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Bravo Kiwi
This is the story of Major Craig Wilson, combat leader, and the men and women of Bravo and Kiwi Companies. It starts in 2010 at Burnham army base and includes infantry preparations for their tour to Afghanistan, known as Crib 20 - the NZ Army's deadliest tour of duty since Vietnam.
In 2012, the story moves to Romero Base, Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, as the security situation worsens and culminates in the battle at Baghek and its aftermath. It describes in fascinating detail what it is like to serve and sacrifice for your country, and the physical and mental discipline needed to go from peaceful New Zealand to a war-torn country where you are never sure who is your friend and who your enemy.
Major Craig Wilson is a decorated former SAS member. He was the commanding officer of Bravo Company, which lost two soldiers when they went to the aid Afghan police at Baghek in August 2012. Craig was left injured, shot in the shoulder, and was Medevac'd to a German hospital. There he heard three more of his team had died in an explosion. Over 50 photographs, many never before published, including those from the day of the battle itself.
In 2012, the story moves to Romero Base, Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, as the security situation worsens and culminates in the battle at Baghek and its aftermath. It describes in fascinating detail what it is like to serve and sacrifice for your country, and the physical and mental discipline needed to go from peaceful New Zealand to a war-torn country where you are never sure who is your friend and who your enemy.
Major Craig Wilson is a decorated former SAS member. He was the commanding officer of Bravo Company, which lost two soldiers when they went to the aid Afghan police at Baghek in August 2012. Craig was left injured, shot in the shoulder, and was Medevac'd to a German hospital. There he heard three more of his team had died in an explosion. Over 50 photographs, many never before published, including those from the day of the battle itself.
239 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2018
27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 8, 2019
A very good story of an account, of the most deadly encounter the NZDF has had in many years. The book was relatively easy to read but I am ex-military and knew the jargon. It may take a Civi a while to pick it up but I cannot say for sure; as I am bis.
I also had a bit of a personal connection as I knew/know some of the people mentioned in the book.
Give it a read and $10 is donated to the Fallen Hero's Trust.
ONWARDS.
I also had a bit of a personal connection as I knew/know some of the people mentioned in the book.
Give it a read and $10 is donated to the Fallen Hero's Trust.
ONWARDS.
November 11, 2018
As New Zealand remembers the centenary of the Armistice that signaled the end of World War One in which over 18,000 Kiwi soldiers gave up their lives "Bravo Kiwi" takes us to the modern battlefield that is Afghanistan.
Written by Major Craig Wilson who was the commanding Officer of Bravo Company which saw the deadliest action that this New Zealand tour of duty experienced since Vietnam decades ago.
Bravo Company was based at Romero Base in Bamiyan Province in 2012 under Wilson's leadership. Wilson gives us a first hand description of the action which followed when they were called in to assist the Afghanistan police who were under attack.
What became known as the Battle of Bagher resulted in Wilson being wounded and two of his men killed. After he was evacuated Wilson later learned of a further three deaths when his Company was caught in an explosion.
This is an up close and personal view of the realities of New Zealand troops on duty in Afghanistan by a decorated former SAS soldier and its accompanied by over 50 photos that add to his narrative. If you think that our soldiers are out of harms way in Afghanistan you may need to think again, based on Major Wilson's forthright and detailed story.
Written by Major Craig Wilson who was the commanding Officer of Bravo Company which saw the deadliest action that this New Zealand tour of duty experienced since Vietnam decades ago.
Bravo Company was based at Romero Base in Bamiyan Province in 2012 under Wilson's leadership. Wilson gives us a first hand description of the action which followed when they were called in to assist the Afghanistan police who were under attack.
What became known as the Battle of Bagher resulted in Wilson being wounded and two of his men killed. After he was evacuated Wilson later learned of a further three deaths when his Company was caught in an explosion.
This is an up close and personal view of the realities of New Zealand troops on duty in Afghanistan by a decorated former SAS soldier and its accompanied by over 50 photos that add to his narrative. If you think that our soldiers are out of harms way in Afghanistan you may need to think again, based on Major Wilson's forthright and detailed story.
December 26, 2018
A good read that gives you a number of insights into how the NZ army works. MAJ Wilson writes from his perspective and you are left in no doubt to what he thinks. Read this book if you want to find out more about what the NZDF got up to in Afghanistan- NZ's longest military operation.
November 25, 2019
There are few published accounts of Kiwis at war (or on operations is you want to split hairs) since WW2. The NZDF no longer has a culture of requiring let alone inspiring its personnel to tell their stories or supporting the ongoing publication and updating of readable unit histories. Craig Wilson's Bravo Kiwi is one of the few to be published covering the NZDF's post-911 operations.
For disclosure, I know Craig, meeting him soon after he was accepted as an officer in the NZSAS and crossing paths periodically until I left the Air Force in 2013. He is a professional, capable and thoughtful officer.
Bravo Kiwi picks up Craig's story at the end of 2009 as he assumes command of Bravo Company, 2/1 Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. This chapter introduces Craig's style of command and training, and also other soldiers who will deploy with him to Afghanistan.
Normally company command in the NZ Army is for two years but Craig's posting is extended until the end of 2012 so that he can lead the bulk of Bravo Company on a six month mission to Afghanistan. This will be the 20th rotation of New Zealand's PRT in Bamiyan Province, Operation CRIB, thus Craig's mission being named CRIB 20.
Craig provides and good introduction to Op CRIB, its origins and how the mission has evolved since CRIB 1 in 2003. He describes the tactical situation on his arrival and the operational approach to Op CRIB's mission. His story culminates and ends in the Battle of Baghak on August 4 2012 where Craig was critically injured while leading his troops and medically evacuated from Afghanistan.
I enjoyed Bravo Kiwi, partly because it is a New Zealand story, partly because it includes so many soldiers than I served with, and also because he provides another version of events to those delivered by the media at the time and since.
Craig is a strong-willed character and I think that he needed an equally (or more) strong-willed editor to make Bravo Kiwi really work. There are clearly some issues that Craig wanted to get into the book that I don't think add any value to the story of his Bravo and Kiwi Companies. He is clearly hurt by the way he departed the SAS and alludes to this and those he considers responsible a number of times but never elaborates. This is a distraction from the true story and could have been omitted, with the Bravo Kiwi story beginning at the gates of Burnham Military Camp at the end of 2009.
A stronger editor could also have polished the prose and made it smoother; there are many constructions that are quite clumsy. It's clear that Craig has wanted to acknowledge that have supported and mentored him from 2009 to 2012 but this often feels contrived and over formal. Polishing the author's words without changing the focus of meaning is what an editor does.
Many readers will not know Craig. It would have been good to learn a little more about his early life and upbringing, and his early career to get a feel for what makes Craig, Craig. There no reason to delve into the inner secrets of his time in the NZSAS but an element of that is already in the public domain via the 5oth Anniversary History of the NZSAS and the publicity surrounding Willie Apiaha VC.
Bravo Kiwi is one of the very few books published on the NZDF's operations since 911; for this alone it is definitely worth reading.
For disclosure, I know Craig, meeting him soon after he was accepted as an officer in the NZSAS and crossing paths periodically until I left the Air Force in 2013. He is a professional, capable and thoughtful officer.
Bravo Kiwi picks up Craig's story at the end of 2009 as he assumes command of Bravo Company, 2/1 Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. This chapter introduces Craig's style of command and training, and also other soldiers who will deploy with him to Afghanistan.
Normally company command in the NZ Army is for two years but Craig's posting is extended until the end of 2012 so that he can lead the bulk of Bravo Company on a six month mission to Afghanistan. This will be the 20th rotation of New Zealand's PRT in Bamiyan Province, Operation CRIB, thus Craig's mission being named CRIB 20.
Craig provides and good introduction to Op CRIB, its origins and how the mission has evolved since CRIB 1 in 2003. He describes the tactical situation on his arrival and the operational approach to Op CRIB's mission. His story culminates and ends in the Battle of Baghak on August 4 2012 where Craig was critically injured while leading his troops and medically evacuated from Afghanistan.
I enjoyed Bravo Kiwi, partly because it is a New Zealand story, partly because it includes so many soldiers than I served with, and also because he provides another version of events to those delivered by the media at the time and since.
Craig is a strong-willed character and I think that he needed an equally (or more) strong-willed editor to make Bravo Kiwi really work. There are clearly some issues that Craig wanted to get into the book that I don't think add any value to the story of his Bravo and Kiwi Companies. He is clearly hurt by the way he departed the SAS and alludes to this and those he considers responsible a number of times but never elaborates. This is a distraction from the true story and could have been omitted, with the Bravo Kiwi story beginning at the gates of Burnham Military Camp at the end of 2009.
A stronger editor could also have polished the prose and made it smoother; there are many constructions that are quite clumsy. It's clear that Craig has wanted to acknowledge that have supported and mentored him from 2009 to 2012 but this often feels contrived and over formal. Polishing the author's words without changing the focus of meaning is what an editor does.
Many readers will not know Craig. It would have been good to learn a little more about his early life and upbringing, and his early career to get a feel for what makes Craig, Craig. There no reason to delve into the inner secrets of his time in the NZSAS but an element of that is already in the public domain via the 5oth Anniversary History of the NZSAS and the publicity surrounding Willie Apiaha VC.
Bravo Kiwi is one of the very few books published on the NZDF's operations since 911; for this alone it is definitely worth reading.
September 2, 2019
A very well written account of NZ operations in Afghanistan and the Battle of Baghack, our deadiest battle since Vietnam.
Written by the Commanding Officer of one the the deployments it follows his journey as a Commander of an Army Battalion. This includes his inital posting, how he operated the Battalion and managed training, multiple deployments including Samoa and to the Red Zone following the Christchurch Earthquakes and to Afganistan.
A no nonsense account, it does not glorify the mulitary or warfare but provides an insight that many never get.
Written by the Commanding Officer of one the the deployments it follows his journey as a Commander of an Army Battalion. This includes his inital posting, how he operated the Battalion and managed training, multiple deployments including Samoa and to the Red Zone following the Christchurch Earthquakes and to Afganistan.
A no nonsense account, it does not glorify the mulitary or warfare but provides an insight that many never get.
September 26, 2019
While we go about our daily lives some where in the world people are working to keep the peace.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews