"Helmand Vikings"

Ref: DR099

by David Rowlands

Size 58 x 38 cm

1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment (‘The Vikings’) deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan between April and October 2007. ‘The Vikings’ were engaged in fighting the Taliban in the ‘green zone’ and desert of Helmand on a daily basis. Nine ‘Vikings’ lost their lives.

The picture shows the lead section of the assaulting platoon, tasked to enter and clear a compound, after a Sapper of the Royal Engineers has used a bar mine or a mousehole charge to blow a hole in the wall. In this Company-level operation they are covered by a GPMG and a Sharpshooter with a 308 sniper rifle.

Recce Platoon (in Scimitars) and Fire Support Group (in WMIKs) are in support, on the higher ground beyond the road.