Now look chaps, I know some of you are in the RAF, but even a cursory glance at the medja surrounding this event would show that the Royals assaulted on the ground, rather than from the air, in their
BVS-10 Vikings. It's likely that the Royals' reserve was similarly mounted and close by for reinforcement. Very possibly, by the time anything was discovered to be amiss, troops had withdrawn and the fastest way to effect a quick target recce and extraction was from the air - on a opportunity basis and with some element of surprise.
Chances are the whole thing was put together at a HQ where combat troops hadn't got back to yet or were guarding and it was first come first served.
We expect our officers and senior WOs to lead by example in the Army and RM and that's what happened here. Or would you prefer the senior blokes sent in 4 sprogs?
How very armchair of you!
Yes, it could have been a horrendous mess, but it wasn't. Sometimes it's Colonel H and sometimes it's Pte Beharry, but frankly second guessing it from the never-accurate media dishonours these chaps' achievements and for my money, when an officer (or RSM) becomes too valuable to risk, he's no longer an officer. And the same goes for Apaches.
MaroonMan hits the nail on the head with his views on the risk taken up the chain by this most mendacious of governments (cf. Des Browne's performance in the commons of late). Let's save our ire for them and people like GPMG's booty friend who's probably desperately jealous!