GOOD JOB WELL DONE

[KPax]

Sorry if it has been posted already. Looks like a good job well done. Unusual for the Scum.
By TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor

AN RAF pilot has won a top medal for holding his helicopter steady under fire so an SAS sniper could hit a key terrorist.

Squadron Leader Shane Anderson had to hover in position for as long as 25 MINUTES through a hail of AK47 bullets in Iraq.

He held his Puma chopper just 100ft up to allow the sniper time to line up a perfect shot on a “potentially lethal threat”.

And yesterday his extraordinary courage was rewarded with a Distinguished Flying Cross.

The medal — the RAF equivalent of the Army’s Military Cross — is just two down from a VC, Britain’s highest gallantry award. The drama took place last July during a raid by the SAS and US Army’s Delta Force on a major insurgent hideout.

Sqdn Ldr Anderson was in command of three Pumas on attachment to the SAS and SBS.

Their task was to provide “top cover” sniper support fire from just over the target area.

As the pilot took up position a blast on the ground threw his Puma around and damaged it.

Rifle fire was coming up from the rebels and power cables, high winds and 50°C heat combined to make flying conditions “extremely taxing”. But Sqdn Ldr Anderson held steady until his sniper, perched beside the open door with a .5in calibre Barratt rifle, killed a key target.

The full details of the mission may never be revealed because of special forces secrecy.

In a mark of how sensitive it was, the officer stayed away from an MoD press conference for other medal winners such as limbless George Cross hero Captain Peter Norton on Thursday.

Much of Sqdn Ldr Anderson’s DFC citation is classified but one part reads: “He displayed superb captaincy and exemplary formation leadership skills.”

An RAF source added: “He was very brave indeed. It is just a shame we cannot give him any more public recognition.”

[Farmer 1]

An RAF source added: “He was very brave indeed. It is just a shame we cannot give him any more public recognition.”

Somehow, I shouldn't think that would worry him too much.

Well done, indeed.

[Melchett01]

Good effort, not something you'd want to do every day of the week.

But what did the rest of the crew in his cab get?

[Admin_Guru]

"What did the rest of the crew in his cab get?"

Probably the square route of F...A.. as per usual. There should be three well deserved citations to read about here, not one. The politics usually state that 1 award is likely v 3 unlikely and therefore 1 is better than none. But its bollox, for had it all gone wrong 3 crew would have died!

Notwithstanding that; a big Well Done, :ok: all that training wasnt in vain after all. .......and theres life in the plastic pursuit ship yet, lends weight to an NH90 sized replacement in the future.:ok:

[Melchett01]

Probably the square route of F...A.. as per usual

Just had a look through the operational honours list - 10 points to Admin Guru. Only one other RAF name on the list and that was for a Cpl who got a QCVS for something or other. Not a sniff of the rest of his crew.

Surely that sort of decision can only lead to undercurrents of devisiveness amongst what should be a close unit. IIRC, in Ray Mears book The Real Heroes of Telemark, there is a reprint of an official letter discussing gongs and awards for the members of the raiding party. Apparently, the idea of just awarding the team leaders gongs wa considered unfair as all members of the team were exposed to equal risk. The solution, give the team leaders a DSO and the team members MC/MM (or something along those lines).

Sounds much fairer to me, not that I'd ever expect the current powers that be and bean counters who decide how many gongs to dish out to understand that. The ac captain will get a gong, and the rest of the crew will damn well like it. I suppose they would say that the one gong refelcts on the actions of the entire crew ..... if so, who gets to wear it on parades / dining-in nights??

[threepointonefour]

Full marks to the pilot.

The sitch re the rest of the crew puts me in mind of the Bosnia Op, mid 90's. To qualify for a medal (as aircrew), you had to complete 30 (yes, 30!) missions 'sausage side'. And yet any ground branch/trade guy who completed 90 days in theatre (eating pizzas in Italy) got the very same medal that the aircrew got after being shot at etc etc. I guess you could also level the same strange thought process at those F4 guys who got a GW1 medal for eating kebabs whilst defending Cyprus ...

I digress, good job from the pilot in question. Shame there's no recognition for the other guys, but a good job nontheless.

[izod tester]

Probably the worst example of failing to award an entire crew was the award of VCs to Fg Off Garland and Sgt Gray, the pilot and observer/bomb aimer of one of the 12 Sqn Battles which attacked the Bridge at Weldwezelt on 12 May 1940. The third crew member, LAC Reynolds, the "part time" air gunner, did not receive any award.

[southside]

Good job well done fella. For a chap who is not normally concerned with maintaining a steady hover this was superb work. My mate sat next to me didn't think so....His comment which clearly stemmed from some sort of
SKV throw back to the 1980's is unprintable.

[ratty1]

Good job well done fella. For a chap who is not normally concerned with maintaining a steady hover this was superb work.

You know him then.......................

[Stitchbitch]

Nice one :ok: Pity the rest of the crew missed out, but I doubt they'd be too put out by the lack of gongs...'Loyalty' and all that.:}

[TwoDeadDogs]

Hi all
I recall,faintly, the case of an RN skipper who recieved the Jam Tin Lid with extra Plums or whatever, and was miffed that his crew had recieved nothing for their part in a dangerous action. He nailed up the medal alongside the ship's crest and there it stayed.Proper order!
regards
TDD

[chopper squad]

Good to see that the RAF website can't even get this mentioned as news:confused:

Then again no fast jet or SAR angle.

[Lara crofts pants]

I would like to add my heartfelt congratulations.

Nice one mate:ok:

[southside]

This was a great job....all conducted under fire. Like the article states...there must be more to it as you don't get a DFC for He displayed superb captaincy and exemplary formation leadership skills.”
.... you get a B+ in your OJAR for that....No, there must be more to it so, well done fella. NIce to see our boys recognised for putting their lives on the line....any comment Mr Kember?

[Melchett01]

This was a great job....all conducted under fire. Like the article states...there must be more to it as you don't get a DFC for
Quote: He displayed superb captaincy and exemplary formation leadership skills.”.... you get a B+ in your OJAR for that....

So then what about everyone else on board, or were they just along for the ride as privileged passengers? Don't get me wrong, I'm not having a go at the guy in question - definitely gets my respect, but the bean counting ethos now even appears to extend to acts of bravery .... we can only have 2 per op as that is all we have budgeted for.

[LOTA]

Just a note about the corporal who Melchett01 said did something or other.

She was an SAC at the time, treated injured soldiers during the middle of a Basrah riot, petrol bombs, gunfire and bricks etc. She was hit in the head by a brick, kept getting the injured back to a Puma for medevac.

Job well done, I think.

(Full story in RAF News, out today!)

[Melchett01]

Just a note about the corporal who Melchett01 said did something or other.

She was an SAC at the time, treated injured soldiers during the middle of a Basrah riot, petrol bombs, gunfire and bricks etc. She was hit in the head by a brick, kept getting the injured back to a Puma for medevac.


If that is the case, she has my utmost respect.

Melchett.

[VH-GRUMPY]

Quote:
Squadron Leader Shane Anderson had to hover in position for as long as 25 MINUTES through a hail of AK47 bullets in Iraq.

He held his Puma chopper just 100ft up to allow the sniper time to line up a perfect shot on a “potentially lethal threat”.

Why did it take the sniper 25 minutes to line up his shot - and I tell you those AK47s must be inaccurate if you couldn't hit a Puma hovering at 100 feet!

Somehow I don't think this was the meaning meant to be conveyed.

[airborne_artist]

In these days of identity theft you do wonder why HMG has to publicise the service numbers of those receiving awards on this list (http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=192519&NewsAreaID=2)? :confused:

[Kitbag]

In these days of identity theft you do wonder why HMG has to publicise the service numbers of those receiving awards on this list (http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=192519&NewsAreaID=2)? :confused:

Don't know if any has tried to down load the lists AA put the link to but curiously the only one which my IGS computer will allow to open is the pic of the Scottish Dwarf, everything else on the GNN is refused. Seems that the great unwashed have better access than the military to what our leaders wish to publicise. Maybe that explains why we seem so cynical these days. :\

[Stitchbitch]

Colour Sergeant Tomlinson (RM) winner of the the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross has a big pair of cahoonas. I presume that his USMC squad probably all got awarded gongs, perhaps it's time we did the same. Mind you, imagine the backlog at the medals office.....:hmm:

link to story in Mike Jenveys' post :ok: