This Is Guernsey

By Zoe Ash

A GUERNSEYMAN is preparing to return home after his first tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Gunner Alex Knowelden, 24 (pictured), has been fighting on the front line in Helmand province for six months with 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.

The former La Houguette and Elizabeth College pupil has been at Camp Bastion since Saturday waiting to return with his regiment.

Following several days of psychological assessment, he will return to Plymouth for a parade and medal presentation.

‘My main worry before deploying, as this was my first tour, was how I would react when under fire – it’s something you can’t prepare for until it happens. As it turns out, we all reacted calmly even though a rocket-propelled grenade hit the compound we were in. The training does take over,’ he said.

He was part of a team using the ‘Roshan Dragon’, a British 105mm artillery piece being used in a pioneering way to devastating effect.

The gun was manhandled 130ft up a rocky outcrop under cover of darkness to protect the town of Musa Qala.

The Taliban have dubbed it the Dragon because of the flames it spits out and because its fire has proved so devastating.

Gunner Knowelden’s team also coordinated both direct and indirect infantry fire support using guided multiple-launch rockets, mortars and Apache helicopters.

‘We are there to keep the guys who are on the ground patrolling safe – and in turn we can suppress the Taliban accurately, keeping the local population safe too,’ he said.

Gunner Knowelden said he was looking forward to spending time with family and friends in Guernsey and his father, John, said they could not be more proud.

‘Irrespective of what people think about whether we should be there or not, he joined up to do what his country needed. There are lots of boys and girls out there fighting and it’s about time people had more respect for them. They are stopping the flow of the Taliban on their own doorstep.’

He said that as a parent it never got any easier when casualties were reported, especially as his son was in the same area where two men were recently killed.

‘It really brings it home to you that your child is there,’ he said.

Gunner Knowelden said that despite the obvious dangers, he had enjoyed the whole tour.

‘I particularly liked getting out on the ground meeting and interacting with the locals and operating out of a patrol base was good too – we were extremely busy and were in fire-fights nearly every day,’ he said.

Article posted on 31st March, 2009 - 2.29pm