Sombre reflection as RAF Akrotiri loaded march honours the 457 killed in Afghanistan
The lives of the 457 Armed Forces personnel who were killed in Afghanistan have been remembered by a group taking part in a loaded march at RAF Akrotiri.
Around 50 members of the Royal Air Force and attached units marched through the camp to a cliffside memorial service led by the station padre.
Carrying an SA80 L85 and wearing a 10kg bergen, three groups set off from St Paul's Church at intervals for the 10km loaded march, which ended with schoolchildren from Akrotiri Primary cheering them over the finish line.
Remembering lost friends
Many in the group served in Afghanistan over 20 years of British operations, losing friends and colleagues.
"Personally, we lost one of our own in Herrick 14," said Staff Sergeant Nathan Williams from the Joint Mechanical Engineering Transport Squadron (JMETS).
"His name was Craftsman Andrew Found, one of the Recce Mechs [Recovery Mechanics] with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards who sadly lost his life through IED."
SSgt Williams deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 as a member of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to support the Warthog All Terrain Tracked Carriers that were used by the Scots Guards.
Asked what being on the march means to him, he said: "It's just reflecting on the people I've been around that have lost their lives for the greater good."
A year later, Warrant Officer Class 2 Emmanuel Oppong was in Afghanistan for Herrick 15.
"We lost a couple of our guys from the neighbouring unit from 1 PWWR that we used to play football with back in camp," said the senior NCO from JMETS.
"We always remember the cameraderie and what they fought for."
Personnel from across all ranks at RAF Akrotiri joined the march, including Wing Commander Dan Woollard, Officer Commanding Logistics Wing.
"There's so many things that you can remember, not just the operations.," he said. "I remember a number of sunset ceremonies where we said farewell to our fallen soldiers."
Remembrance on the move
The 457 March was led by station PTIs who kept a quick pace without running.
"This is an annual station march to remember the lost lives of Afghanistan," said Lance Corporal Michael Brown, 2IC for the 457 March.
"It's a 10km track, the Padre does a memorial at the 7km point and we tab the 3km back into camp."
The JMETS squadron PTI served in Afghanistan during the evacuation of British troops in 2021, Op Pitting.
"A lot of older conflicts, World War Two and One, they get remembered quite well," he remarked.
"Sometimes there's not much focus on recent conflicts like Afghanistan, which is quite close to a lot of people here."
At the Red Arrows Memorial, Rev Phil Craven led the Act of Remembrance overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
The Last Post was played and a minute's silence was observed.
"It wasn't a march full of joy, it was a march of sombre reflection," said the padre.
"A lot of the folks that were on this march knew people that didn't come back or knew people whose lives have been forever changed."
The chaplain read 1915 poem In Flanders Fields, which reflects the horrors of the First World War, but explained why it's important to remember recent conflicts too.
"The longer time goes on the more people forget about things," he said.
"It's so important because it is such a recent conflict and scar upon our nation and service personnel that we spend time to remember."
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