Divers make history

For the first time Royal Navy explosive experts will work alongside their Army and RAF comrades in ‘high-threat’ bomb disposal teams in Afghanistan.

Lt Cdr Al Nekrews will head a four-strong specialist team in Helmand, with fellow diver LS(D) Craig Warhorn, plus two soldiers.

The two men, based at Horsea Island in Portsmouth, have just completed their training and now deploy for six months on one of the most demanding tours of duty imaginable.

High-threat operators deal with the more advanced homemade bombs located by troops.

They work as part of the Counter Improvised Explosive Device (IED) task force in Afghanistan alongside specialist search teams, who are able to identify and isolate devices, specially-trained search dogs, and can call upon a wealth of specialist equipment.

Until recently, the high-threat team comprised solely of members of the Royal Logistics Corps. More recently, RAF technicians have also qualified.

39-year-old Lt Cdr Nekrews said:

“I am immensely proud to be the first from the Royal Navy to carry out that role.

“It will be a long way from the marine environment we are used to working in, so it’s a hugely challenging role but I’m looking forward to getting out there and getting the job done.

"The Royal Logistics Corps high-threat operators are the best in the world so working alongside them will be a great experience.”

LS(D) Waghorn, 28, added:

“The role of bomb disposal ultimately saves the lives of our serving personnel so it’ll be good to be part of a team that can make a real difference.

“It’s great for the Navy’s Clearance Diving Branch and the Royal Navy as a whole that we now have this specialist high threat bomb disposal capability.”