 L/Cpl Oliver "Teddy" Ruecker rescued a friend from a vehicle |
The First Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment endured six months of hell in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Nine men were killed and almost one in five was wounded. With the help of dramatic combat footage, Robert Lindsay tells the story of an emotional journey from the battlefield to Buckingham Palace where the heroism of some of the men has been honoured. Almost a year in the making, Heroes of Helmand documents the lives of soldiers from the 1st Battalion on their traumatic tour of duty in Afghanistan. The programme uses unseen combat footage shot by the soldiers themselves as they engaged the Taleban in hundreds of fire fights. As their commander, Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Carver concedes, few expected an "ordinary" infantry battalion to perform so well. They had taken over from the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment. Many of the soldiers were barely out of their teens. "Boys into men is perhaps true," said Lt Col Carver. "I remember early in training looking at some people and thinking he looks 13 or 14. "You look at the same people now, almost unrecognisable. They have seen things that most 18 year olds don't ever see." The battalion, recruited from Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex, was awarded an unprecedented haul of medals - 78 in total. They include six military crosses, a distinguished service order and many commendations for gallantry. Heroes of Helmand follows some of those soldiers as they adjust to life after war, and speaks to the families of those who did not come home. One of those was Captain David Hicks, a former Oundle School pupil who grew up in Cambridgeshire.  Capt David Hicks was awarded a posthumous Military Cross |
He was awarded a posthumous Military Cross for his leadership and bravery defending a forward base near Sangin. His father Alun says nothing can compensate for their loss. The family's tribute will be engraved on his headstone at the Commonwealth war cemetery. "We have come up with something which I think summarises it. He was a fine soldier; he was a fine son and brother, but above all he was a fine man. That is how I will remember him." Another Military Cross recipient was Lance Corporal "Teddy" Ruecker, 21, from Norfolk. There were many individual acts of bravery during the tour, some were witnessed and commended, others went unnoticed and unrecognised in the heat of war. Teddy's rescue of his mate Dean Bailey from a burning armoured vehicle came to symbolise the gallantry of all the soldiers who served in Afghanistan. 'Shared death' "I wasn't the only one. Other guys had to stand up and get on with it," he said. "Everyone shared death and destruction on a daily basis as I did every day you had to stand up and be a man. "You couldn't just sit around and mull over everything. That is when more people die and get injured. "When it is done then you can start grieving and feel sorry for yourself. At the time you had to do it and get on with it. "When I first got back I was always on the edge, every little movement. "At first I was quite angry. People weren't understanding what I was saying - talking about Afghanistan got me angry. "They had no idea what you are talking about. Then you realise they are getting on with their lives as much as I should get on with mine just because I was in Afghanistan." Heroes of Helmand will be shown on BBC1 East on 23 June. The programme is a Dick Meadows Production for BBC East Co-producers Dick Meadows and Julian Sturdy are both national Royal Television Society Award winners.
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He was a fine soldier; he was a fine son and brother, but above all he was a fine man
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