大象传媒

Around 170 soldiers from Derbyshire are fighting regular and sometimes fierce battles in Afghanistan.

They are part of the 2nd Battalion of the Mercian regiment, based in Helmand Province, to train and mentor the Afghanistan National Army.听 But the reality is that they are exchanging fire with the Taliban around three times every day.

We've been out to Helmand to meet soldiers like Brendan Ogden from Chaddesden, James Edwards (Ilkeston), David Buckley, a TA reservist from Sinfin, and Paul Barnett, Ben Woodhouse and Brian Burgess from Chesterfield.

Paul Barnett was born and bred in Derbyshire and knows only too well that Helmand and Chesterfield are worlds apart: "The threat is very real. The main dangers are everything from small arms contacts and quite a large IED threat (improvised explosive device) which is around the whole of Helmand at the moment.

Sergeant Major Paul Barnett

"The guys are facing those threats each time they leave this base."

And he knows only too well how real the dangers are - he was on duty on the same day and at the same base as Lance Corporal Paul Sandford of the (then) Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He died while on an offensive patrol against the Taliban during the regiment's previous tour of duty in 2007.

Brendan Ogden's role is as part of the AVA Platoon that guards the huge convoys delivering vital supplies and food to the military bases: "It does get a little bit nerve-racking - you can get hit by either mines or IEDs. You can get hit by indirect fire.

"I carry a St Christopher around with me and I kiss it every time I go out."

Lance Corporal Ben Woodhouse also lost close friends in combat. Nonetheless, he is one of many who is proud of what he and his comrades are doing and believes there would be more of a threat without the regiment's presence.

Lance Corporal Ben Woodhouse

He also has a role mentoring the ANA (Afghan National Army) and comes into regular contact with them: "It can be really testing. If they do speak a bit of English it's not brilliant at the best of times!

"But they're really keen and really interested and they're just as keen to get the job done as we are.

"We get in there and we play a bit of volleyball - you have a laugh with them and they really are up for a laugh. They really do like to get on with you. They always shake your hand and ask you how you are and if they've got anything they offer it to you. They're a very generous people."

But missing home and family can also be a testing time for the regiment. Ben Woodhouse recently just missed his young son's birthday: "The first day I got back I arranged to see him. As soon as I saw him I just went to bits! I couldn't believe it. He's bigger now - you can have a conversation with him - he's talking. It's like having a chat with one of the lads!

"You miss out on so much. It's little things."

The Mercian Regiment

Around 425 soldiers from the the Mercian Regiment's 2nd Battalion are currently in Helmand Province, Afghanistan (June 2009). The Mercian Regiment recruits from Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Worcestershire.

Find out more about the local men and women working for the British Army in Afghanistan all this week - Monday 22 to Friday 26 June 2009 - on 大象传媒 East Midlands Today, from 18:30 on 大象传媒1.