1:33pm Thursday 25th September 2008
By Harry Miller
A Crystal Palace soldier has fought in one of the most savage sieges seen in the Afghan conflict so far.
Former Stanley Tech pupil, Lee Derosa, 22, was one of the soldiers serving with the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (PWRR), and their second battalion when they were attacked day and night for nine days with everything the Taliban had in their arsenal.
Around 400 insurgents battered the compound at Roshan Tower with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and kalashnikovs yet the troops, nicknamed The Tigers, still managed to kill a quarter of the enemy and suffered only one casualty.
In scenes likened to the famous Rorke’s Drift attack in 1879 when 139 soldiers defeated over 4,000 Zulu warriors, a platoon of 30 soldiers from 2 PWRR serving with its A Company made a heroic stand against some the 400 Taliban insurgents last week.
But brave Corporal Derosa described the attack as one of the best moments of his tour so far. He did however admit that he missed his friends and being able to go out clubbing. SAS trooper,
Andy McNab, famous for his harrowing ordeal in the first Iraq war said: “The bravery of these few men knows no bounds. The siege of Roshan Tower should go down in history as perhaps the most savage of the Afghan conflict.” Commenting on the heroic soldiers. Major General Paul Newton CBE, Colonel of the Regiment said: “Naturally, I was pleased but not surprised to read about the courage, determination and professionalism of our PWRR soldiers in combat in Afghanistan. They need and they appreciate this kind of public support.
"It shows the country, and the communities they come from, are right behind them. We can do with a few more good men not behind them but out there serving in the Regiment alongside them.”
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