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Soldiers relive Afghan shooting | Soldiers relive Afghan shooting |
(40 minutes later) | |
British soldiers wounded when a rogue Afghan policeman opened fire on them have spoken about their ordeal. | British soldiers wounded when a rogue Afghan policeman opened fire on them have spoken about their ordeal. |
The shootings at an Afghan National Police (ANP) checkpoint in Nad-e-Ali, in Helmand Province, on 3 November 2009 left five of their comrades dead. | The shootings at an Afghan National Police (ANP) checkpoint in Nad-e-Ali, in Helmand Province, on 3 November 2009 left five of their comrades dead. |
In Channel 4's Cutting Edge programme, soldiers injured in the attack reveal how they pretended they were dead to escape the rampaging gunman. | In Channel 4's Cutting Edge programme, soldiers injured in the attack reveal how they pretended they were dead to escape the rampaging gunman. |
Guardsman Steve Loader said: "I've never been so scared in my life." | |
The troops had been mentoring and living with the Afghan police in a compound. | The troops had been mentoring and living with the Afghan police in a compound. |
The members of the 16-man team killed in the attack were Warrant Officer Class 1 Darren Chant, 40, Sgt Matthew Telford, 37, Guardsman Jimmy Major, 18, of the Grenadier Guards, Cpl Steven Boote, 22, and Cpl Nicholas Webster-Smith, 24, of the Royal Military Police. | The members of the 16-man team killed in the attack were Warrant Officer Class 1 Darren Chant, 40, Sgt Matthew Telford, 37, Guardsman Jimmy Major, 18, of the Grenadier Guards, Cpl Steven Boote, 22, and Cpl Nicholas Webster-Smith, 24, of the Royal Military Police. |
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killings, although UK military sources have suggested it is more likely that the incident was a one-off and unconnected to insurgents. | The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killings, although UK military sources have suggested it is more likely that the incident was a one-off and unconnected to insurgents. |
L/Cpl Liam Culverhouse, of the Grenadier Guards, said the policeman - who has been named only as Gulbuddin - shot him in both arms and legs as he tried to flee. | L/Cpl Liam Culverhouse, of the Grenadier Guards, said the policeman - who has been named only as Gulbuddin - shot him in both arms and legs as he tried to flee. |
You know it's just luck of the draw, whether it's you or not - and this time I got lucky Guardsman Pete Lyons | You know it's just luck of the draw, whether it's you or not - and this time I got lucky Guardsman Pete Lyons |
In the documentary, he said: "The guy came and checked that I was dead. I heard his footsteps and I could hear dust being kicked away from his feet. | In the documentary, he said: "The guy came and checked that I was dead. I heard his footsteps and I could hear dust being kicked away from his feet. |
"And then it stopped, and then it went back, so I don't know what he was doing at the time. I know he must have been checking I was dead because he stood over me." | "And then it stopped, and then it went back, so I don't know what he was doing at the time. I know he must have been checking I was dead because he stood over me." |
Describing his thoughts at that moment, he went on: "When I was playing dead, I was thinking he's going to shoot me again, he's going to shoot me again. But he didn't. So, I'm lucky, very lucky indeed." | Describing his thoughts at that moment, he went on: "When I was playing dead, I was thinking he's going to shoot me again, he's going to shoot me again. But he didn't. So, I'm lucky, very lucky indeed." |
The interview was recorded just 16 hours after the attack took place, on board an aircraft carrying the six soldiers wounded in the incident back to the UK for treatment. | The interview was recorded just 16 hours after the attack took place, on board an aircraft carrying the six soldiers wounded in the incident back to the UK for treatment. |
L/Cpl Culverhouse said he and his colleagues picked up a "funny atmosphere" at the checkpoint prior to the shooting. | L/Cpl Culverhouse said he and his colleagues picked up a "funny atmosphere" at the checkpoint prior to the shooting. |
However, he said they could not have predicted what happened. | However, he said they could not have predicted what happened. |
'So scared' | 'So scared' |
He revealed that the troops were holding a competition to see who could catch the most mice when the policeman opened fire. | He revealed that the troops were holding a competition to see who could catch the most mice when the policeman opened fire. |
"It just all went so fast, and then when he saw me he just basically unloaded a magazine firing at me. He only managed to hit me six times, thank God," he said. | "It just all went so fast, and then when he saw me he just basically unloaded a magazine firing at me. He only managed to hit me six times, thank God," he said. |
Another of the wounded British soldiers, Guardsman Steve Loader, of the Grenadier Guards, said: "I have never, ever seen so much blood in my entire life, all over the floor, all over me, all over my legs, all over my hands. | Another of the wounded British soldiers, Guardsman Steve Loader, of the Grenadier Guards, said: "I have never, ever seen so much blood in my entire life, all over the floor, all over me, all over my legs, all over my hands. |
"I don't know how we managed to get out of that situation and still manage to be here, all right, talking and walking. | "I don't know how we managed to get out of that situation and still manage to be here, all right, talking and walking. |
"It's hard to explain, I just really do not know how we did it, someone must have been watching over us." | "It's hard to explain, I just really do not know how we did it, someone must have been watching over us." |
The soldier said he "thought that was it" and he had "never been so scared". | The soldier said he "thought that was it" and he had "never been so scared". |
And Guardsman Pete Lyons, also of the Grenadier Guards, who was shot in the hand, said: "You know it's just luck of the draw, whether it's you or not. And this time I got lucky." | And Guardsman Pete Lyons, also of the Grenadier Guards, who was shot in the hand, said: "You know it's just luck of the draw, whether it's you or not. And this time I got lucky." |
Cutting Edge: The Air Hospital will be broadcast on Channel 4 at 2100 GMT on 25 March. | Cutting Edge: The Air Hospital will be broadcast on Channel 4 at 2100 GMT on 25 March. |