Bomb disposal troops to parade in Broadway (From The Oxford Times)

Bomb disposal troops to parade in Broadway

8:26am Thursday 11th March 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(1)

THE public are being urged to line the streets for bomb disposal heroes returning from Afghanistan when they march through Didcot next month.

Seven members of the Counter IED Task Force — two based at Didcot — have died during their current six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. Many more have been injured.

At midday on Friday, April 16, soldiers back from Afghanistan will march through Didcot to a reception off Broadway at the Civic Hall.

Civic leaders have urged the public to line the streets in honour of some of the bravest men and women in the British Army.

The troops — led by 80 members of Didcot’s 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment alongside engineers, weapons intelligence specialists, Royal Military Police forensic experts and military dogs — are responsible for finding, defusing and getting information from explosives planted by the Taliban.

They have one of the most dangerous and demanding jobs in the military — clearing bombs by hand, often under fire, to save the lives of other soldiers.

11EOD adjutant, Capt Richard Gardner, said: “Seven people have been lost from the task force in the last six months, so it will be a fairly emotional day.

“It is supposed to be a celebration of the task force’s return, but everyone will have in mind the seven friends we have lost.

“There are many others who are seriously injured as well, and we sincerely hope they will be able to be there.”

He added: “Dealing with the threat from IEDs (improvised explosive devices) is number one in everyone in defence’s minds.

“Wherever the troops are in Afghanistan, they are supported by the Counter IED Task Force. They are always in the heat of battle.”

In January, Captain Daniel Read, 31, died defusing a roadside bomb while on foot patrol in Helmand province. He had returned to the front line just weeks earlier after suffering injuries in another blast which killed a military policeman.

Staff Sgt Olaf Schmid, 30, was killed on the final day of a five-month tour of duty in November.

Didcot Town Council leader Bill Service said: “This is an opportunity to show that Didcot supports the men and women of our armed forces. They are the people who are right on the front line. It is the most dangerous job, and we are just pleased that the injuries are kept to a minimum because of their professionalism.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(1)