As Christmas approaches, British soldiers in Afghanistan take on the Taliban wearing Santa hats.
Royal Marines, trying to bring a bit of festive spirit to their area of Helmand Province, held a festive service which was interrupted by enemy gunfire.
So they rushed to their weapons and took on the enemy still wearing their festive hats.
Then, when the Taliban retreated, and not a single British soldier was injured, the festive service resumed and they all tucked into their Christmas dinner.
To their credit, the British Army's top brass ensures that its personnel serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere are able to celebrate Christmas....
Twas the fight before Christmas
Carol service ... Christmas in the Helmand badlands
"CAPTAIN EUAN GOODMAN/LONDON MEDIA".
By TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor
Published: Today
THOUSANDS of miles from their loved ones, Royal Marines sing Christmas carols in Afghanistan – moments before Taliban forces staged a surprise attack.
The troops, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, were attempting to bring a touch of British normality to war-torn Helmand Province when their festive service was interrupted by enemy gunfire.
Hurling aside hymn sheets, they rushed to grab their weapons and – still in their Santa hats – loosed off round after round of mortar fire to see off the enemy.
Yule be sorry ... Royal Marines fire back at their Taliban attackers
"CAPTAIN EUAN GOODMAN/LONDON MEDIA".
Then, as the Taliban retreated and with no injuries to the British troops, our heroes resumed their carol service before tucking into turkey for Christmas lunch.
The extraordinary pictures were captured by soldier and amateur photographer Capt Euan Goodman. They illustrate the relentless call of duty experienced by the thousands of British servicemen and women spending Christmas on the front lines.
Capt Goodman, 28, came across the heartwarming Christmas scene during one of his three tours in Afghanistan.
He said: “I was on a tour of camps on December 25th last year. In the morning we had flown a goat out to the Gurkhas to make a curry before we raced out to the 40 Commando Royal Marines at Forward Operating Base Inkerman in Northern Helmand.
Deer me ... joke reindeer antlers and red nose adorn one helmet
“The camp is surrounded by mountains and desert and we were experiencing Afghanistan’s coldest winter for 20 years – but the lads were still in really high spirits. They were in the middle of a traditional carol service – complete with Santa hats and songsheets – when they came under attack from the Taliban, who had targeted one of the checkpoints.
“The instant they heard the gunfire they dropped everything.
“Some were still wearing their hats as they fired mortar rounds out of the camp.”
Capt Goodman, who has taken 15,000 photos on his Afghan tours and joined the Army in 2001, told how top brass do their best to make sure servicemen can celebrate Christmas – even in the middle of frontline operations.
He said: “They try to ensure everyone either gets a slap-up breakfast or a traditional Christmas lunch.
“All food is prepared at Camp Bastion then flown out by helicopters to each camp to heat up in the oven.
“We also get inundated with presents from the general public, which are a huge morale boost.
“Thousands of parcels are donated every year and split evenly among the units who then share them out.
“You get everything from toothpaste to woolly scarves. It’s much like the traditional present opening on Christmas morning – except serviceman tend to have the wrapping off as soon as they get the parcel.
“It’s supposed to be a special time of year no matter where you are – but it’s the nature of the job that we have to keep working. The show must go on.”
Tree-mendous ... smiling soldier with festive decorations
"CAPTAIN EUAN GOODMAN/LONDON MEDIA".
All the trimmings ... troops tuck into festive fare on frontline
"CAPTAIN EUAN GOODMAN/LONDON MEDIA".
Royal Marines, trying to bring a bit of festive spirit to their area of Helmand Province, held a festive service which was interrupted by enemy gunfire.
So they rushed to their weapons and took on the enemy still wearing their festive hats.
Then, when the Taliban retreated, and not a single British soldier was injured, the festive service resumed and they all tucked into their Christmas dinner.
To their credit, the British Army's top brass ensures that its personnel serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere are able to celebrate Christmas....
Twas the fight before Christmas
Carol service ... Christmas in the Helmand badlands
"CAPTAIN EUAN GOODMAN/LONDON MEDIA".
By TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor
Published: Today
THOUSANDS of miles from their loved ones, Royal Marines sing Christmas carols in Afghanistan – moments before Taliban forces staged a surprise attack.
The troops, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, were attempting to bring a touch of British normality to war-torn Helmand Province when their festive service was interrupted by enemy gunfire.
Hurling aside hymn sheets, they rushed to grab their weapons and – still in their Santa hats – loosed off round after round of mortar fire to see off the enemy.
Yule be sorry ... Royal Marines fire back at their Taliban attackers
"CAPTAIN EUAN GOODMAN/LONDON MEDIA".
Then, as the Taliban retreated and with no injuries to the British troops, our heroes resumed their carol service before tucking into turkey for Christmas lunch.
The extraordinary pictures were captured by soldier and amateur photographer Capt Euan Goodman. They illustrate the relentless call of duty experienced by the thousands of British servicemen and women spending Christmas on the front lines.
Capt Goodman, 28, came across the heartwarming Christmas scene during one of his three tours in Afghanistan.
He said: “I was on a tour of camps on December 25th last year. In the morning we had flown a goat out to the Gurkhas to make a curry before we raced out to the 40 Commando Royal Marines at Forward Operating Base Inkerman in Northern Helmand.
Deer me ... joke reindeer antlers and red nose adorn one helmet
“The camp is surrounded by mountains and desert and we were experiencing Afghanistan’s coldest winter for 20 years – but the lads were still in really high spirits. They were in the middle of a traditional carol service – complete with Santa hats and songsheets – when they came under attack from the Taliban, who had targeted one of the checkpoints.
“The instant they heard the gunfire they dropped everything.
“Some were still wearing their hats as they fired mortar rounds out of the camp.”
Capt Goodman, who has taken 15,000 photos on his Afghan tours and joined the Army in 2001, told how top brass do their best to make sure servicemen can celebrate Christmas – even in the middle of frontline operations.
He said: “They try to ensure everyone either gets a slap-up breakfast or a traditional Christmas lunch.
“All food is prepared at Camp Bastion then flown out by helicopters to each camp to heat up in the oven.
“We also get inundated with presents from the general public, which are a huge morale boost.
“Thousands of parcels are donated every year and split evenly among the units who then share them out.
“You get everything from toothpaste to woolly scarves. It’s much like the traditional present opening on Christmas morning – except serviceman tend to have the wrapping off as soon as they get the parcel.
“It’s supposed to be a special time of year no matter where you are – but it’s the nature of the job that we have to keep working. The show must go on.”
Tree-mendous ... smiling soldier with festive decorations
"CAPTAIN EUAN GOODMAN/LONDON MEDIA".
All the trimmings ... troops tuck into festive fare on frontline
"CAPTAIN EUAN GOODMAN/LONDON MEDIA".
t.newtondunn@the-sun.co.uk
thesun.co.uk
thesun.co.uk
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