.jpg)
RAF Regt crew unharmed in Afghan blast
07 June 2010
A RAF Regiment Gunner and his crew escaped with their lives after their patrol
vehicle drove over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Afghanistan.Lance
Corporal Glen Adams was on a routine patrol near Bastion airfield in one of the new
Mastiff vehicles along with seven fellow Gunners from 3 Sqn RAF Regiment when
the vehicle struck the IED.
L/Cpl Adams – one of the first to wear the new rank in the RAF – kept his head and
took control of the situation to ensure the safety of those in the vehicle, some of
whom were young Gunners on their first tour.
L/Cpl Adams said: “We hit a big IED on a routine patrol. My first thought was ‘are
my guys ok?’ – that’s your main concern. Everyone in the Mastiff was checking that
everyone else was OK. After that it was about getting out of the situation the way yo
u have been trained before you get out to theatre.
“There was damage to the vehicle but there were no casualties or injuries.”
Mastiff vehicles have been designed to deflect and absorb the blast of an IED to protect the occupants. The upgraded Mastiff 2 has recently been deployed to Afghanistan.
During their six-month tour the Gunners of 3 Sqn RAF Regiment helped to save the lives of both local Afghanis and coalition troops after they discovered numerous IEDs.
During their patrols to protect coalition air assets flying into and taking off from Bastion airfield, four Mastiff vehicles struck IEDs including the one containing L/Cpl Adams and his patrol.
Of the four IED strikes, there were no casualties apart from one Gunner suffering damage to his hearing.
Officer Commanding 1 RAF FP Wing, Wg Cdr Mike Smeath said: “It is a real bonus to come back with everybody.
“The Gunners involved in the IED strikes did a brilliant job and those in charge kept a cool head.
IEDs do constrain you a little in what you do but the vehicles are excellent and the Mastiffs did their job. We also have the new Jackal vehicle as well which was excellent.”
3 Sqn RAF Regiment, from RAF Wittering, were deployed as part of 1 Force Protection (FP) Wing to Bastion in December 2009. They returned to a heroes welcome, and waiting family and friends at RAF Wittering last month (May).
07 June 2010
A RAF Regiment Gunner and his crew escaped with their lives after their patrol
vehicle drove over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Afghanistan.Lance
Corporal Glen Adams was on a routine patrol near Bastion airfield in one of the new
Mastiff vehicles along with seven fellow Gunners from 3 Sqn RAF Regiment when
the vehicle struck the IED.
L/Cpl Adams – one of the first to wear the new rank in the RAF – kept his head and
took control of the situation to ensure the safety of those in the vehicle, some of
whom were young Gunners on their first tour.
L/Cpl Adams said: “We hit a big IED on a routine patrol. My first thought was ‘are
my guys ok?’ – that’s your main concern. Everyone in the Mastiff was checking that
everyone else was OK. After that it was about getting out of the situation the way yo
u have been trained before you get out to theatre.
“There was damage to the vehicle but there were no casualties or injuries.”
Mastiff vehicles have been designed to deflect and absorb the blast of an IED to protect the occupants. The upgraded Mastiff 2 has recently been deployed to Afghanistan.
During their six-month tour the Gunners of 3 Sqn RAF Regiment helped to save the lives of both local Afghanis and coalition troops after they discovered numerous IEDs.
During their patrols to protect coalition air assets flying into and taking off from Bastion airfield, four Mastiff vehicles struck IEDs including the one containing L/Cpl Adams and his patrol.
Of the four IED strikes, there were no casualties apart from one Gunner suffering damage to his hearing.
Officer Commanding 1 RAF FP Wing, Wg Cdr Mike Smeath said: “It is a real bonus to come back with everybody.
“The Gunners involved in the IED strikes did a brilliant job and those in charge kept a cool head.
IEDs do constrain you a little in what you do but the vehicles are excellent and the Mastiffs did their job. We also have the new Jackal vehicle as well which was excellent.”
3 Sqn RAF Regiment, from RAF Wittering, were deployed as part of 1 Force Protection (FP) Wing to Bastion in December 2009. They returned to a heroes welcome, and waiting family and friends at RAF Wittering last month (May).
Lance Corporal Glen Adams
Registered Charity United Kingdom No 226682 Spain No G54288329