Task Force Helmand

Task Force Helmand was the name given to a military unit of the International Security Assistance Force in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Task Force Helmand was part of Regional Command Southwest and consisted primarily of personnel from the British Armed Forces, as well as contribution from NATO allies Denmark and Estonia. It was established in April 2006, which coincided with the deployment of Operation Herrick 4.

Task Force Helmand
Active	April 2006-1 April 2014
Countries	United Kingdom  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Denmark  Estonia  Jordan  Tonga
Role	Combat forces
Part of	Regional Command Southwest
Garrison/HQ	Kandahar Airfield (April – November 2006)[1] MOB Lashkar Gah (November 2006[1] – August 2013) Camp Bastion (August 2013 – April 2014)
Engagements	War in Afghanistan * Helmand province campaign

During August 2013 the Headquarters of Task Force Helmand moved from MOB Lashkar Gah to Camp Bastion.[2]

On 1 April 2014 the command was disbanded and its responsibilities were turned over to Regional Command Southwest.[3]

Commanders

• Brigadier Ed Butler (April 2006 – October 2006)[4]
• Brigadier Jerry Thomas (October 2006 – April 2007)[5]
• Brigadier John Lorimer (April 2007 – October 2007)[6]
• Brigadier Andrew MacKay (October 2007 – April 2008)[7]
• Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith (April 2008 – October 2008)[8]
• Brigadier Gordon Messenger (October 2008 – April 2009)[9]
• Brigadier Tim Radford (April 2009 – October 2010)[10]
• Brigadier James Cowan (October 2009 – April 2010)[11]
• Brigadier Richard Felton (April 2010 – October 2010)[12]
• Brigadier James Chiswell (October 2010 – April 2011)[13]
• Brigadier Ed Davis (April 2011 – October 2011)[14]
• Brigadier Patrick Sanders (October 2011 – April 2012)[15]
• Brigadier Doug Chalmers (April 2012 – October 2012)[15]
• Brigadier Bob Bruce (October 2012 – April 2013)[16]
• Brigadier Rupert Jones (April 2013 – October 2013)[2]
• Brigadier James Woodham (October 2013 – April 2014)[2]

See also

• Operation Herrick order of battle

References

Citations

1. Southby-Tailyour 2010, p. 42.
2. "UK in Afghanistan transformed country, says commander". BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
3. "Ceremony Marks End of Task Force Helmand". British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS). Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
4. "UK military 'made wrong calculations' on Afghanistan". BBC. 23 October 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
5. "MoD names two dead UK servicemen". BBC. 15 January 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
6. "Shura held in Sangin District Centre yesterday". NATO. 13 April 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
7. "Keeping us in picture on Afghan conflict". The Scotsman. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
8. "War in Afghanistan cannot be won, British commander Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith warns". The Telegraph. 5 October 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
9. "British troops put Taliban 'on the run'". The Guardian. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
10. Harnden, Toby (2011). Dead Men Risen: The Welsh Guards and the Real Story of Britain's War in Afghanistan. Quercus. p. 54. ISBN 978-1849164238.
11. "11 Light Brigade". mod.uk. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
12. "Brigadier Richard Felton takes over Task Force Helmand". BBC. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
13. "Major-General James Chiswell". Paradata. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
14. "Petraeus visits Royal Marines in Helmand". Defence News. 6 June 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
15. "12 Mechanized Brigade has taken command of Task Force Helmand in Afghanistan, officially marking the start of Operation HERRICK 16". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
16. "1st Mechanized Brigade takes over in Helmand". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 24 July 2016.

Bibliography

• Guards, Coldstream (2016). 10 Years in Afghanistan. UK: Coldstream Guards.
• Southby-Tailyour, E (2010). 3 Commando Brigade – Helmand Assault. UK: Ebury Press. ISBN 978-0-09193-776-8.