Toll Of War: British Lives Lost In Iraq And Afghanistan

Since the start of the war in Afghanistan in 2001, 457 British armed forces personnel have died. The majority of fatalities occurred between 2009 and 2010, with 102 British soldiers killed in 2009 alone.

In Iraq, 179 British service personnel and at least three UK government civilian staff died between March 2003 and February 2009.

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)

IEDs are generally used in terrorist operations or in asymmetric unconventional warfare or urban warfare by insurgent guerrillas or commando forces. They were used extensively by insurgents in the Iraq War (2003-2011) and the Afghanistan War (2001-2021) against US-led forces.

IEDs are triggered by various methods, including remote control, infrared or magnetic triggers, pressure-sensitive bars or trip wires. They are extremely diverse in design and may contain many types of initiators, detonators, penetrators, and explosive loads.

IEDs were responsible for a significant number of British casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Iraq, IEDs were responsible for approximately 63% of coalition deaths, while in Afghanistan, they caused over 66% of coalition casualties.

In Iraq, IEDs were the leading cause of civilian deaths and injuries in 2013 and accounted for 34% of all civilian casualties. They were also the biggest killer of women and children in Afghanistan.

IEDs have had a major impact on British forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan, causing fatalities, injuries, and psychological distress. The threat of IEDs has shaped the way troops operate, confining them to armoured vehicles or requiring them to sweep areas with metal detectors.

The British military has invested significant resources in counter-IED efforts, including the establishment of the Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) in 2006 to oversee all counter-IED activities.

The use of IEDs by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan has posed a significant challenge to British forces and has had a profound impact on both the military and civilian populations in these countries.

Gunfire

Between 2002 and 2015, 635 British military personnel lost their lives in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Of these, 179 died in Iraq and 456 in Afghanistan.

The Sangin region of Afghanistan saw the most deaths, with 23% (105) of all fatalities in the country occurring there. However, gunfire was not the primary cause of death in Sangin, where explosive devices caused 70% (74) of fatalities.

Several British soldiers lost their lives to gunfire in Afghanistan. For example, Lance Corporal George Russell Davey, aged 23, was killed in a firearms accident at the British base in Sangin in 2007. Guardsman Simon Davison was killed by small arms fire while manning a checkpoint near Garmsir in Helmand Province, also in 2007. In December 2008, Rifleman Stuart "Oz" Nash, aged 21, was covering his comrades from a rooftop when he was shot and later died from his injuries. Corporal Brent John McCarthy and Lance Corporal Lee Thomas Davies were killed by small arms fire during a deployment in the Lashkar Gah district of Helmand province in May 2009.

Non-hostile action (accidents, natural causes, suicides)

Between 2002 and 2015, 635 British military personnel lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of these, 104 deaths, or 16%, were attributed to non-hostile causes, including accidents, natural causes, and suicides.

In Iraq, non-hostile deaths accounted for 31% of all fatalities, or 55 individuals. Accidents made up the majority of these cases, with 48 deaths, or 27% of the total. Suicides accounted for 4 deaths (2%), and natural causes for 3 (2%). Friendly fire was responsible for 8 deaths (4%).

The situation in Afghanistan differed, with non-hostile deaths making up 11% of the total (49 individuals). Accidents were again the most prevalent cause, with 44 deaths (10%). Four people died by suicide (1%), and there was one death from natural causes. Friendly fire took the lives of 12 people (3%).

While the data shows a fluctuation in non-hostile death rates between the two countries, it is important to recognise that these numbers represent more than just statistics. Each death represents a life lost and the profound impact on families, friends, and colleagues left behind.

The causes of non-hostile deaths are varied and complex. They include vehicular and aerial accidents, illness, and suicide. Understanding these causes is crucial for developing strategies to protect the welfare of military personnel and prevent future losses.

Friendly fire

Between 2002 and 2015, 635 British military personnel lost their lives in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Of these, 179 died in Iraq and 456 in Afghanistan.

There are several notable incidents of friendly fire in Iraq and Afghanistan involving British citizens. In 2003, British soldier Lance Cpl. Matty Hull was killed in a friendly fire attack by two American pilots in Iraq. This incident led to calls for improvements in joint identification systems. In Afghanistan, there have been several incidents of British troops mistakenly firing on their allies. In September 2007, British soldiers fired Javelin anti-tank missiles at Danish soldiers, killing two. In January 2008, British troops fired on a group of Afghan soldiers, resulting in the deaths of 15 Afghan soldiers. Between January 2008 and June 2009, there were at least 10 incidents of British troops firing on Afghan military, police, and security personnel, resulting in seven deaths.

In summary, friendly fire has accounted for a small proportion of British citizen deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, the impact of these incidents has been significant, leading to improvements in procedures and joint identification systems to reduce the risk of future occurrences.

Helicopter crashes

Iraq

• On 20 January 2007, a US Black Hawk helicopter was shot down northeast of Baghdad, killing all 12 aboard.
• On 21 February 2007, insurgents shot down a Black Hawk helicopter with nine people on board north of Baghdad, but no one was killed.
• On 22 August 2007, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a night operation in northern Iraq, killing all 14 US personnel on board.
• On 20 November 2007, two British military personnel were killed when their Puma helicopter crashed near Baghdad.
• On 19 July 2009, a British HC.1 Aérospatiale Puma helicopter crashed in Basra, killing one crewman and injuring two others.
• On 15 April 2003, two British Aérospatiale Puma helicopters were involved in a mid-air collision near Taji, north of Baghdad. Both aircraft crashed, with two personnel killed and one seriously injured.

Afghanistan

• On 11 October 2015, a British Puma Mk 2 helicopter crashed while attempting to land at the NATO Resolute Support HQ in Kabul, killing five of the ten people on board.
• On 26 April 2014, five service members were killed when a British helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan.
• On 12 August 2010, a British RAF CH-47D Chinook crashed in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. The helicopter "crashed due to technical problems" and one soldier sustained an injury.
• On 27 June 2008, a US CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed in Pul-e-Charkhi, east of Kabul, killing two NATO troops.
• On 26 March 2008, a British Chinook helicopter was deliberately destroyed after it was damaged on landing near Sangin in Helmand province. The four crew and 15 soldiers on board were unharmed.

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