Another 4 down in Helmand......

[Heywood Djablowme]

BBC news reporting another 4 soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

Sad news. RIP guys.

How much longer can we keep this up?

[gijoe]

Very sad indeed.

I fear it may be a busy Summer in Afg.

RIP

[spanners123]

Tragic news,
RIP guys

[Mister-T]

I am absolutely gutted for the Brigade.

Sincerest thoughts and prayers go to the Families, friends and all ranks 16 AA Bde.

[Squirrel 41]

RIP Guys - taking a pounding but the mission *IS* worth it. Will raise a glass to you tonight, and as ever thoughts with your families.

S41

[November4]

BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7460617.stm)

Four UK soldiers, one believed to be a woman, have been killed in Afghanistan after their vehicle was caught in an explosion, the MoD has said.

One of the soldiers was a member of the Intelligence Corps, the MoD said.

Thoughts with the families and those serving with the casyalties.

A very bad week for the brigade

The Taleban are losing in Afghanistan...we are enjoying a degree of success

Defence Secretary Des Browne

Doubt the NoK will agree with that

[TommyGun]

The Int Corps officer was a female. First British woman to die in Afghanistan. Another sad milestone. RIP.

[Rigger1]

RIP brave people.

[effortless]

Looks like one was a family friend, if so he was TA. Big mess round here over the next few days. ****ity ****ity ****.

[TommyGun]

Effortless, sorry buddy it sounds like the 3 men might be TA (Special Forces). Probably 21 or 23 SAS. I think that's the latest from Sky news.

[effortless]

Yup, just got back from the parents. His testament was hard to read, a lovely lad.

[skua]

Maybe we are just having a bad run, but at the current rate of losses of c 5/week, I reckon the chances of making it home in a box are now nearing 2% - over the course of a 6 month tour. And a fair bit higher if one assumes all those back at Bastion are at no risk at all.

I do not find those very comforting odds. They make the possibly less-than-sincere utterances of Brown & Browne - set against their reluctance to fund the enterprise properly, and pay squaddies more than traffic wardens rather than less - even more unpalatable.

Further B 1 (without the e) clearly lacks the statesmanship to persuade our EU/NATO colleagues to stump up their share of force. What a shambles.

Skua

[effortless]

Tryng to remember how many troops were needed to occupy a truly defeated nation, Germany. How many was it quarter of a million or three quarters of a million? "Remember the Afghan has never, ever, ever been defeated on his own soil." Good Film

[airborne_artist]

Effortless, sorry buddy it sounds like the 3 men might be TA (Special Forces). Probably 21 or 23 SAS. I think that's the latest from Sky news.

Caught a news item suggesting they were from 23 SAS (R). There's been a composite squadron equivalent from 21 and 23 in Afg from the outset (open source, The Telegraph).

Some great guys in 23, even if they were Brummies/Geordies/Jocks etc. God Speed. Three names for the clock.

[Guzlin Adnams]

More bad news. RIP to you friends.
I'll keep my council on Brown et al, that's not for now.
I saw the parents of one of the recent casualties on the news tonight. His poor mother had only just lost her father a week before. I'm not ashamed to say that I cried for them.....awful.

[Pure Pursuit]

Seeing flags at half mast out here is becoming far too common...

I stood at the last repat parade less than a week ago trying to reassure myself that it could not get any worse. Gutted.

My thoughts are with families & friends of the fallen.

RIP

[BYALPHAINDIA]

Yes Sad news AGAIN.

Who is running this so - called Gov't - Spitting Image!!:rolleyes::ugh:

Are they just going to continue to sit in their Armchairs or what....??:hmm:

Do they take anything into their 'hollow brains':ugh::zzz::bored:

Youll never win with this Government - There's more brains in a 'pork pie' than this entourage.:ugh::ugh::rolleyes:

hmm PM's questions = PM's puppet show.:ugh::rolleyes::rolleyes:

When will they come to the shopfloor???

And bring these service people home.:D

[Beatriz Fontana]

effortless,

I'm with you. My mate was the Int Corp lass.

[Ron Fenest]

I'm very sad to say that the Int Corps lass was probably known to a lot more people on here than actually realise it.

I knew Sarah as a young girl desperate to join the military and I tried to get her to join the AAC. For all those that have nipped in to Carlisle airport over the years and had a big bacon sandwich from Maureen, I'm sad to say that this is her daughter and she would often help out in the cafe. Always with a beaming smile.

It's never nice when someone goes but it's so much harder when you know them. Sarah was a lovely girl.

My thoughts are very much with those close to her.

[effortless]

I do understand everyone’s' "righteous anger" but I must convey the sentiment expressed in my young friend's testament. Do not use his experience as a political point. Do no hijack his death for a military event. He wanted to make clear that he did not die "for Queen and country"; he died doing what he wanted to do as best he could, for his own reasons. He could have been home months ago but he extended. He wanted to do what he was doing and he accepted the circumstances.

We can all sit and say Brown this and I sat saying Wilson that, Heath the other. Crikey don't even get me started on Thatcher and Major. In the end there is never enough cash, kit or personnel. Our lads and lasses are out there doing a ****ty job as best as they may. It was always thus and always will be no matter who is in power. That is it.

[Jackonicko]

Every loss is tragic.

Every death is one more death than we can 'afford'.

But these brave chaps (and chapess) are all volunteers, who joined up to serve, and were extraordinary enough to accept the risks that go with that service.

And in Afghanistan, surely, their sacrifice was made in support of a war that we can all approve of (even those who disagreed with the 2003 invasion of Iraq)? They have died in pursuit of a 'noble cause' that we can all be proud of.

And though every loss of a British serviceman makes me personally wonder "is it worth it?" surely the answer is that regrettably, painfully, these sacrifices are worthwhile, and are still at an 'acceptable' rate (horrible term, I know, and never acceptable to friends and families).

We lost 255 in the Falklands, and 763 (excluding UDR/RIR and RUC) in Northern Ireland - 103 in 1972 alone!

Weighed up against that, we've lost 176 in Iraq since 2003, and 106 in Afghanistan since 2001.

Every single one is a tragedy. Every one represents the loss of one of the outstanding members of their generation. We all (I'm sure) regret and mourn every one of them. I know that I do.

But yes, we can keep it up, I think.

[gijoe]

I can't - I think it will be time to sign on the dotted line having done my bit.

There are many others that think the same.

G

[Lurking123]

Another Sarah, how ironic. I'm sat here looking at some photos of people who did their job, extremely well. But the thought that immediately springs to mind is the continued MOD "policy" of not sending female troops to the front line. Those of us who have spent the last 7 years or so in the desert know that the policy doesn't reflect reality. Every single person who gets of the Tristar/C17/C130 in either Afghanistan or Iraq is on the front line and they all deserve recognition. Without exception our armed forces have some of the brightest, most motivated, professional and loyal young people that our country can offer. I salute you all.

[helidriver]

I am working from the same place as Sarah and she would come and have a brew with us quite frequently. In fact, she was going to pretend our 'det dog' was hers and Sky decided to do a ditty on getting the dog back to UK, using one of the many dog charities. She was due to do the interview the day after this awful IED attack. Also, knew a couple of the lads. I can tell you life is difficult and sombre at Lash however, everyone is cracking on as professionally as always.

RIP.

h

[effortless]

Flying in today.