kicked in. 834 00:48:27,146.6368333 --> 00:48:36,996.6358333 I was going to say, so, you go through all of this, and, you're now clearly wounded, you're heavily caught, PTSD raises its ugly head. 835 00:48:37,196.6368333 --> 00:48:37,596.6368333 Yeah. 836 00:48:38,246.6368333 --> 00:48:56,626.6358333 How did that manifest itself for you? To start with it was hitting the drink, like a freight train Just trying to drown out sounds, voices, chaos, just trying to escape what my head was manifesting. 837 00:48:57,226.6368333 --> 00:49:11,566.6358333 And also it was a way of releasing a little bit of Anger, because it wasn't just going out and getting leathered, it was going out, getting leathered and picking a fight with the biggest bloke I could find. 838 00:49:12,256.6358333 --> 00:49:19,26.6348333 So it was, yeah, really angry, really sort of lost pissed off with the world, with myself. 839 00:49:19,26.6348333 --> 00:49:24,366.6358333 And you're still, you're still in the army though, you're 19, you haven't been medically discharged yet. 840 00:49:24,376.6358333 --> 00:49:25,366.6358333 Not as yet, no. 841 00:49:27,336.6358333 --> 00:49:30,296.6358333 PTSD treatment, does that happen for you? No. 842 00:49:30,836.6358333 --> 00:49:34,486.6338333 Because it's undiagnosed, or you're burying it? Just burying it. 843 00:49:34,836.6338333 --> 00:49:47,76.6348333 But you're now what, back at home with Mum and Lincoln? Yeah, so, yeah, when I got out of hospital, I was sent home on sick leave in the assumption that I'd go back to the battalion, when they come back off tour. 844 00:49:47,286.6348333 --> 00:49:50,546.5348333 So I was just told, right, next five months, just kick around at home. 845 00:49:51,86.6348333 --> 00:49:54,596.6348333 You know, we'll give you a call every couple of weeks just to sort of check in. 846 00:49:54,696.6348333 --> 00:49:59,611.6348333 And, and because I was attached to the Royal Englands, you got lost in the system. 847 00:49:59,611.6348333 --> 00:50:00,61.6348333 Don't tell me. 848 00:50:00,66.6348333 --> 00:50:01,921.6348333 Yeah, they got lost in, yeah, got lost in the system. 849 00:50:01,926.6348333 --> 00:50:03,691.6348333 So they think you are being looked after. 850 00:50:04,191.6348333 --> 00:50:04,521.6348333 Yeah. 851 00:50:04,521.6348333 --> 00:50:06,861.6348333 The other side think they're looking after you. 852 00:50:06,861.6348333 --> 00:50:07,41.6348333 Yeah. 853 00:50:07,71.6348333 --> 00:50:08,481.6348333 So there was no official. 854 00:50:08,826.6348333 --> 00:50:10,196.5348333 Sort of handover review. 855 00:50:10,196.6348333 --> 00:50:16,736.6348333 Yeah, internal handover from the Vikings back to the, to the guards, so I just got lost. 856 00:50:16,786.6348333 --> 00:50:25,166.6343333 So I just, yeah, for, well, I was still getting phone calls and told to turn up with Battalion to, to sign this, sign that, do this. 857 00:50:25,476.6353333 --> 00:50:30,606.6368333 They did a return back to work thing where they put me in a job in the stores. 858 00:50:30,986.6368333 --> 00:50:31,846.6368333 I fucking hated it. 859 00:50:31,986.6368333 --> 00:50:32,276.6368333 Yeah. 860 00:50:32,406.6368333 --> 00:50:34,116.6358333 Because I was an infantry, not a storeman. 861 00:50:34,206.6368333 --> 00:50:34,556.6368333 yeah, yeah. 862 00:50:35,731.6368333 --> 00:50:40,231.6368333 But they're trying to keep you in the tribe, right? Yeah, they're trying their largest to keep me in, it's just... 863 00:50:40,441.6368333 --> 00:50:43,811.6368333 For sure, because they know that that's one of the, you know... 864 00:50:44,951.6368333 --> 00:50:52,781.6358333 The pride, isn't it? Well, but, you know, here's a kid who joins the army at 16, 19, you get wounded, and your life... 865 00:50:55,116.6368333 --> 00:51:02,66.6368333 You know, the dream job, the thing you wanted to get you out of the council estate is disappearing before your eyes. 866 00:51:02,76.6358333 --> 00:51:06,6.6358333 So your desire to stay in the tribe keeps a check of the PTSD. 867 00:51:06,6.6368333 --> 00:51:07,646.6358333 You're amongst kindred spirits. 868 00:51:08,56.6368333 --> 00:51:15,16.6368333 So yeah, I guess they'll look for any job for you and you're going, but I want to be a grunt because that's what I was. 869 00:51:15,916.6368333 --> 00:51:18,326.6368333 So after a while it doesn't work out. 870 00:51:18,466.6368333 --> 00:51:18,846.6368333 No. 871 00:51:18,906.6368333 --> 00:51:19,386.6368333 So I did. 872 00:51:19,746.6368333 --> 00:51:29,836.6368333 Like this three week back to work scheme, and I was more pissed off than when I started and I was just like, no, I want out, get me out, I'm fucking done with this. 873 00:51:30,746.6358333 --> 00:51:42,376.6348333 So then that's when the medical board started, so they gave me a medical discharge, So, you're out in, you 2009? Yeah, 18 months of just whining around and pissing people off. 874 00:51:43,946.6348333 --> 00:51:46,596.6348333 From, injury to actually getting out? Yeah. 875 00:51:46,656.6348333 --> 00:51:53,106.6328333 So you then leave, medical discharge you get an insurance payout, you get your pension, how does that all work? So yeah. 876 00:51:58,126.6328333 --> 00:52:04,166.6328333 What Representative at Head of Court, which helped me do my claims. 877 00:52:04,226.6328333 --> 00:52:04,526.6328333 Yep. 878 00:52:04,676.6328333 --> 00:52:05,606.6318333 That went awfully well. 879 00:52:05,656.6328333 --> 00:52:10,306.6328333 You did your PAX insurance before you went? I had Abacus and I had one fucking unit. 880 00:52:11,756.6328333 --> 00:52:18,56.6328333 You didn't get enough? I only had one unit because I was bulletproof. 881 00:52:18,906.6328333 --> 00:52:21,436.6328333 I was 19 and I thought, nah, it's never going to happen to me. 882 00:52:21,636.6328333 --> 00:52:24,176.6328333 And the most units you can buy is? 15. 883 00:52:24,646.6328333 --> 00:52:28,141.6328333 And you bought one? So that paid you out, next to nothing. 884 00:52:28,361.6328333 --> 00:52:29,11.6328333 Ten grand. 885 00:52:29,561.6328333 --> 00:52:32,361.6328333 Which they, which they were being dickheads about paying me out. 886 00:52:33,51.6328333 --> 00:52:34,281.6328333 They paid you out in the end. 887 00:52:34,301.6328333 --> 00:52:36,81.6328333 Yeah, they paid me, only because my mum kicked off. 888 00:52:36,91.6328333 --> 00:52:37,261.6328333 But you got one unit. 889 00:52:37,881.6328333 --> 00:52:44,171.6328333 So, your advice to any young bulletproof soldier now is buy as many as you can every time. 890 00:52:44,181.6328333 --> 00:52:45,411.6328333 Take the full package. 891 00:52:45,971.6328333 --> 00:52:48,481.6328333 This has gone on quite a long time, so I just want to wrap up. 892 00:52:48,541.6328333 --> 00:52:50,141.6328333 Although we could talk all day. 893 00:52:51,581.6328333 --> 00:52:53,181.6328333 You're 36 years old now. 894 00:52:53,281.6328333 --> 00:52:53,721.6328333 Yeah. 895 00:52:54,991.6328333 --> 00:52:57,121.6328333 You've been out since 2009. 896 00:52:58,491.6318333 --> 00:53:10,311.6318333 And just very briefly, what are the charities who've got involved with you? That have helped you are who and how, and tell us a little bit about what you do now. 897 00:53:11,31.6318333 --> 00:53:20,46.6318333 Okay, so the charities I've been involved with are Blesma Kernels Fund the Not Forgotten Association, and I think that was about it. 898 00:53:20,581.6318333 --> 00:53:20,871.6318333 Okay. 899 00:53:20,981.6318333 --> 00:53:23,621.6318333 I've had, I know you've been on a few trips with skiing. 900 00:53:23,621.6318333 --> 00:53:23,861.6318333 Yeah. 901 00:53:23,861.6318333 --> 00:53:24,431.6318333 With Blesma. 902 00:53:24,431.6318333 --> 00:53:24,701.6318333 Yeah. 903 00:53:24,701.6318333 --> 00:53:32,61.6318333 So, BLEs, to be fair, blesma has been blind, no pun intended, They, they they've sent me all over the bloody world. 904 00:53:32,66.6318333 --> 00:53:35,631.6318333 They have, they've been Colorado four times. 905 00:53:35,751.6318333 --> 00:53:36,381.6318333 Four times. 906 00:53:36,386.6318333 --> 00:53:38,1.6318333 I think I remember skiing. 907 00:53:38,1.6318333 --> 00:53:38,91.6318333 Yes. 908 00:53:39,206.6318333 --> 00:53:43,806.6318333 I've been scuba diving in the Red Sea, I've been to France snowboarding. 909 00:53:43,866.6318333 --> 00:53:45,376.6318333 So Blesma's been brilliant. 910 00:53:45,456.6318333 --> 00:53:47,206.6318333 Yeah, Blesma's been really brilliant. 911 00:53:47,566.6318333 --> 00:53:55,986.6318333 But who sort of picks you, picks you up and helps you with your, PTSD, your, your things like that? So it was... 912 00:53:56,326.6318333 --> 00:54:03,436.6318333 Matt Elmer, he, who is the regimental, regimental casualty officer for the Grenadier Guards. 913 00:54:03,436.6318333 --> 00:54:03,706.6318333 Yeah. 914 00:54:03,846.6308333 --> 00:54:05,196.6318333 And he works for the Colonel's farm. 915 00:54:05,196.6318333 --> 00:54:05,746.6318333 Yes. 916 00:54:05,946.6318333 --> 00:54:18,706.6318333 So yeah, so he, me and him got into contact when I approached the regiment for a little bit financial help to get my business off the ground because I I started a landscaping company back in 2016. 917 00:54:19,416.6318333 --> 00:54:20,596.6318333 And so I approached. 918 00:54:21,941.6318333 --> 00:54:29,221.6318333 The regiment for a bit of financial help and because I'd had no contact with the regiment since getting out I didn't know who the to contact. 919 00:54:29,251.6318333 --> 00:54:29,501.6318333 Yeah. 920 00:54:29,501.6318333 --> 00:54:29,951.6318333 Yeah, sure. 921 00:54:30,251.6318333 --> 00:54:33,401.6318333 So I And they haven't contacted you. 922 00:54:33,931.6318333 --> 00:54:47,616.6318333 No It's literally I am what you know when they say are they slip through the net? I was one of them people I And I can only put it down to being on the Vikings Battle Group casualty list, not the Grenadiers. 923 00:54:48,336.6318333 --> 00:54:55,296.6318333 And it's just amazing that the Grenadiers sort of went, well, we sent a section away from the Queen's Company and only X have come back. 924 00:54:55,346.6318333 --> 00:55:02,106.6318333 When they, when that tour finished, did they not do a head count and go, right, well, where's all his kit? Yeah. 925 00:55:02,656.6318333 --> 00:55:06,96.6318333 Well, I think they did, but there was just like, well, oh, Harrison, yeah, he's injured. 926 00:55:06,446.6318333 --> 00:55:07,166.6318333 But then that was it. 927 00:55:07,901.6318333 --> 00:55:09,386.6318333 Nobody then went, yeah, nobody went. 928 00:55:09,456.6318333 --> 00:55:12,41.6318333 Well, okay, but where is he? That's dreadful. 929 00:55:12,41.6318333 --> 00:55:13,541.6318333 It, it, it happens. 930 00:55:13,601.6318333 --> 00:55:14,501.6318333 I know, I know. 931 00:55:14,501.6318333 --> 00:55:15,791.6318333 Well, you are very graceful about it. 932 00:55:15,791.6318333 --> 00:55:16,1.6318333 Yeah. 933 00:55:16,1.6318333 --> 00:55:18,971.6318333 But it, and I, I don't like throwing shade when I don't have to. 934 00:55:18,971.6318333 --> 00:55:19,121.6318333 No, no, no, no. 935 00:55:19,121.6318333 --> 00:55:19,511.6318333 Totally. 936 00:55:19,511.6318333 --> 00:55:22,991.6318333 But there's five years there where you could have been in a mess. 937 00:55:23,291.6318333 --> 00:55:24,71.6318333 Oh, wasn't a mess. 938 00:55:24,71.6318333 --> 00:55:24,941.6318333 You probably, and you were in a mess. 939 00:55:24,941.6318333 --> 00:55:25,511.6318333 Yeah. 940 00:55:25,511.6318333 --> 00:55:28,991.6318333 And, and I went through, so in that, in that five years I did. 941 00:55:29,296.6318333 --> 00:55:42,146.5318333 And my missus put me on the spot and told me that if I don't get some sort of help her and the kids are leaving which was enough of a kick up the arse for me to go to the doctors and get my first bout of... 942 00:55:42,656.5318333 --> 00:55:44,106.5318333 Counseling for the NHS. 943 00:55:44,156.5318333 --> 00:55:44,486.5318333 Okay. 944 00:55:44,576.5318333 --> 00:55:50,876.5318333 And at that time, the PTSD was becoming a known thing then. 945 00:55:50,936.5308333 --> 00:55:54,656.5308333 So it was like, all this veteran priority started coming about. 946 00:55:54,656.5308333 --> 00:55:56,596.4298333 So I was like, jumped to the front of the queue. 947 00:55:56,596.5298333 --> 00:56:00,696.5308333 And it, it did, I was really looked after by the NHS at that point. 948 00:56:00,706.5308333 --> 00:56:00,746.5308333 Awesome. 949 00:56:01,421.5308333 --> 00:56:11,271.5308333 so Yeah, that did sort of work, but then I sort of fell out of that because I was going on a trip, but then, yeah, life just got messy, and then something else happened, and, yeah. 950 00:56:11,281.5308333 --> 00:56:14,681.5298333 So now, so, the regiment pick you up, Yeah. 951 00:56:18,486.5308333 --> 00:56:20,946.5308333 And then they'd be taking interest in your welfare. 952 00:56:21,156.5308333 --> 00:56:22,386.5308333 You're on the radar now. 953 00:56:22,476.5308333 --> 00:56:23,46.5308333 Yeah. 954 00:56:23,46.5308333 --> 00:56:23,47.5308333 Yeah. 955 00:56:23,196.5308333 --> 00:56:24,816.5308333 So you're in a good place now. 956 00:56:24,876.5308333 --> 00:56:25,236.5308333 Oh yeah. 957 00:56:25,236.5308333 --> 00:56:25,806.5308333 I've been, yeah. 958 00:56:25,806.5308333 --> 00:56:38,137.5308333 So a few years ago, I, I, I say a few, it was more than a few what would it have been, 2018, I I, I got a little off the rails again and ended up in court 'cause I. 959 00:56:39,6.5308333 --> 00:57:00,846.4308333 I battered the shit out of someone, of which that's when Matt Helmer stepped in and says, right, no, we're going to get you some help and put me on to walking with a wounded and they put me through a 12 week counselling session with a private counsellor of which I kept on for that for, in total I did three and a half years on a weekly basis of psychotherapy which has really fucking straightened me out. 960 00:57:02,391.4308333 --> 00:57:02,911.4308333 And, yeah. 961 00:57:03,41.4308333 --> 00:57:06,321.4308333 And walking with a wounded put you on that path? Yeah. 962 00:57:07,541.4308333 --> 00:57:08,111.4308333 Okay. 963 00:57:08,891.4308333 --> 00:57:10,221.4308333 It's been fucking mental, mate. 964 00:57:12,821.4308333 --> 00:57:14,831.4308333 It has been proper mental. 965 00:57:14,941.4308333 --> 00:57:24,921.4308333 Because the well rounded young man that I know, and I've come across, and had the great pleasure of going down the Yukon with the rest of this stuff isn't, very evident. 966 00:57:25,351.4308333 --> 00:57:30,221.4308333 Yeah in in the man that I meet and I'm very good at putting a face on. 967 00:57:30,311.4308333 --> 00:57:38,741.4308333 I've been doing it my whole life Yeah so Wow So all's well now. 968 00:57:38,811.4298333 --> 00:57:41,571.4308333 Yeah The missus is still with you. 969 00:57:41,741.4308333 --> 00:57:43,711.4308333 Yeah, the kids have appeared. 970 00:57:44,31.4308333 --> 00:57:53,541.4298333 Yeah, and Your landscaping business is on hold while you're building your extension, putting it in your kitchen, sawing it out of your house. 971 00:57:54,61.4298333 --> 00:57:59,641.4298333 And then it's back to the drawing board for what next for Alex? Dunno. 972 00:58:00,81.4308333 --> 00:58:00,871.4308333 See what happens. 973 00:58:01,371.4298333 --> 00:58:02,531.4308333 But you're in a good space now. 974 00:58:02,561.4298333 --> 00:58:03,161.4298333 Yeah, yeah. 975 00:58:03,651.4298333 --> 00:58:05,101.4298333 Yeah, best place I've ever been. 976 00:58:05,911.4298333 --> 00:58:07,941.4298333 That's, well that's good to know. 977 00:58:08,381.4298333 --> 00:58:08,871.4298333 Alex. 978 00:58:10,221.4298333 --> 00:58:25,41.4298333 The charities that you've looked after, who would you highlight? Were the ones if, if, if any of the listeners wanted to Donate to anything, where would you, where would you point somebody? Not Forgotten The Colonel's Fund, Blesmer, yeah, yeah, so all of them. 979 00:58:25,561.4318333 --> 00:58:28,561.4308333 All and any of the above, even the NHS. 980 00:58:28,571.4308333 --> 00:58:38,651.4308333 Yeah, even, there's a, there's a new, new one, you probably haven't even heard of them, it's, called Behind the Heroes, it's a little, a couple out of Huddersfield doing amazing things. 981 00:58:38,901.4308333 --> 00:58:39,381.4308333 Okay. 982 00:58:39,471.4308333 --> 00:58:39,821.4308333 Yeah. 983 00:58:40,231.4308333 --> 00:58:40,901.4308333 I'll look them up. 984 00:58:42,396.4308333 --> 00:58:42,776.4308333 Brilliant. 985 00:58:42,876.4308333 --> 00:58:44,536.4308333 Alex that's been amazing. 986 00:58:44,676.4308333 --> 00:58:45,536.4308333 Thank you very much. 987 00:58:48,316.4308333 --> 00:58:49,546.4308333 We're going to draw this one to a close. 988 00:58:49,546.4308333 --> 00:58:57,6.4313333 I'm sorry it's been a bit longer, but I'm hoping that you're still listening and you're still here and you've been as engrossed with this story as I have. 989 00:58:57,106.4313333 --> 00:59:02,996.4313333 But that's how it is for a young 19 year old infantryman when you and do what your platoon sergeant tells you and... 990 00:59:06,556.4313333 --> 00:59:07,276.4313333 Life takes a different course. 991 00:59:08,536.4313333 --> 00:59:11,456.4313333 That's war, that's how it is. 992 00:59:12,336.4313333 --> 00:59:13,716.4313333 Alex, thanks very much for your time. 993 00:59:13,906.4303333 --> 00:59:16,16.4313333 And thanks for sharing your story, that's really great. 994 00:59:16,146.4313333 --> 00:59:17,86.4313333 It's alright, no dramas. 995 00:59:18,186.4313333 --> 00:59:18,686.4313333 Good on ya. 996 00:59:19,446.4303333 --> 00:59:20,266.4313333 Thanks for having me on. 997 00:59:20,826.4313333 --> 00:59:21,36.4313333 Pleasure. 998 00:59:25,636.4313333 --> 00:59:26,716.4313333 If you want to make any comments. 999 00:59:28,86.4313333 --> 00:59:32,156.4313333 Please just leave the messages in on the various social media platforms that you can find me on. 1000 00:59:32,566.4313333 --> 00:59:39,546.4313333 I'm Ben Stevens and I will be with you with another episode of talking with the wounded very soon. 1001 00:59:39,656.4313333 --> 00:59:40,426.4313333 Thanks very much. 1002 00:59:40,576.4313333 --> 00:59:40,836.4313333 Bye.