Daring Evacuation of Chris Gray (Afghanistan 2007) - Marine reacts 

My old regiment, Chris was our first loss of that tour there is helmet cam footage of his casevac from on the ground as well , He was only 19 years old we would go on to lose 8 more lads in the next six months. We was the first regular infantry unit to lead a battle group in Afghan, it had been all Para’s and Marine battle groups. There’s tonnes of footage about of the tour it was also Ross Kemps first time in Afghan, there’s some helmet camera footage of a Sgt and a couple of lads clearing out a tree line which is pretty gnarley. Proud to be a ex Viking 9 platoon C company 1 royal Anglian

The Brits use Chinooks for their casevac, at least in my experience, the advantage is they're huge, so they probably have a better suite of medical equipment in there than in a Blackhawk and they have room to work, they're also mind blowingly fast for a rotory aircraft, the downside, and the only reason I at times loathed relying on them is also because they're huge, they couldn't get into certain LZs because of their size and they aren't nimble, fast, but sluggish in anything but a straight line. Still though, British casevacs are the literal reason some of my friends are still alive, so thanks for that.

Thank you for doing this. The British field hospital at Camp Bastion was the most effective trauma hospital the world has ever seen. UK Armed Forces personnel passed through there with a survival rate of 99.6%. It also influenced methods back at home that have now been instituted in the form of NHS regional major trauma centres, which has led to better outcomes across the board for patients with serious and life threatening injury. War always drives innovation.

Hi Theo, take a look at "Chinook pilot takes a round to the head.....then flies the thing home". That particular Chinook, Bravo November, has had an interesting career. Starting with the Falklands war, 4 different pilots have been awarded the DFC while flying her. The guy in the report is a TV presenter called Mike Brewer, he used to present a car show called "Wheeler Dealers".

RIP Chris Gray 😔

If only politicians who start wars had the integrity of these men.

Chris was my friends cousin, good lad. It really doesn't seem like any time has passed. May he rest in peace.

As a 2 time veteran of Iraq, it gave us lads great confidence knowing that if we got zapped, we could be medivaced back to an aid post really quickly. These lads often landed under fire to pull wounded out and get them to help....balls of frickin steel!

I worked as infantry support to the MERT guys in Iraq. They used Merlin's which are much smaller, but the greatest impression I got was when you get off the ramp and look back. Seeing a huge helicopter on the ground, surrounded by buildings or trees and being amazed they got it down at all, let alone safely. Helicopter pilots are a class apart in my book.

You always know when you have a good pilot picking you up, turning his ramp at the last second to save time for loading and egressing out of a hot area. An almighty pat on the back to all RAF and MERT crew, RIP Chris, and All that paid the ultimate price over there, Respect.

Thanks for reviewing this. Pte Chris Gray was a Viking from A (Norfolk) Company of The First Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment. He was the first death on the tour where the Battalion lost 9 Vikings. Chris was killed in Now Zad as the Company pushed into the Taliban strong hold and cleared it. His Platoon Sergeant captured this all on Helmet Cam which was then used on the first Ross Kemp series and on the BBC series Our War. Members of the Company received the Military Cross for actions on this day as well. As a Battalion the Vikings fought hard for the next 5 months of the tour being in Contact daily with a well disciplined foe. At the time of this filming the Battalion had Companies in Kajaki, Now Zad and Sangin with Battalion HQ in Camp Bastion. This was the Battalions second tour of Afghan of the 6 tours they have completed. As well as Iraq, Mali, Nigeria and Sudan since 2002. One of the finest Regiments and most highly regarded in the British Army. Stabilis.

I remember watching this when it came out. I think Ross Kemp interviewed his mother, I still think about that interview how ever many years later we are. I went to the National Memorial Arboretum the other day and saw his name on the memorial. His poor mum, she was so lovely. Absolutely heart breaking.

Them RAF pilots are as brave as any man on the battlefield and will put themselves in personal danger to complete their mission.

This Is MERT, a Chinook is standard with the medical staffing including a senior doctor usually a trauma specialist, note this film and film of the action in which private grey of the first battalion the royal Anglian regiment was wounded was broadcast with the permission of his family, I've spoken to a navy corpsman who said he requested MERT on occasion because he was aware that MERT came with trauma specialists, there's things a trauma doctor and staff can do in a helo the size of a Chinook that is just not possible in smaller helos without doctor's onboard

CH47 are the beast of choice for MERT missions. This may interest you…The vast majority of the MERT team are reservists serving with 4626sqn RAF, which is a reserve unit. These medics usually work as Paramedics/Nurses and Doctors for the NHS in the UK. You might find that that’s not a RM Commando but an RAF Commando, who has completed AACC (All Arms Commando Course) at the RMCTC.

All these people make me feel very inadequate ! How fabulous they are !

I’ve watched the documentary many many times, I am always amazed and impressed by the professionalism of the pilots, the MERT and the RM support team. Extremely emotional when we find out that this young man has lost his fight for life………….RIP Chris Gray. 😢

The British Military has used the Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) RAF Chinnocks since 2006. Its size allows more advanced medical equipment, medical staff and casualties to be carried. The MERT Chinnock is a flying Hospital Emergency Room brought to the casualty. The medical team consists of 1 top tier Attending Physician, Specialist in Emergency Medicine and Anesthesiology, 1 Emergency Medicine Nurse and 2 paramedics. All 4 medical staff simultaneously work as a team on the casualty. The exact same way they do in an emergency room. The MERT Chinnocks have proved an outstanding creation. The more advanced medical equipment and inclusion of a top-rank, extremely highly trained and experienced specialist doctor. Massively increased the survival rate of casualties. Compared to the much smaller and slower Merlin and Puma MEDEVAC helicopters they replaced. Which carried much less equipment and only 1 or 2 standard battlefield medics. Sadly the American casualty survival rate in Afghanistan and Iraq was much lower than the British casualty survival rate. As the American military, unfortunately, didn't copy Britain's new and better MERT MEDEVAC system. America instead continued to use traditional smaller and slower MEDEVAC helicopters containing just basic medical equipment and a single standard battlefield medic. Though MERT Chinnocks in Afghanistan and Iraq did also evac and treat many American casualties. Along with other allied nation casualties, civilians and enemy combatants. MERT Chinnocks on a few rare occasions also evacuated and treated wounded military dogs. With the Chinnock carrying a veterinary team rather than a medical team.

We’ll never forget the many young lads taken by war💔

This is the definition of when the #### hits the fan the training takes over. The pilots are professional and calm and not letting the situation change their emotions

Great reactions! Check out British Helicopter Pilot shot in head during CASVAC in Afghanistan! Well worth the watch!!

One of the roles my unit had in Iraq was force protection/IRT team - the medical team back then was also comprised of a doctor and 2-3 nurses and/or combat medical technicians but the helicopters used were Sea Kings - Navy pilots and a RM door gunner. Before our tour they didn't have any protection other than the door gunner, we'd supply a 4 man patrol to go out with them. It's good to see how that role progressed, the Chinook certainly makes much more sense in terms of space - SOP back then was that the 4 man patrol could be left behind if needed to make room in the Sea King! No doubt the use of the Chinook and the ability to carry more equipment and give the medics more space has saved a lot of lives. At some point, presumably with the shift to using Chinooks, I understand the RAF Regiment took over the force protection role.

I was in the back as MERT for this flight. Gutted he didn't make it.

Hi Theo, yeah the Chinook was a real work horse of the tours out there, but the helo used for a Casevac would be what was available at the time (same with AH or fast-air support) and other nations of ISAF regularly helped each other out with this. The US for example used Blackhawks to evac some of our lads; but they were known as PEDROs whereas ours were MERTs (Medical Evacuation Response Teams). 👍🏻

The professionalism, the calm control and total care of all involved, these are better men than I could ever be absolutely nothing but admiration and respect for what they do for us here at home living in blissful ignorance and comfort

MERT was essentially bringing the golden hour to the front line rather than the other way round. IT bought a trauma team to the patient rather than just combat medics. There is a video of the contact that preceded this event. It was a British Army Infantry Battalion, the 1st Bn the Royal Anglian Regiment. the 1st Bn is known as the Vikings.

Chris was an Infantry soldier from the First Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment B Coy and my friend

You may of seen it but if you haven't then check out "our war" by the BBC, it's quite hard to find but it's a great watch. One of the episodes shows what happened to Chris Grey from his squads point of view, Very sad.

First time ive seen this. I was attached to the royal anglians for this tour, i was C Company, so not directly involved with this mission. Was a sad time and 1 hell of a crazy tour

The British use the chinook for medical evaluations for a few reasons. 1, the chinook can carry multiple casualties. 2, a force protection team can go with the medical team and provide cover. 3, the chinook has guns on the sides and ramp to soften up the landing zone. 4, its a tough helicopter, that can take a beating and still fly home. Ideal for medical evacuations, as they are prime targets 😉

A true warrior fighting for a better tomorrow

RIP young man

Those pilots are the pinnacle of proffessionalism

I remember Gray from Ross Kemps reporting on the war, if this is the same Gray may he rest in peace!

I was watching an interview with an RAF chinook pilot and he said they had to replace the floors of the cab because blood would rust them

So sad that this young man passed away.....19 years old......I feel for the parents. ❤️🙏🏻

Terrific reaction Theo, and appreciate your comments, so don't worry about the pauses (only the ads are annoying).

The Chinook story is very similar to the story of the rescue of the Seals on operation Red wings. The Chinooks on the rescue of the Seals outran the two AH64's . And resulted in the helicopter taking a RPG . It's a fascinating and sad story told by the Apache pilot Don Bentley on JackCarrUSA channel.

Back when this was filmed, the RAF was heavily committed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The Merlins were used in Iraq for medical evacuations. I think the Chinooks were used in Afghanistan purely because the RAF didn't have anything else in theatre capable of doing the role anywhere near as effectively.

I asked you to do this one a couple of times now, so glad you got round to it

I was apart of the force protection team in Helmand province 2007 to 2008 . I was on my build up training when news of PTE Chris Gray came through at Pirbright barracks everything you see is real I remember it like it was yesterday. the chinook is just a normal helicopter for carrying troops but can be converted in 2min flat to MERT’S needs

When I was at school some 40 years ago, we did the history of medicine as one of our topics. What was revealing was the influence of warfare on the advancement of medical procedures in civilian life.

Pretty sure this is the Chinook that followed an Apache into a sand storm, getting the Apache to use its FLIR(Chinook doesn't have that capability)and sticking to his arse to find injured troops. Big balls these lads

They said it was flying yesterday, it fly today. Max respect to all involved. RIP C GRAY

A Royal Marine private is called marine, not many units use the term private but use different names according to unit, ie Fusilier Regiment =Fusilier, Rifle regiment = Rifleman, Foot guards = Guardsman, etc.

The RAF often used chinooks as they turned into mobile hospitals where it could support multiple casualties they were also armoured

Historically Military pilots have a bad arse rep for going into the fire for others, some of the Vietnam stories Ive read about........Fucking love Hueys!

I don't know the name of the video but its about a 73 year old recon marine vetran reflecting on his past. But I do know the youtuber Jamesons travels reacted to it

First of all I'd like to save rest easy private. The professionalism from those two pilots and all the medical staff is second to none. Great video as always.

I'd recommend watching a British film called Military Wives (2019). It's about a real choir set up in the UK for widows and mothers who have lost someone in combat.

Ex-British Army infantry. Op Banner was my conflict. There are operational similarities. I’m so sorry for Viking Pte. Chris Gray.

I remember seeing all of this on the documentary series "our war" which is an amazing documentary which uses helmet cam footage, there's a few different episodes from different situations. Not sure if you can find it on RU-vid nowadays but it was originally on BBC, definitely worth checking out if you can manage to find it and watch the whole thing.

Chris Grey was with 1 Royal Anglcan, there is helmet cam footage of just after he was shot and the firefight in Ross Kemp in Afghanistan Part 2

Combat pilots are badasses

That was some really efficient work and they gave him the best possible chance.

Really really great video .Very respectful .Bravo sir

On a pedantic note, the ground support are RAF Regiment, not RM. The badges look similar at a glance.

Our war series 1 episode 1 is the story of Chris Gray on the ground as he gets shot.. pretty intense footage

Would really recommend a book called ‘Immediate Response’ by Mark Hammond who was a Royal Marine Chinook pilot with the RAF MERT teams in Afghan, incredible read.

Flight RN here and yup golden hour is right to an extent. And yup pilots are calm and cool. Also medevac crew is as well. We don't get called for your basic every day stuff even in the civilian world. You sadly get used to fucked up things and horribly sick and injured people. And you are right, things sometimes don't work out. We find out what happened to our patients and whenever I hear they've died or had a complication almost 15 years in my heart still sinks a little. When I first started I felt like I had fucked up and didn't do enough then I realized that sometimes it just doesn't work out and that I've done the best by the patient and potentially had the honor and privilege of being one of the last people with them in their last moments and hope that the care I provided and the words I spoke were comforting. I always talk to every single patient even the ones who can't communicate back. I treat the condition and the human being.

I remember this. I was out there then and was at his repatriation.

This was the beginning of my tour with I was attached to the Grenadier Guards.

Everything turned up and with favourable wind conditions/weight you could probably get 155-165 knots. There is a video that shows the ground extraction and the aftermath of Pte. Gray being hit.

Please look at the our war documentary from the BBC there was a journalist on the ground with the infantry unit that Chris Grey was from shows you all the contact

Great break down as normal and we same in UK in even civilian life all about that golden hour

During the comms chat they mention the Chris Gray is "still T1". This is Triage 1 (requires immediate life-saving intervention). T codes are used in the military and P codes (Priority) are used in civilian hospitals.

BBC Our War S1 E1 Ambush. The full story, told by the soldiers, with helmet cam. rip Chris Gray, duties done lad.

Rip to that soldier 🪖❤️

using a chinook does kinda make sence because you could carry a security team and a medical team, and then with the large desert in afghanistan, you didnt have a problem with landing and the chinook is the fastest military helicopter so makes sence to use it

There was a TV series called Inside Combat Rescue that followed PJs in Afghanistan and that was pretty excellently put together, very similar but on the US side.

The troops are from the Army's 1st Bn Royal Anglian Regiment- 3 Platoon, A Company. There's a documentary made about the evacuation with on the ground footage and the events which led up to the fatal shooting. Search Our War S01 E01 Part 01 and you'll find it. You get to hear the pltn commanders - Lieutenant Bjorn Rose's heartfelt letter he wrote to Chris Grey's mum

This is a real time report on a UK MERT evac. team and the RAF crew who fly their Chinooks. Very highly regarded teams by all allies there and they go to whoever needs evac. Many US Marines were saved by these teams.

These pilots man ❤️

You can see the other side of this incident. The platoon sgt had a helmet cam on and that version of the casevac from the firefight is in a documentary somewhere. It might have been ‘our war’

Great video. It’s sad the guy didn’t make it 😢

You should check out the BBC documentary series called “Our War” I think there’s 3 seasons and I’m not sure if I remember it correctly but I think one of the episodes covers this incident from the point of view of the guys on the ground. High quality docs not sure if they are on RU-vid or not

we had 3 ambulances at Bastion I drove one of them callsign 96D

im sure there is a vid of a pilot who gets shot while the camera crew were with them

You will be able to see what happened before the casivac with Ross Kemp in afghan series. the firefight and casivac is on his documentary

I find this stuff quite intresting. I know that a lot of these experiences from Afghanistan have helped develop things in trauma care and air ambulances in the uk. I saw a video of a London air ambulance doctor talking about her experience of medical evacuation in Afghanistan

From a med point of view, golden hour applies to any issue, the quicker you get help the better.. CPR outcome sucks though even in a hospital, let alone that sort of situation, but that response was the best you could possible imagine, and obviously you need to immediately reprep for another casualty

You should check out victoria cross heroes episode 3, and cut the segments down to do a chat...the dude rocking the top gun peepers is one of the on board medics,usually two, one will sometimes double up as the side mini gun operator if it has one so the theres always one with the casualty when in sticky situations and allways a loading bay gunner, most of the others are for premiter defence for the cas vac...

The RAF doesn’t have a dedicated medievac / CSAR capability. MERT was created to plug the gap.

Hi i love ur channel

Those pilots were something else...

Chinook is the best thing due to the room did this for many years and still do

The sad truth is that it's infinitely easier to take the human body apart than it is to put it back together again. Once someone takes a round, they can stil die even if nobody trying to save him makes a single error, no matter how trivial.

that zoom at 1:15 lmao

Oi poderia reagir a mais coisas sobre o exército brasileiro seria muito legal...obrigado

Have you seen the video of one of these units flying back and the pilot gets shot in the head whilst flying and he still lands perfectly.

There’s a lot of radio chatter from the pilots. Some of them were between the 2 pilots but other chatters were with the troops on the ground or with Camp Bastion?

Poor brave lad, didn’t quite make it to his 20th birthday. RIP

This is who I was thinking of.

UK MERT teams use the chinnok although we used American MERT teams alot in afghan

Check out SAS boat into chinook. Crazy. Very short but cool video.

hope everyone is having a good day :)

British mert always on a chinook. We don't have the US PJ capability via blaxkhawk etc..

Sad ending I mean at 19 you're still a kid? RIP Chris at least you'll always be 19

*could be wrong* Im pretty sure that Chris Gray was the first ever death that the British Military suffered in Afghanistan in 2007. R.I.P

React to Taistelu Sukeltajat, its like a vlog about diving fighters (has subtitles)