An RAF Chinook was two minutes away, but it is a flying bus and an easy bulls-eye for the Taliban; the soldiers were safer hanging on the side of the Apache than inside the Chinook. Had the Canadian, American or Dutch forces been on a similar mission in enemy territory to rescue a fallen comrade, their troops would not be dangling from the outside of a helicopter but travelling in one: probably a Huey, a Eurocopter or one of the many troop-carrying helicopters which their governments have furnished them with.
Chinook a flying bus?
So all those other helicopters used by other nations have the same sort of legs do they? In lieu of range does that mean you have to put more troops on the ground to refuel them, plus more troops to protect the refuellers, placing more personnel at risk?
Yes I agree that the Armed Forces of this country have been woefully neglected but the Chinook isn't just 'a flying bus', its a valuable asset in a country as large and dangerous as Afghanistan and the ability to move large amounts of equipment and personnel by air, whilst avoiding having to place refuel sites all over the place, has no doubt saved many lives.
Slag off the government for their neglect by all means but don't slag off one of the few useful assets the RAF own.