What dreams may come

I WAKE up at about 5am and I’m glad.
There were no more attacks during the night and I actually managed to get a half decent night’s sleep – despite being dressed in my body armour complete with helmet.
I can’t tell you the dreams I had, but they were full on and not for a family newspaper’s website.
Within minutes of waking I’m told that successful clearance patrols had already taken place in the first 24 hours after arriving in the Zharey district.
42 Commando’s L and K companies found a number of 107mm rockets, possible Improvised Explosive Device factories and bomb making components.
They also found about 3,000 metres of wire, also thought to be for bomb making purposes.
“The local BT engineer is going to be thredders if we’ve blown up his kit,” a marine joked.
“Unlikely,” I replied.
We cook up our breakfast and within half an hour a Sea King helicopter drops off rations and weapons.
It’s bizarre how excited commandos get about the prospect of incoming food.
By 8am two massive explosions had shaken the ground and reminded us once again about where we were and what we were doing.
Everyone immediately grabbed their body armour and weapons again only to be told the explosions were caused by controlled explosions carried out by K company.
With the situation seemingly under control the Commanding Officer of 42 Commando holds a briefing tells everyone that he is “purposefully” moving the enemy towards us to enact a pincer-like movement.
I’m not sure I share his thoughts but hey, he’s the boss after all.
It’s barely 12noon when K Company engage with the Taliban after reports of women and children rushing to leave a compound to our south.
Smoke mortars are fired off about 500 metres away from us to provide a smokescreen for the commandos to make it back to our temporary home in the compound.
With all the excitement going on, it’s slightly bizarre to see the elderly owner of the compound popping in to ask if he could grab some hay to feed his animals.
Back to the action enfolding in front of us and K company kick off a gun battle as they try to make it home.
In the thick of the action small arms fire is targeted at our compound.
By 3pm the order to “stand down” is shouted across the site. K company move into a nearby site and all is well again – well, for the time being.
All this action and excitement makes me feel sleepy and I’m asleep by about 6.30pm straight after eating.