Task Force Helmand: A Soldier's Story of Life, Death and Combat on the Afghan Front Line - Hardcover

When I arrived at Camp Bastion in the summer of 2006 there were just three names inscribed on its memorial to the lost. By the time I left for home, seven months later, the list of the dead on the cross, crafted out of spent 30mm cannon shells, had lengthened to 19. Since then, space on the memorial has become increasingly hard to find. As I departed Helmand last year for the third time the memorial was well on its way to 400...Someone wiser than me will conclude whether what we have done in Afghanistan has been for the better though, for what it is worth, I take pride in what we have done to build a more stable future for the citizens of this unfortunate country. One thing I know for sure: those who have imperilled their own safety for the benefit of others are the very best our nation has to offer . --The Times

Doug Beattie entered 1 R Irish as 17-year-old. He served as an NCO in Bosnia, an RSM in Iraq, and completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan before retiring from the British Army in autumn 2008. He was awarded the Military Cross in 2006. Co-writer Philip Gomm first met Doug Beattie in Helmand Province in 2006 while working for ITV News.