MilitaryForums.co.uk

These pics are of 'Costa del' Sangin, Helmand Province in September 2006 C-Company 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment.

Great phots, just remind me never to go there on holiday. the hotel looks a bit run down and no sign of a swimming pool.

Seriously though great phots which will give an insight to the younger members of what it is actually about.

Job well done mate, have a drink you deserved it.

This last pic is of the 3 para medic in sangin's weapon. He was running to get a casualty who caught shrapnel to his head from a mortar when another mortar explodes behind him sending shrapnel into his SUSAT sight on his weapon which was slung on his back. One hell of a lucky bloke. Sadly the soldier he was treating died from the shrapnel wound to his head. He was a soldier from the Royal Irish rangers, 9 platoon c-company 3 para and was getting his men into cover when the mortars started landing before being hit himself. Brave men like this have made this tour one we will never forget.

Sangin district compound was later renamed "FOB Jackson", after Pte Damian Jackson of A-company 3 Para who was the first soldier in the battalion to be killed in Sangin.

Like they say, a picture tell's a thousand words... cheers for the phots mate, glad to see you fellas back.

So hang on a sec.....
you had time to take phots, get shot at, go sightseeing, mingle with the locals AND go swimming but you didn't have a chance to go buying some Afghan rugs.
Thats a bit slack

Cracking phots, bet you just can't wait to get back there

Blindin' stuff. Great pics.

Try and get some of the lads on here. We can always do with a bit of advice and guidance from you & the others who've been there and done it. As Flo says, it gives an insight to the wannabees about how it actually is.

Welcome home lads.
We will remember them that didn't make it RIP.

Great photos!.
Respect to the boys.
Did the SA80 perform well?.

I think on the whole, the SA80 was just fine. It needs plenty of oil (yes, even in hot dusty climate) and i found it helps to have 29 rounds in the magazine instead of 30 as the first couple of rounds are always the ones that tend to jam.

Did have a couple of stoppages...in contact! Wasnt too good when you are trying to put covering fire down an allyway so the blokes can run across it and you get the second round jam when someone is half way across!!

Some problems with the 50 cals we had also. When i was with the Gurkhas in the town of Now Zad we had 2 50 cals and just my luck the one i was on during a contact had some problems. 3 Para had no problems with any of their machine guns...whereas the Royal Marines have already had problems with theirs.

real good pictures there! shows us new comers what to expect!!

Expect hell

That pic of the medics SUSAT is crazy, I bet he had a quick word with the man upstairs after he saw that!

Great pics mate, you lads did an amazing job out there and proved you're the cream of the British Army, glad to see you back home safe and well matey and thanks again for the pics.

I dont think the blokes down his local will ever hear the end of the "SUSAT story"

I feel sorry for them really.

Thanks for the compliment on the RIR, proud of what they were able to help your batt in Sangin.

Proud to have them home, and sad at their lost brothers.

Faugh-A-Ballagh - CLEAR THE WAY

Stevie no worries. The platoon in 3 para all went through a hard selection before turning up at our barracks, alot of their soldiers were from the recce platoon in 1 RIR. They were all excellent soldiers and as good as us lot. They said to me they were a bit worried they wouldnt be up to the standard of 3 Para but believe me they were very switched on and performed to the same levels as the rest of us.

Nightmares on the piss though!! They are based in Scotland so not in a lively town like Colchester. So when they arrived it was like 10 Christmas's rolled into 1 for them, out on the piss every night of the week!

The rest of 1 RIR should be home in the next 48 hours if they are not home already.

Will be a shame to have to see the platoon of rangers leave us in 3 para to go back to scotland. However i hear quite alot of them wanting to transfer to Para regt, so might see some of them again.