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| Killed officer warned of shortage | Killed officer warned of shortage |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The most senior British officer to be killed in the Afghan campaign had warned about the risks posed to troops by a shortage of helicopters. | The most senior British officer to be killed in the Afghan campaign had warned about the risks posed to troops by a shortage of helicopters. |
| Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, 39, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, died in a roadside bombing. | Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, 39, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, died in a roadside bombing. |
| In memos leaked by an official to Tory MP Adam Holloway, a former officer, Col Thorneloe said too many trips were by road, leaving forces vulnerable. | In memos leaked by an official to Tory MP Adam Holloway, a former officer, Col Thorneloe said too many trips were by road, leaving forces vulnerable. |
| The government had denied an absence of helicopters led to deaths. | The government had denied an absence of helicopters led to deaths. |
| Convoy explosion | |
| Col Thorneloe was killed on 1 July along with Trooper Joshua Hammond, during Operation Panther's Claw, the offensive against insurgent strongholds in Helmand. | Col Thorneloe was killed on 1 July along with Trooper Joshua Hammond, during Operation Panther's Claw, the offensive against insurgent strongholds in Helmand. |
| Their convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) near Lashkar Gah. | Their convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) near Lashkar Gah. |
| Adam Holloway: "There are not enough helicopters, and there never have been" | |
| In memos sent three weeks earlier and published in the Daily Mail, he warned his brigade commanders in the UK about a shortage of helicopters in Helmand, and the increased risks posed to British troops. | In memos sent three weeks earlier and published in the Daily Mail, he warned his brigade commanders in the UK about a shortage of helicopters in Helmand, and the increased risks posed to British troops. |
| "I have tried to avoid griping about helicopters - we all know we don't have enough," he wrote. | "I have tried to avoid griping about helicopters - we all know we don't have enough," he wrote. |
| "We cannot not move people, so this month we have conducted a great deal of administrative movement by road. | "We cannot not move people, so this month we have conducted a great deal of administrative movement by road. |
| "This increases the IED threat and our exposure to it." | "This increases the IED threat and our exposure to it." |
| Col Thorneloe said he had "virtually no" helicopters of the type which would allow him to move troops by air rather than road. | Col Thorneloe said he had "virtually no" helicopters of the type which would allow him to move troops by air rather than road. |
| 'Not fit' | 'Not fit' |
| He also termed the system used to manage helicopter movements in Afghanistan as "very clearly not fit for purpose". | He also termed the system used to manage helicopter movements in Afghanistan as "very clearly not fit for purpose". |
| Responding to the disclosure of Col Thorneloe's memos, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said the use of helicopters had increased. | Responding to the disclosure of Col Thorneloe's memos, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said the use of helicopters had increased. |
| "We know the value of helicopters on operations and that is why we have increased the numbers and types, improved engines and almost doubled flying hours." | "We know the value of helicopters on operations and that is why we have increased the numbers and types, improved engines and almost doubled flying hours." |
| He said additional Merlins were being deployed and more Chinooks would be sent during the coming year. | He said additional Merlins were being deployed and more Chinooks would be sent during the coming year. |
| He added: "To counter the roadside bomb threat we have also been improving unmanned air surveillance and provided more and better protected vehicles." | He added: "To counter the roadside bomb threat we have also been improving unmanned air surveillance and provided more and better protected vehicles." |
| He was saying that if we allocated the helicopters in a different way, we would get more available Sir Jock Stirrup, Chief of the Defence Staff | |
| However, Mr Holloway said the memo was "devastating" for the government. | However, Mr Holloway said the memo was "devastating" for the government. |
| "It just shows they aren't taking this war seriously," he said. | "It just shows they aren't taking this war seriously," he said. |
| "For the last three years we've been told constantly by the government that our guys have got enough helicopters to do the job. | "For the last three years we've been told constantly by the government that our guys have got enough helicopters to do the job. |
| "Anybody who's visited Afghanistan and spoken to the soldiers knows there simply aren't enough helicopters and there never have been." | "Anybody who's visited Afghanistan and spoken to the soldiers knows there simply aren't enough helicopters and there never have been." |
| Twenty-two British soldiers died in Helmand in July, the majority of them killed by improvised explosive devices. | Twenty-two British soldiers died in Helmand in July, the majority of them killed by improvised explosive devices. |
| The deaths sparked a debate about helicopter shortages in the armed forces, with Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Jock Stirrup suggesting the deployment of more to Afghanistan would save soldiers' lives. | The deaths sparked a debate about helicopter shortages in the armed forces, with Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Jock Stirrup suggesting the deployment of more to Afghanistan would save soldiers' lives. |
| However, Sir Jock told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that while more helicopters would always help operations in Afghanistan, there had been sufficient numbers for the summer's operations. | However, Sir Jock told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that while more helicopters would always help operations in Afghanistan, there had been sufficient numbers for the summer's operations. |
| He said Col Thorneloe's comments related to the deployment of craft within Afghanistan. | He said Col Thorneloe's comments related to the deployment of craft within Afghanistan. |
| "The key element of criticism was inflexibility of allocating helicopter assets within theatre, which to Rupert didn't seem to make sense," said Sir Jock. | "The key element of criticism was inflexibility of allocating helicopter assets within theatre, which to Rupert didn't seem to make sense," said Sir Jock. |
| Better equipped | Better equipped |
| "He was saying that if we allocated the helicopters in a different way, we would get more available." | "He was saying that if we allocated the helicopters in a different way, we would get more available." |
| The prime minister has told parliament that the armed forces were better equipped than ever and it was wrong to say that deaths had been caused by a shortage of helicopters. | The prime minister has told parliament that the armed forces were better equipped than ever and it was wrong to say that deaths had been caused by a shortage of helicopters. |
| In response to a suggestion that more helicopters would "patently" save troops' lives, Mr Brown said in July: "More helicopters in general, yes. That is why we are putting them, of course, into Afghanistan. More helicopters are being ordered for Afghanistan. | In response to a suggestion that more helicopters would "patently" save troops' lives, Mr Brown said in July: "More helicopters in general, yes. That is why we are putting them, of course, into Afghanistan. More helicopters are being ordered for Afghanistan. |
| "But in the operations we are having at the moment it is completely wrong to say that the loss of lives has been caused by the absence of helicopters." | "But in the operations we are having at the moment it is completely wrong to say that the loss of lives has been caused by the absence of helicopters." |
| He added: "For the operation we are doing at the moment we have the helicopters we need." | He added: "For the operation we are doing at the moment we have the helicopters we need." |