WO2 Patrick Hyde has to be one of the luckiest soldiers in Afghanistan, having survived being blown up 15 times in the space of only 6 months. It is no surprise that he has been nicknamed "bomb magnet"! Read The Sunday Telegraph interview here.By: ShelldrakeWarrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Patrick Hyde was attacked on 15 separate occasions during his company's six month mission, part of which was to secure a key supply route leading to the strategically important town of Sangin.
His unit – A Company 4 Rifles – repelled more than 500 attacks and was forced to contend with 200 improvised explosive device (IED) incidents.
Fragmentation bombs, dubbed by the soldiers as "party poppers" were routinely fired at troops, armoured vehicles were attacked with long range Chinese rockets rockets, dummy bombs were used to lure in bomb disposal teams, and insurgents recruited children to plant IEDs just yards away from British bases.
One in four of the company were killed or injured in battle - a casualty rate last experienced by the British Army in the Korean War. Ten soldiers were killed in action and a further 53 were wounded.
WO2 Hyde, A Company's sergeant major, was in charge of six strong team which ran a daily gauntlet of bomb attacks to keep beleaguered troops supplied with food, water and ammunition.
The 34-year-old married father of two was hit by IEDs 11 times while in a vehicle and twice while on foot patrol. On two other occasions his Mastiff armoured troop carrier was struck by rockets.
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Despite the gruelling nature of the operation, W02 Hyde says that he would "go back tomorrow given half the chance" but added: "I might have to convince the wife first."
The 4th battalion the Rifles are due to return to Helmand in 2013.
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