Collection related to Troy Simmonds

Informal portrait of Sergeant Troy Simmonds, 1 Troop SASR, prior to the battle of Khaz Oruzgan. During a patrol in the Ana Kalay valley on 2 September 2008, Sgt Simmonds was wounded in the calf by a ricocheting bullet before being blown off his feet by a rocket propelled grenade and peppered with shrapnel. When subsequently firing at two members of the Taliban on the ridge line, his rifle was struck near the ejection port by the bullet, the force of the impact smashing the weapon into his face. As the battle continued, Sgt Simmonds crawled under a vehicle and held on as it started moving – he was slowly dragged approximately 25 metres before being dislodged. He then followed on foot before another vehicle stopped for him. Struggling to get in the vehicle due to his wounds and exhaustion, he placed himself between the vehicle and the bull bar, wrapping the bull bar’s chain around his head for protection. Later, during surgery at Tarin Kowt, doctors discovered the bullet from Simmonds’ first wound had entered his buttock, missing both his bowel and bladder before lodging in his right hip. It was determined the bullet could not be removed without further risk to his life. Troy Simmonds joined the Australian Army in 1991 and completed one tour of Somalia, three tours of East Timor, two tours of Iraq and six tours of Afghanistan. He served with the Special Air Service Regiment until his retirement from army life in 2012.