scootz
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 11:38 AM |
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Just Another Day at the Office...
... for our boys and girls in Afghanistan!
A soldier serving with the British Army in Afghanistan has told of the moment he threw back a Taliban hand grenade, telling himself:
"I've really only got one chance to do this."
Rifleman James McKie from Recce Platoon, 3rd Battalion The Rifles was under fire from three directions on a roof when the grenade hit his platoon
commander and landed at his feet.
"My first thought was I hope this doesn't hurt too much," the New Zealander said. "That, and I've really only got one
chance to do this.
"If it fails, either way, doing nothing, I'm going to get the same amount of hurt. So I picked it up and threw it off the roof."
It exploded in mid-air just seconds later, sending shrapnel flying.
A media statement from The Rifles at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, which carried McKie's account, said his actions helped to save the lives of
his commander and one other soldier who were involved in a fire-fight in the Sangin area of Helmand province, where six British soldiers have been
killed in the last week. "We were in a high position on a compound roof," McKie went on. "There was no way you could throw yourself
off and not get injured, so I made a decision to pick up the grenade and throw it off the roof.
"I tried to throw it properly, to clear the roof. I didn't want to do it half-arsed and have them throw it back at us or anything like
that.
"I remember thinking that if I didn't pull this off, it was going to hurt. But at that stage I was pretty much committed."
McKie sustained fragmentation injuries to his right arm and face as the grenade exploded mid air, close to where he stood.
Fragmentation also hit his Platoon commander Captain Graeme Kerr who received leg injuries and who is recovering at Selly Oak Hospital in Britain.
"In retrospect, people keep telling me how brave I am, which I'm slightly embarrassed about," said McKie, who previously served in
the New Zealand army.
"I'd like to think that anyone in that situation would have done the same or something similar because you can't just sit there and
let yourself or other people get hurt.
"I don't feel particularly brave. I thought: I have to do this to survive."
It's Evolution Baby!
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stevec
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 11:44 AM |
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A brave lad indeed, most people including me would probably freeze in that sort of situation.
Steve.
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MikeR
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:06 PM |
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suspect 95% of me would freeze - one bit would probably start working necessitating new underwear.
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FFTS
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:31 PM |
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You would all amaze yourselves what you are capable of when the Sh*t really hits the fan and you have to DO something or not survive and what's
more amazing is how calm and collected you are at that very moment. Its after that the nerves and fear sinks in.
[Edited on 9/3/10 by FFTS]
Chris.
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scootz
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:33 PM |
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You may surprise yourself... most of us are a lot more capable under pressure than we think!
The brain is a marvelous piece of kit... dozy most of the time, but when the sh*t hits the fan, then it can calculate risk and determine action a hell
of a lot faster than any software!
It's Evolution Baby!
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scootz
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:34 PM |
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Lol... great minds think alike (and all that!).
It's Evolution Baby!
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eddie99
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:34 PM |
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Good On him, and whats with the last 2 posts. Great minds think alike?
http://www.elitemotorsporteng.co.uk/
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BenB
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:37 PM |
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Isn't it re-assuring that the insurgents are dip-shits.
You're supposed to cook-off a grenade so it blows when it gets to the enemy and not give them a chance to bung it back.....
good effort by that bloke though!
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scootz
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:43 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by eddie99
Good On him, and whats with the last 2 posts. Great minds think alike?
FFTS and I posted pretty much the same message at the same time!
It's Evolution Baby!
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FFTS
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:43 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by eddie99
Good On him, and whats with the last 2 posts. Great minds think alike?
Maybe read the last "3" before yours 
Chris.
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scootz
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:43 PM |
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... and just done it again! 
It's Evolution Baby!
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FFTS
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:44 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by scootz
quote:
Originally posted by eddie99
Good On him, and whats with the last 2 posts. Great minds think alike?
FFTS and I posted pretty much the same message at the same time!
Right Scootz..........STOP IT NOW!!! haha
Chris.
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scootz
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 12:50 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Isn't it re-assuring that the insurgents are dip-shits.
You're supposed to cook-off a grenade so it blows when it gets to the enemy and not give them a chance to bung it back.....
good effort by that bloke though!
Lol... those 'dip-shits' have been in the killing business for most of their lives - they know what they're doing alright! Timing a
grenade to go off exactly when you want it to is not that easy... most grenades land before they explode as there's an overwhelming urge on the
part of the thrower to get rid of this bomb that he's just activated and is holding in his hands!
Factor in that you also have to judge the speed and distance that you are throwing it and it gets even harder!
It's Evolution Baby!
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TimC
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 01:02 PM |
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Hmmm... one of my best mates flew out on Sunday for his second tour. Time to start avoiding the news again...
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mcerd1
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 02:25 PM |
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^^ I'm not at that stage just yet, but maybe in a few months time… 
one of my mates has gone and joined the marines, but he's still at the 'getting shouted at / running in mud / ironing everything twice a
day' stage for now
[Edited on 9/3/10 by mcerd1]
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cd.thomson
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 02:36 PM |
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just filling out my application for the RAMC now 
Craig
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scootz
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| posted on 9/3/10 at 06:35 PM |
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Good on you Craig!
Best of luck!
It's Evolution Baby!
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