Royal Marine Casualties In Afghanistan: A Human Cost

Since the UK's involvement in Afghanistan began in 2001, 457 British forces personnel or Ministry of Defence civilians have died while serving in the country. Of these, 405 were killed as a result of hostile action, with the remaining 52 known to have died as a result of illness, non-combat injuries or accidents.

The UK's military role in Afghanistan has brought with it a heavy human toll. Members of the Army, RAF, Royal Marines and special forces have lost their lives in the fight against the Taliban.

The number of British fatalities peaked during 2009 and 2010, when over 100 personnel were killed.

In 2010, 14 Royal Marines from 40 Commando were killed in Afghanistan within 85 days.

The number of Royal Marines killed in Afghanistan

Since the start of operations in Afghanistan in October 2001, 457 British forces personnel or Ministry of Defence civilians have died while serving in the country. Of these, 405 were killed as a result of hostile action, while 49 are known to have died from illness, non-combat injuries, accidents, or causes that are yet to be determined.

The first British fatality in Afghanistan was Corporal Mark Cridge, who died by suicide in Camp Bastion on 22 March 2002. The most recent British fatality was Senior Aircraftman Scott Hughes, who died on 7 November 2010 after being hit by a speedboat while undertaking decompression duties in Cyprus.

The highest number of British fatalities in a single year was 106 in 2009.

The Royal Marines is a unit of the British Armed Forces, and as such, Royal Marines have been among the British fatalities in Afghanistan. However, I was unable to find a definitive number of Royal Marines killed in Afghanistan.

The number of British fatalities in Afghanistan

Since the United Kingdom took part in Operation Enduring Freedom against the Taliban regime in autumn 2001, there has been a heavy human toll on the country's military.

As of February 22, 2020, a total of 457 British forces personnel or Ministry of Defence (MoD) civilians have died while serving in Afghanistan. The vast majority of these fatalities have occurred since the redeployment of British forces to the Taliban stronghold of Helmand province. Prior to this deployment, only five men died between April 2002 and early March 2006.

Of the 457 fatalities, 404 are classed as killed "as a result of hostile action" and 51 are known to have died as a result of illness, non-combat injuries or accidents. Two of these deaths were Royal Marine Anthony Dean Hotine and Steven James Birdsall, who were killed during a reassurance patrol on June 2, 2010. Another 12 Royal Marines were killed in action at the same time, bringing the total number of Royal Marine fatalities to 14.

The years with the most fatalities were 2009 and 2010, with both years seeing more than a hundred deaths. The UK's military role in Afghanistan has resulted in a significant loss of life, with members of the Army, RAF, Royal Marines, and special forces all making the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

The number of British casualties in Afghanistan

The UK's military involvement in Afghanistan since 2001 has resulted in a significant number of British casualties. As of February 22, 2020, a total of 457 British forces personnel and Ministry of Defence civilians had lost their lives. This figure includes the deaths of 14 Royal Marines from 40 Commando, who were killed in Afghanistan in 2010 during 85 days of fighting against the Taliban.

The majority of British fatalities occurred following the redeployment of British forces to the Taliban stronghold of Helmand Province. Prior to this deployment, only five deaths were recorded between April 2002 and early March 2006. The conflict in Helmand Province resulted in numerous casualties, with many British soldiers dying in explosions and from IEDs.

In 2009, the British forces suffered a particularly high number of casualties. This single year accounted for nearly half of the total wounded in battle up to that point, with 108 British soldiers killed in action. The Ministry of Defence reported that by the end of November 2009, more than 1,000 members of the British Armed Forces had been wounded in action since the mission began in late 2001.

The British forces have also endured fatalities outside of direct combat. Of the 457 fatalities as of February 2020, 404 were classified as a result of hostile action, while 51 died from other causes such as illness, non-combat injuries, or accidents. The human toll of the conflict is evident in the stories of individual soldiers, such as Corporal Christopher Lewis Harrison and Marine Anthony Dean Hotine, who were killed in 2010 and on his second tour of Sangin, respectively.

The number of British troops wounded in Afghanistan

Since the UK's military involvement in Afghanistan in 2001, there has been a heavy human toll, with many members of the British Army, RAF, Royal Marines, and special forces losing their lives.

The year 2009 saw a notable increase in the number of wounded service personnel compared to previous years. By the end of November 2009, 464 British troops had been wounded in battle, with nearly half of these injuries occurring since November 2008. This represented a significant jump from the 235 personnel wounded in action during the entirety of 2008.

The complexity of defining and categorizing wounded numbers is acknowledged by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which provides three different classifications: the Noticas numbers, field hospital registrations, and personnel evacuated by air. The Noticas numbers refer to the most seriously wounded cases, where the family has been informed. Field hospital registrations capture a broader range, from seriously to lightly wounded individuals, from all causes. Lastly, personnel evacuated by air could indicate severe combat injuries or non-combat-related illnesses.

While the exact breakdown of these categories is not provided, it is known that one-third of the wounded British troops suffered serious or very serious injuries. Additionally, an estimated 2,000 British military and civilian personnel were reported to have been wounded in action.

The number of British troops admitted to field hospitals in Afghanistan

Since the UK's military involvement in Afghanistan in 2001, there have been numerous casualties, including fatalities, serious injuries, and non-battle injuries. During this period, a significant number of British troops have been admitted to field hospitals in Afghanistan for treatment.

From 7 October 2001 to 31 December 2005, centrally available records indicate that 6 UK military personnel were categorised as ""Very Seriously Injured" from all causes excluding disease, while 4 personnel were categorised as "Seriously Injured" excluding disease.

For the period between 1 January 2006 and 31 March 2013, records show that 2,116 UK military and civilian personnel were admitted to field hospitals and categorised as "Wounded in Action," including those injured as a result of hostile action. This number increased to 2,188 for the extended period up to 31 December 2014.

It is important to note that the majority of admissions to field hospitals were related to disease or non-battle injuries. During Operation Herrick, which encompassed all British military operations in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014, there were a total of 7,807 field hospital admissions, of which approximately 28% (2,209) were wounded in action.

One of the busiest hospitals in Afghanistan was Camp Bastion Hospital. Between April and October 2008, it admitted 1,049 patients, reflecting the high demand for medical care during that period.

The Defence Medical Services strive to provide first-class treatment for injured or ill service personnel, aiming to restore them to full fitness or the best possible health state. They also collaborate closely with the NHS to ensure a seamless transition when the responsibility for healthcare transfers to the NHS upon demobilisation or discharge.

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