There is promising news, too, about another injured soldier. Ranger Andrew Allen, who lost both his legs after being hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) in July 2008, is continuing his recovery. However, he has also had to have an operation on his eyes. He had lost his sight but, following the surgery, it is coming back slowly. His friend, Sergeant Hughie Benson, told me: 'I recently picked Ranger Allen up so he could attend the medals parade [at the Tern Hill barracks in Shropshire] and receive his Afghanistan service medal. I picked him up in a hire car. He was in a wheelchair. His eyes were completely closed over then. He couldn't see. I arrived down at Headley Court [rehabilitation centre in Surrey] about six in the morning and he was sitting there with his combats on, finishing his breakfast and ready to go. He asked me why I was late because I was supposed to be there at half five. It was a three-hour drive there and a three-hour drive back. Ranger Allen sat in the front with me. He talked for the first ten minutes, then fell asleep.
'When we arrived, his girlfriend was waiting in the Naafi. I walked him out in his wheelchair at the parade. The regimental colonel presented him with his medal. He paraded with the company after that so he was with all his mates. Then we went up to the Naafi, met up with his girlfriend again. He asked her to marry him and she said yes. He is learning to walk again and his girlfriend, who lives in Belfast, has just had a baby boy – their first child. It's all good. If it was me, I would be in turmoil, but the way he is getting about and conducting himself is unbelievable. He is a brave wee man.'
I will sign off with some more cheery news. In the Queen's New Year's Honours List for 2009, Major Hugh Benson QM, the father of Sergeant Hughie Benson, received an MBE. Sergeant Benson himself later received a Mention in Dispatches (MID) in the operation honours for Operation Herrick 8. The Bensons deserve public recognition for their bravery and service. With Major Benson and his three sons all still serving, this is undoubtedly a family that has done Britain proud.
Glossary
AAA: Anti-aircraft Artillery
A&E: Accident and Emergency
AH: attack helicopter
AK-47: assault rifle
ANA: Afghan National Army
ANP: Afghan National Police
Apache: attack helicopter
A-10: US close-air-support jet
Bastion/Camp Bastion: the main British base in Helmand
province
BDA: battle damage assessment
bergen: rucksack
BFBS: British Forces Broadcasting Service
Black Hawk: US utility helicopter
blue on blue: friendly fire
BRF: brigade recce force
B1s/B1Bs: US bomber aircraft
cam: camouflage
CAS: close air support
Chinook: support helicopter
CIMIC: Civil Military Co-operation
Civvy: civilian
Claymore: directional anti-personnel mine
CMT: combat medical technician
comms: communications
contact: fire-fight between rival forces
CO: commanding officer
CP: command post
C/S: call sign
CSE: Combined Services Entertainment
DA: duty aviator
DFC: Distinguished Flying Cross
DSM: Distinguished Service Medal
Dushka: Soviet-made heavy machine gun
D&V: diarrhoea and vomiting
FAC: forward air controller
FOB: forward operating base
FOO: forward observation officer
FPM: force provost marshal
Friendlies: troops fighting on the same side
FSG: Fire Support Group
FST: Fire Support Team
GMG: grenade machine-gun
GMLRS: guided multiple launch rocket system
GMPG: general-purpose machine-gun
GPD: general police duties
GPS: global positioning system
Harrier: UK close-air-support aircraft
Hercules: transport aircraft
HLS: helicopter landing site
HQ: headquarters
HRF: Helmand Reaction Force
IDP: internally displaced people
IED: improvised explosive device
ILAW: interim light anti-tank weapon
int: intelligence
IRT: Incident Response Team
ISAF: International Security Assistance Force
ISTAR: intelligence, surveillance, target, acquisition and
reconnaissance
Javelin: anti-tank missile
JTAC: joint terminal air controller
K: kilometre
LMG: light machine gun
LOE: limit of exploitation
LS: landing site
MC: Military Cross
MERT: medical emergency response team
MFC: mortar fire controller
MID: Mentioned In Dispatches
mini-gun: six-barrelled Gatling-style gun
minimi: light machine-gun
MoD: Ministry of Defence
MOG: Manoeuvre Outreach Group
MPS: Military Provost Service
M60: machine-gun (US)
NCO: non-commissioned officer
net: radio network
OC: officer commanding
ODP: operating-department practitioner
OMLT: Operational Mentor Liaison Team
op: military operation
OP: observation post
PB: patrol base
Pinzgauer: armoured vehicle
PKM: machine-gun (Russian)
Predator: unmanned aircraft
PsyOps: Psychological Operations
QBO: quick battle order
QGM: Queen's Gallantry Medal
QM: Quartermaster
QRF: Quick Reaction Force
RC: regional command
replen: replenishment
RHA: Royal Horse Artillery
RMP: Royal Military Police
RPG: rocket-propelled grenade
RQMS: Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant
RSM: regimental sergeant major
RSOI: reception, staging and onward integration
RTA: road traffic accident
RV: rendezvous
sangar: small fortified position
Saxon: armoured vehicle
SA80: assault rifle
shura: meeting
SF: Special Forces
SIB: Special Investigations Branch
sit rep: situation report
Snatch: lightly armoured Land Rover
TA: Territorial Army
tac: tactical group on the ground
TADS: targeting acquisition designating sight
TIC: troops in contact
TQ: theatre qualification
TSM: troop sergeant major
T1: critically injured casualty
T2: seriously injured casualty
T3: walking wounded casualty
T4: dead casualty
UAV: unmanned aerial vehicle
UGL: underslung grenade launcher
U/S: unserviceable
USL: under-slung loads
Viking: tracked armoured protected vehicle
wadi: riverbed
Warrior: mini tank
WMIK: armed Land Rover
WO: warrant officer
WRAC: Women's Royal Army Corps
YTS: Youth Training Scheme
2IC: second in command
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