Our War: 10 Years in Afghanistan
A series commemorating the tenth anniversary of the conflict in Afghanistan, the series features the stories of the soldiers through the words and pictures of the young participants.
ambushed – This series’ opening segment is dedicated to a small group of friends from Platoon 3, 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, who were sent to Helmand in 2007. For the majority, it was their first experience of conflict. The entire tour was documented on a helmet-equipped camera by the sergeant’s platoon, which depicted the moment when 19-year-old Private Chris Gray was killed by the Taliban during an ambush. The movie explores the effects of his death on both of his platoon mates and his family in the UK.
The Invisible Enemy – The second episode is dedicated to a young squad from the Grenadier Guards and their frightening encounter with landmines, also known as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Captain Alex Rawlins documented the events of his men losing Guardsman Jamie Janes, who stood on a landmine during a patrol. Janes was 23 years old at the time. The movie chronicles the progression of Jamie Janes’ death from being a minor incident to becoming a catalyst for the public’s awareness of the human cost of IEDs, as well as the way a misspelled letter led to a political controversy for the then-PM, Gordon Brown.
Captured in the Fire – The final segment begins in 2009 and narrates the tale of the 2nd Battalion Princess of Wales regiment as it deals with the new regulations intended to protect civilians. Private Mike McCabe is recorded being wounded during a Taliban attack. By 2010, the Scots Guards are now engaged in a different war: a battle for the minds and hearts of the public.
They have trouble training the local Afghan National Police, who participate in reckless and dangerous ways in the battles. The dangers are made abundantly clear when a guard named Daniel Clarke witnesses a three-year-old girl being severely injured by a rocket-propelled grenade fired by the ANP. The Scots Guards’ tour is marred by tragedy when six members of the ANP are killed while sleeping.
