"The Recovery of Lance Corporal Edwards' Warrior"

by David Rowlands

Image Size 58 x 38 cm

On 13th January 1993 there was severe fighting in the town of Gornji Vakuf, when a column of armoured vehicles of B Company, 1st Battalion The 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment arrived. Lance Corporal Edwards was the driver of Warrior (call sign Two One). His driver’s hatch was open, and as he was crossing the bridge over the river a sniper shot him. The Warrior veered towards the left and came to a halt. Inside the vehicle, the soldiers were unable to contact the driver.

An MRRV (Mechanized Repair and Recovery Vehicle) drove forward in front of the Warrior. Under intense small arms fire, Corporal Bancroft emerged from his hatch and clambered across the roof of his vehicle, and down onto the ground to attach a towbar to the Warrior. The Warrior was recovered, with the mortally wounded driver and the soldiers still inside it.

Shortly afterwards, when I was accompanying a patrol in two Warriors, I visited this spot. We dismounted and I was able to sketch the buildings and the damaged railings of the bridge. Lance Corporal Edwards was attached to The Cheshires from 1st Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers. A memorial plaque was later erected to his memory beside the bridge.