74 was the intended base for FOB Armadillo. The 50 or so Afghan locals would have to leave. The Danish lead the negotiations whilst the British provided security and the 5 brothers would agree to move on the basis of compensation. Its reported that the Danish agreed to pay a four figure sum in dollars, followed by a monthly rent for the use of the compound. The deal was struck and the Afghan locals would leave. At this time in January, Helmand saw the entire province covered in freezing rain and so it left a horrible aftertaste in the mouths of those British soldiers who were there to witness the Afghan locals leave their home. Captain Jamie Russel, commander of the Coldstream Guards said “…The sight of an 8 year old girl walking out of her home into the rain with a watering can in one hand and a chicken in the other, knowing that you have been somehow responsible for that. A lot of the blokes felt bad about it…” This origin story, however harrowing, would be far into the past by the time the battery arrived at FOB Armadillo. Danish troops arrived in Afghanistan in 2002, the Battery’s first tour is documented as 2008. The FOB was fully operational on the arrival of the battery, the original farm was now an expansive and defensive strongpoint. The FOB boasted battlements, sangars, accommodation, gun positions, an aid post and a helicopter pad. In 2008, under the name RAA Troop – Afghanistan 1st, were embedded into I Parachute Battery (Bulls Troop RHA) and deployed to FOB Armadillo in Helmland Province, Afghanistan. They would become the Direct Support Battery to Battlegroup Centre. FOB Armadillo left a lot to be desired, no accommodation outside of hesco shelters, kitchens and toilets were plastic bags and the temperatures soared to 55 degrees regularly. For the first three months all was quiet and the only support required was the occasional illumination mission. The “fighting season” began in June and everything changed very quickly – most of all the tempo. Danger close and counter battery fire became a daily occurrence. The troop fired 2,911 rounds during
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