Former Kingaroy State High School student Nathan David Bendle was presented with a Commendation for Gallantry from Queensland Premier Penelope Wensley last week for acts of gallantry in action in Afghanistan on September 7, 2011, while deployed as a member of Mentoring Task Force 3.
While attempting to apprehend a withdrawing insurgent commander, Private Bendle and a fellow soldier came under intense, plunging fire from an insurgent force numbering three to five on their southern flank as well as fire from their quarry.
Despite facing extreme personal danger, Private Bendle and the other soldier advanced over 100m with no cover, concealment or friendly suppressive fire to close with and neutralise the insurgent commander.
Private Bendle, whose award was announced in the Australia Day Honours List, was featured on the cover of the January 31 edition of “Army – The Soldiers’ Newspaper” for his acts of gallantry.
southburnett.com.au has received permission from the Department of Defence to reproduce this account of the action:
* * *
by Corporal Nick Wiseman
It was almost midnight when from out of the shadows eight soldiers from Mentoring Task Force 3 slipped into a corn field within a small village, concealing themselves and waiting for dawn.
Two of these soldiers would later be recognised in the 2013 Australia Day Honours, both receiving commendations for acts of gallantry in action on September 7, 2011, when they attempted to apprehend an insurgent commander – advancing with no cover and neutralising the insurgent under intense fire.
With dawn breaking in the dry desert valley the soldiers checked to ensure they were properly concealed while they waited to see if the Taliban fighters nearby would reveal themselves.
The corn field they had chosen was very small, barely big enough to conceal the section in this small village on a hot and sunny day in a valley surrounded by mountains.
Pte Kyle Wilson said they could hear dogs barking and locals very close, as if they were searching for them.
A small boy even ran into the corn field right next to us playing only two feet from a mate, I still have no idea how he didn’t see us.
The group had received intelligence reports that there were a group of fighters in the nearby mountains, but they were not moving down.
A decoy had been set up in an attempt to flush out the insurgents and the soldiers lay in wait to see if they would show themselves.
Pte Wilson was on picket with his good friend Pte Nathan Bendle when they saw a man sitting with a child on his lap and a set of binoculars observing the decoy that had been set up.
The two called in what they saw and observed the suspected insurgent communicating on a radio. With children nearby, the decision was made to wait and continue observing.
After what seemed forever, the suspected insurgent got up and started walking away, talking on his radio.
With the children out of danger, the decision was made to apprehend him and the two soldiers started towards the man, commanding him to stop.
Once they got closer the man heard and turned around to face the soldiers, obviously surprised to see them.
Pte Bendle said he started getting suspicious when the man ran across the open area rather than away from them.
“Others must have hidden a cache of weapons during the night, as he was unarmed when we started after him,” Pte Bendle said.
“Next thing he pops up from the rocks firing at us.”
Within moments additional weapon fire from the mountains in front opened up on the two soldiers, who were caught in the open almost 100m away from the insurgent and any cover.
Having no option but to continue, the pair advanced on the insurgent, working together as a team to fire and move towards the enemy.
Pte Wilson said with the adrenalin pumping through his veins, he really didn’t think about the danger until he saw rounds falling around his feet.
I looked over at Nathan and he was wired – straight into it and our training kicked in like muscle memory. With rounds falling around us we knew we needed to take out the insurgent but he was hidden well behind the rock.
The two soldiers were almost 50m away when the insurgent must have been hit by a ricocheting round and stepped back from the rock.
“One of my rounds then nicked him and he started to turn,” Pte Wilson said.
“I had a clean shot and engaged him, continuing to advance until we found a small wall. [We were] still receiving enemy fire.”
Once the insurgents on the mountain realised their friend was down, the firing slowed and the rest of the section, which had been pinned down behind a wall, was able to make it to the pair and help secure the area.
Once the area was secure, the soldiers searched the dead enemy, discovering drugs, radios and weapons as well as grenades and IED components in the cache behind the rock.
Pte Wilson said they could hear chatter on the radio but their translator was not available to translate.
“We then searched the compound where we found a few more items,” he said.
“We were told later that intelligence had confirmed that the insurgent was in fact a section commander.”
With the insurgent dead and the firefight over, the body was removed from the immediate area until people came to claim it.
The section could clearly see they were Taliban fighters but could not positively identify any of them. Pte Bendle said it was frustrating to be right next to the enemy, even talking to them, but not able to do anything.
With the week-long patrol not yet complete, the section finished up in the area and continued on their mission, eventually making their way back to FOB Miriwais.
Once back they finally had the time to think about what had happened.
Pte Wilson said he felt tired after the adrenalin rush and still couldn’t believe it had happened.
It just came out of nowhere. One minute we’re hiding in the corn field then next we’re fighting for our lives – they caught us by surprise. It didn’t really hit until we got back to the FOB that I realised Nathan almost got blasted away.
[Reproduced with permission of Army newspaper]
