Task Force Helmand - a soldier's story of life, death and combat on the Afghan front line

In 2008 Doug Beattie returned to Helmand province to undertake a second six-month tour of duty. He didn't need to. He had already spent more than half his life in the British Army and repeatedly proved his loyalty and bravery. He had received both the Queen's Commendation for Bravery (Iraq 2003) and the Military Cross (Afghanistan 2006). In fact he was due to retire in 2007.

So why didn't he turn his back on military life? Because there was still work to be done. His regiment still had need of him and the Afghan people still had need of him. Once again he made his excuses to those who loved him - his wife, his children, his grandson - and put his life on the line in one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet.

If 2006 had been bad then 2008 was off the scale. Doug as involved in fifty major contacts with the enemy and numerous smaller ones that were barely recorded. Somehow he emerged (physically) unscathed. He was lucky. Many of his colleagues did not. Task Force Helmand is an uncensored account of life on the front line of the War Against Terror. It does not make for comfortable reading. But then, Doug Beattie has never been one to shy away from the horrors the world has to offer.