Bomb Hunters tells the story of the British army's elite bomb disposal experts in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.This enhanced ebook brings the experience to life with video from the frontline; interviews with ex-head of the Army General Sir Mike Jackson and the head of the EOD unit Colonel Gareth Collett, plus colour maps and photographs.
Bomb Hunters are up against the Improvised Explosive Device – the IED – the deadly homemade bombs planted by the Taliban. Hard to detect and easy to trigger, an estimated 10 bombs for every one of the 10,000 British troops have been planted in the region. IEDs are now the main killer of British troops in Afghanistan and the ultimate psychological weapon.
Bomb Hunters work in 50-degree heat as they take the 'long walk' into the kill zone, defusing as many as 15 bombs a day. In the past year the casualty rate has soared as the troops have become locked into a deadly game of cat and mouse – to locate and deactivate the deadly bombs before they maim and kill soldiers, police and civilians. Skill, cold courage and inevitably pure luck play a huge part in the survival of these men and as the British public have already seen – a single lapse of concentration can result in instant death.
Ex-paratrooper, now defence journalist, Sean Rayment, takes the reader on a journey into the heat and dust of Helmand Province as he meets these courageous soldiers while they put their lives at risk to prevent other British troops falling victim to the IED.
This is as vivid and dramatic as war reporting gets, mixing 'close to the bone' narrative and dead-pan black humour from the Bomb Hunters themselves, some of whom were subsequently killed in action. No punches will be pulled on what these men feel about the war, their place in it, the politicians and generals who send them there, and how they deal with the relentless pressure of the job itself in the heart of the world's most hostile combat environment.
The enhanced version contains unique footage of British soldiers in action in Afghanistan, related TV news reports, a set of interactive maps explaining key trouble spots, plus audio and video interviews with senior military personnel such as Gareth Collett, Head of Army Bomb Disposal, and General Sir Mike Jackson, former Chief of the General Staff.
Reviews
‘A vivid and absorbing portrayal of a unique and dedicated group of soldiers.’ – General Sir Mike Jackson, formerly Chief of the General Staff.
‘[a] scintillating book’ – Short List
About the author
Sean Rayment served as a Captain in the Parachute Regiment in the late 1980's. As a journalist, he has specialised in war reporting for the past ten years, undertaking assignments in the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, the Gulf and Africa. He has been embedded with the British Army on more than a ten occasions.
