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Military row over Marine A acquittal as commanding officer hits out

Major Steve McCulley in Afghanistan
Major Steve McCulley in Afghanistan

The defence used to free Marine A has tarnished the reputation of his fellow troops, one of his former commanding officers has said.

Sergeant Alexander Blackman had his murder conviction quashed after the Court Martial appeal heard that he shot a wounded Taliban insurgent when his regiment went "feral".

The description was part of a defence put forward by Colonel Oliver Lee who provided evidence to say that Blackman's unit was "gung-ho" and "completely out of control" following five months in Afghanistan.  

But now, Major Steve McCulley, who was in charge of Blackman's 42 Commando J Company shortly before the killing, has complained the picture painted of the troops was a "dagger through the heart" of the Marines.

Sergeant Alexander Blackman will learn his sentence for manslaughter on Friday - Credit: PA
Sergeant Alexander Blackman will learn his sentence for manslaughter on Friday Credit: PA

Major McCulley says he has waited until Blackman's murder acquittal before speaking out, but now wants to defend his men.

He told the Daily Telegraph: "So many people are upset. Everyone has kept quiet because at the end of the day they want the best for Alexander Blackman.

"I am not just talking for myself, I am talking for a lot of marines right through the ranks who have been in touch with me.  

"We are well trained, we are a band of brothers, we stand shoulder to shoulder and to disrespect that is getting a commando dagger and stabbing it in the heart of the corps.

"It is destroying the memory of those men who paid the ultimate sacrifice."  

Blackman will be sentenced on Friday for the manslaughter wounded Taliban insurgent during a tour of Afghanistan in 2011 and could be released almost immediately as he has already spent three and a half years behind bars. 

Sergeant Alexander Blackman during the Helmand tour
Sergeant Alexander Blackman during the Helmand tour

Major McCulley, who has been medically discharged after being blown up by an IED on the tour, said that rather than a group of undisciplined soldiers with poor skill levels, as was claimed in witness statements given to the court, these were highly trained men doing the best job they could in the most dangerous square mile on earth.  

His comments were echoed by Sergeant Rob Driscoll, who was leading a nearby patrol when Blackman shot the insurgent, who said that the troops were "dissapointed" with the way they had been portrayed. 

Colonel Lee, who quit his post over the murder conviction, said when he took over J company eight days before the killing he found a "poor" unit which had little regard for the rules of engagement, and suggested that his own unit's discipline and restraint meant that they did not lose a single soldier.  

In total, seven soldiers from the 42 Commando died  and 45 were seriously wounded during the tour. 

"They weren't blown up because of complacency, that wasn't down to poor skills, the majority of that was down to the insurgent," Major McCulley said.  

Nad-e Ali north, where J company was based, was still trying to clear and hold territory in a very different situation from the south where Commander Lee's 45 commando had been rebuilding and transferring power back to the Afghans.  

In the north they discovered 238 IEDs during their six month tour, of which 53 were strikes - meaning that despite the harsh toll they still managed to neutralise 75 per cent of the devices. In comparison, only 27 IEDs were found in the southern region during the same period.  

Major McCulley said men were operating across a broad spectrum, trying to win over the "hearts and minds" of the Afghan people by shaking hands and building schools  one minute then being shot at and seeing their friends blown up the next. 

"They were superb men and their skills were excellent," he said.  

Major Steve McCulley at the Soldiering On Awards after leaving the Marines 
Major Steve McCulley at the Soldiering On Awards after leaving the Marines

Sgt Driscoll added: "No one has talked about how good the insurgents were. They had eyes and ears everywhere. I don't put any blame on anyone but the Taliban."

When Colonel Lee took command the men were stopped from calling in heavy artillery support without consent, and he has given evidence that he was unhappy with the level of violent force being used. 

Major McCulley said that the men, who unlike those in the south were still coming under daily attack , felt "stranded" without the fire support that they needed, and it was against this backdrop that Blackman snapped.

The new commands showed a lack of understanding of how dangerous the situation was, he said, adding that "perhaps if they hadn't had support withdrawn we could argue that the incident might not have happened." 

Sergeant Rob Driscoll during the tour of Helmand
Sergeant Rob Driscoll during the tour of Helmand

Sgt Driscoll, who has left the Royal Marines, said: "The assistance we had grown familiar with and that we were expecting was withheld, and that was really unsettling. 

"All of my guys were conviced that they were going to be the next to die and to have that support pulled away from you late in the tour was really, really damaging."

He added: "We weren't feral. The guys I was on the ground with were very professional, right until the end." 

Alexander Blackman Marine A timeline

 

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