The S.A.S - Battlefield 2

[Brad]

True Story on Gunnery Sergeant Mike Learoy's account.

 

Written by Mike Learoy.

 

 

Introudction:

 

 

 

If I were to describe the SAS, I would describe them as ‘superior’. The SAS undergo many missions across the world; there most famous campaigns were the war in China and the Middle East. The SAS are probably the most famous Special Forces but in fact, the most secret. I was a member a member of the SAS, I’d come out of the Middle East from Zatar Wetlands, in Yemen just of the Red Sea.

 

I think time to time if it was right for me to pick a profession in the SAS. I cut out my wife and my two children (Katie, 5 and Zack 8). When I came back from my tour across the Eastern World, I became in a state of emotionless. I did not feel anger, nor did I feel happiness. I cut out my family life and instead going out with the lads for a pint, every night. For my wife (Jennifer) she tried to hold up for me and decided to activities with each other. I totally rejected her but amazingly her patience was bigger then I expected.

 

After I came out of Yemen, I was deployed to another place in the Eastern Africa border. The Operation name was ‘Operation Warlord’. I remember the briefing. Our CO (Commanding Officer) told us this; ‘An Insurgent Warlord has been commissioning attacks against British forces in the area with tremendous success, using local civilians as a shield against retribution. His reign of terror is about to be challenged. The SAS have been called in to execute a surgical strike on the Warlords compound and surrounding Insurgent strongholds. Navigating perilous streets and alleys, the SAS must push towards the palace, but the Insurgents have the area well-guarded and won't give it up easily.’ We thought this would be a pretty easy operation and we highly doubted that the media would get involved. From Hereford we went to a military airfield in Kent where we was dispatched in an Hercules. The roar of the aircraft engines sent me ears into a coma but nevertheless it wasn’t the end of the world. We landed in a small Airfield where there was helicopters, tanks, cars, APCs. We didn’t realize how much went into this operation but we surely knew it was a serious one what, with all this preparation involved. I was in the Foxtrot division. I hadn’t met these people before, we were randomly selected in each division. We had a laugh on the helicopter ride to the drop point. Once in the air (about 2000ft) we jumped out. Falling through the sky, it was let go of my parachute pretty quick and my reaction time impressed me. I made sure my weapon wasn’t jammed and I saw a building in front of me and I decided ‘that where I am going to drop’. I landed on top of the building over looking a partial capture point, there was a building to my left and to my right was a road leading northwards. I peeked over the top making sure gravity didn’t get its way with me when I heard the noise of cars, loads of cars under me. This was the insurgent Quick reaction Force. I loaded my GL (Grenade Launcher) on my FL 2000 and blew each one with hesitation one by one. I covered my men from Alpha team who quickly took the command post. It was our aim to move forward. We ripped through the enemy, taking a TV station, a hideout which contained drugs, prostitutes and a Lieutenant of this “Warlord”. When we saw the compound (heavily guarded) it was time to move from Strategic to Tactical. Our team Foxtrot and we bashed through the security point leaving us with only the compound to take over. Easily done, we had a Assault team on the west and east proceeded by us moving in with the frontal approach. However, there was a cease before the actual invasion of this mansion we were all in our positions, holding for that command. On our TACBEs we heard the Major say, ‘Stand by… Stand by… Go!’ The command we were all looking for. We rushed in without a but and I recall grapples going on to the side of the mansion and assault men climbing into open windows and CS gas puffing out of the windows like a chimney. Proceeding to put our gas masks on we threw a flashbang through the main door (which was broken) and rushed through. I recall seeing one member of the insurgent team holding a bazooka and aiming at the door. With the FL 2000 aim sight, it was pretty simple to take out the threat. The west building was secure and we moved to the right convinced the warlord was there. Crashing through the door with enormous force there was plenty of insurgents on stand-by waiting for us to come through that door. We popped some CS gas into the room after the door had exploded and while they were stunned and disorientated it was a breeze picking of the buggers one by one. The Aftermath of our assault was one, the SAS was proud of. The warlord was shot during out Assault through the last room. We were pretty damn proud of ourselves and we should be. I remember thinking ‘Is this why I joined up? For the victory, for the adventure, for the moment?’ I think my answer would shortly be found out.

 

 

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Edited April 6, 2007 by brrad0

[Brad]

ONE

 

Welcome to Duty

 

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In my house in Hereford I was discussing with my wife about what happened if I were to die. We were talking about life insurance and about the children; this went on for hours till about 4 O’clock in the morning. Me and her hardly got any sleep that night. The next morning I went to the 22nd Regiment SAS base and meet up with my comrades in B Squadron (Mobility Troop). My friend and best man Andy in A Squadron. I started chatting with him about the talk me and Jennifer had last night, he said to me ‘Why did you talk about that crap? You’re gonna’ be alright.’ Perhaps he speaking out of his arse or was speaking the truth. I didn’t know at the time. At mid-morning we did our daily 6 mile run around the base doing lap over lap through the wet mud and soggy grass. It was like walking on quick sand but you didn’t actually sink, it was a weird sensation. After our run we were assembled to by the Regimental sergeant major and briefed us about the situation about the MEC and US troops in Yemen. ‘It seems the US are panting over the oil in Yemen and the MEC troops aren’t having anything of it, that is why we are going over there to assist’ he said to us all, briefly. ‘A and B Squadron your off to Yemen, C and D your off to Iran to secure a city on the border.’ The briefing then went on to details about the enemy being high of morale and being well armed. ‘Aircraft is expected, and be on your guard and watch out for bio threats!’ After the day and went home and said to my wife. ‘I need to go.’ She took the news ok and always said ‘be careful’. That night, I went to my to Katie and Zack and saying ‘I’m gonna be gone for a bit, look after your Mum ok?’ They nodded there heads and didn’t know what a clue I was doing. Days passed and it was finally the day I was to be dispatched. I woke up early gathering my kit together (toothbrush, my own flask ect). At about 5:30am I kissed Jennifer and Katie and Zack and proceeded through the front door. I walked down the street where Andy offered to give me a lift to the base. Once we got to the Regimental base, the time was 5:50am or sort of around that time. We went through the gates and saw our fellow SAS soldiers with their bags awaiting the coach. I began chatting with the lads from C Squadron and getting to know some of them. I only really spoke to A squadron (being my friends for years) and the people, of course, in my own squadron but C and D were pretty far from me and the rest. At Approx 6:25am our coach came. It was a civilian with white outer body work and about 30ft wide. The interior seemed like a school coach were you would have your school trips on. In a few minutes we were all on and proceeded to RAF Aldergrove. As we came through the gates at the airfield a already ready Hercules was getting cargo and fuel. The back ramp was open and ready for us to embark. The coach pulled up about 100m away from the aircraft. A and B squadron walked up to the Hercules and we broke away from C and D squadron. Inside the Hercules were many seats with parachutes on top of them. It seemed pretty safe. Inside the Hercules for 20 minutes the engines finally started up and we began taxiing on to the Runway. The pilot said we were doing a Operational take-off so he stuck the brakes on while the engines roared and like a bungee we let off down the runway gaining speed. The lift of the take-off and came and after a few thousand feet we banked right. The rest of the trip was a blur. For hours on end was boredom. The only thing to do was to chat among ourselves about – nothing. The things we talked about were pure drivel such as; a monkey fighting Jacques Chirac. Totally random but that’s what happens after hours on end. Once we begun our descent the pilot informed us that we would be landing in a place called ‘Mocha’ on the west coast of Yemen. Shortly after we landed in a empty airfield in the middle of no where. Ready for us was a couple of HMMWVs. You could only carry four but we ignored that and got 6 in each HMMWV. After this, A and B squadron parted. A Squadron went to the city of Aden while we went to Zatar Waterlands.