Families of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan, alongside veterans who served there, have called on US President Donald Trump to apologise after he suggested that it was only American forces who served on the frontline of the conflict.
The comments prompted anger among those who fought alongside US troops, with many emphasising that British soldiers faced the same dangers and showed equal courage.
“They stood firm and they fought”
Lance Corporal Jamie Webb, 24, was fatally injured in an insurgent attack on his patrol base in Nad Ali, Afghanistan, just days before the end of his second tour in 2013. A truck bomb was driven into the perimeter wall of Patrol Base Folad, followed by an insurgent assault. Soldiers from C Company, The Mercian Regiment, returned fire and defended the base.
Jamie’s mother, Susan Webb, told reports that President Trump should apologise for his remarks, particularly as he had not served there himself.
His brother, Luke Webb, described the circumstances of Jamie’s death:
“Jamie was killed after a half-tonne of explosives were driven through the camp wall. All the soldiers on that base, and the American contract workers we were protecting, stood firm and they fought. They were on the frontline, those soldiers.”
A bond across forces
Luke highlighted the close cooperation between British troops and their US allies. British soldiers served alongside US Marines and protected American personnel, while Jamie ultimately died in an American field hospital in Kandahar after being wounded.
“They put a US Marine on guard beside Jamie. It was the Americans who gave Jamie last rites before he passed away,” Luke said. “We didn’t get to say goodbye when the life-support machine was turned off.”
He added a direct message to Trump:
“Meet the families, meet us. You’d see that British troops put up a good fight over there and helped stop terrorism, not just on our streets, but on American streets too.”
The frontline was shared
Luke stressed the physical and mental toll the war took on soldiers:
“Many soldiers came back with wounds, both physical and mental. Many of Jamie’s friends also lost their lives due to mental health issues. If Trump had been on that base the day it was attacked, he’d know that was the frontline.”
Susan Webb called the remarks “disgusting,” and said other families of the fallen would likely agree.
Support from veterans
Veterans also voiced frustration. Liz McConaghy, a former RAF Flight Sergeant who served ten tours in Afghanistan, said a “very public apology is needed.” McConaghy, who worked as a medical emergency responder including evacuating injured soldiers, said her comments on social media about Trump had received broad support, including from American followers.
“I think he’s starting to lose a bit of a grip over in America, and he’s going to need to rectify that quickly if he wants to maintain credibility,” she said.
Some 457 British Armed Forces personnel lost their lives in the Afghanistan conflict, with many more injured, highlighting the shared risks faced by both British and American soldiers.
