Acknowledgements

I would firstly like to thank every single soldier who fought alongside me during Operation HERRICK 6 and watched my back as I watched theirs. This tour was not conducted by one man but by a group of highly trained professional soldiers. Also I would like to thank all the officers and senior NCOs under whose command I fought for their excellence in leading me and the other soldiers.

I also want to extend a warm thanks to everyone who was involved in my treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Without your help my life would have gone in a very different direction, and it was also out of this treatment that this book was born.

Another person I feel deserves a big thank you is Phil Dedman. Thank you, Phil for working very closely on this project with me, and for being such a good friend not only to me, but also to my family. Without you, none of this would have been possible.

I also thank Ross Kemp and everyone behind the tour magazine for helping me put together my memories in the correct order and reminding me of events I had forgotten.

A big thank you goes to Pen & Sword for putting this book together and for all of their help and support.

My appreciation goes out to everyone who gave me copies of their photographs. I always feel that this form of media is best for remembering. I have tried to get in touch with everyone whose photographs I have used in this book. However, there maybe some outstanding so please accept this acknowledgment as my thanks.

Of course not forgetting the families of the nine 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment soldiers who did not come home. My heart goes out to you and my thoughts are with you and them every year on 11 November at 11.00.

Finally, I give massive thanks to all my family for supporting me during the difficult readjustment to normal life and, in particular, to Annie for putting up with my mood swings.

James Cartwright