Returning from a week-long trip to Afghanistan, Marine Staff Sgt. Glen Silva sits in the back of the Black Hawk helicopter, wearing a protective airsoft mask at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, on December 9, 2012. The visit was called “Operation Proper Exit”, a program sponsored by Troops First Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to provide meaningful assistance to service members who have suffered devastating injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan. (US Army/Spc. Alexander Neely)
A soldier from Kingswood who saved the lives of his men when he picked up and hurled away a live Taliban grenade is to be honoured for his bravery.
Serjeant Deacon Cutterham of 1st Battalion the Rifles, 28, had just five seconds to plunge his arm into murky ditchwater, retrieve the high-explosive device and throw it to safety as he and his comrades were attacked while on patrol in troubled Helmand province.
Today it was announced that the former Mangotsfield School pupil’s actions had won him the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, an award for bravery in military action surpassed only by the Victoria Cross.
He said: “As soon as I left my patrol base I knew something was up, something wasn’t right.
“You can sort of tell by the atmospherics in the air. People who are normally sociable towards you don’t want to talk to you.”
He and his patrol were wading through an irrigation ditch, knee-deep in water, when the grenade came flying over a high wall and landed seven to ten feet in front of him.
Sjt Cutterham said: “I heard the ‘ching’ of the fly-off lever coming off it. It all happened so fast but so slowly. I just went into autopilot. I shouted ‘get down, grenade’, ran forward, grabbed it first time and just let go of it. I can’t believe I didn’t lose my fingers because as soon as I let go of it, it exploded. If I had missed it, it would have been game over. I’m comfortable around grenades and things like that. I know it sounds crazy but I am. It didn’t faze me picking up a grenade.”
42 Commando, move through vegetation while on operations in Nad’Ali District, Helmand province, July 2011. The foremost Royal Marine is armed with the L129A1 Sharpshooter 7.62mmx51mm rifle.
1 Rifles in Musa-Quala, Afghanistan, November 2008.
The L85A2 is a selective firing, gas-operating, 5.56×45mm spitting badass motherfucker.
Probably the best ever photo of British Forces in Afghanistan.
Mohammad Sherrif, District Governor for Sangin, salutes the battlefield cross for US Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Ralph E. Pate Jr., an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician with 8th Engineer Support Battalion in support of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 8, during a memorial ceremony held at Forward Operating Base Jackson, Sangin. Pate was killed in action while recovering 12 year-old Belour Gula (who had been injured by an IED) out of the line of enemy fire.
Afghan women protest against street harassment in Kabul, in high heels and head scarves, a small band of Afghan women took to the streets of the country’s capital Kabul on Thursday to protest harassment by men. The signs read, “Street violence is illegal” (in black), “We will not be silent in the face of street harassment” (in red) and “To disgrace women is to disgrace humanity” (in blue) July 14th, 2011.
Afghan boys paste a poster of Afghan national hero Ahmad Shah Massoud on a wall in Panjshir province. At the entrance to Afghanistan’s magnificent Panjshir Valley, an 84-year-old supporter of Ahmad Shah Massoud said his village was fully armed to fight a resurgent Taliban to the end. September 7th, 2011.
US Marine dog handler Sgt. Mark Behl, left, of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force K9 unit, and another Marine, perform first aid on US Military working dog Drak, after he was wounded in a bomb attack, in Sangin, Helmand province. Drak’s own handler, Sgt Kenneth A. Fischer, was also wounded in the bomb attack, which also killed several civilians. Both Fischer and Drak were flown out of the country for surgery and recovery. Eventually, in line with military custom, Fischer will adopt Drak and take him home. September 8th, 2011.
