I want to honour the life of an amazing man. Heval Amed (William Savage) was an awesome guy and a brilliant fighter.
He was in the all foreigner tabur - 223 - and based near the Tactical Medical Unit. I saw him regularly over the past 7 months but I didn't fight alongside him until we got to Manbij.
I was sent with 223 to reinforce a tabur that had taken casualties. It was a nightmare to get to the position - through rat holes, destroyed buildings and with ISIS snipers ever ready to take a shot.
At one point we got to road that was in clear view of an ISIS position. Will and I were the last to cross, we had to wait while one at a time the team ran across the road. Every sound made my heart leap, I secretly cursed my hevals who accidently kicked masonry or twisted metal in the darkness.
A voice in my head kept telling me that I was going to get shot at! Sure enough, I was half way across the road when the air around me exploded with projectiles. The heart wrenching sound of SNAP and CRACK as bullets pass just inches around me. I ran another 20 paces before I leapt face first I into a pile bricks. I scrambled into the shell of a destroyed building with the rest of the team.
I was genuinely terrified, not for myself but for Will who was now trapped on the otherside of the road by himself. ISIS had failed to hit me, perhaps in panic as they had woken up in time to see me half way across the road. Now though, they were awake, ready and waiting on Will to cross.
The team radioed another YPG position and a PKM started hammering the ISIS building. The 223 commander crawled forwards and started shooting with his m16 while calling on Will to cross. ISIS were fully suppressed and Will made it across without incident.
I breathed a huge sigh of relief, I walked over to see if he was ok. I was surprised to see a big smile on his face, 'Macer those bullets went up your ass!' he said with a laugh!
I couldnt believe it! I was scared for him, but he didn't seem to have a care in the world! I remembered a story where a bullet had scraped past Ameds head causing little more than a scratch that bleed alot. He didn't bother getting medical treatment and he was out fighting the same day.
As I ran to catch up with the team, I couldn't help but shake my head and think Amed was one really really brave guy!
There is nobody that has a bad word to say about Will. He was universally loved and everyone has a wonderful story to say about him. I heard last week that he had died in combat. I didn't want to believe it, he was the last and 6th International Volunteer to die in Manbij. He was a legend that gave everything for the liberty of Rojava.
Sleep in peace Will, your spirit will live forever in the hearts of millions.
Macer Gifford
He was in the all foreigner tabur - 223 - and based near the Tactical Medical Unit. I saw him regularly over the past 7 months but I didn't fight alongside him until we got to Manbij.
I was sent with 223 to reinforce a tabur that had taken casualties. It was a nightmare to get to the position - through rat holes, destroyed buildings and with ISIS snipers ever ready to take a shot.
At one point we got to road that was in clear view of an ISIS position. Will and I were the last to cross, we had to wait while one at a time the team ran across the road. Every sound made my heart leap, I secretly cursed my hevals who accidently kicked masonry or twisted metal in the darkness.
A voice in my head kept telling me that I was going to get shot at! Sure enough, I was half way across the road when the air around me exploded with projectiles. The heart wrenching sound of SNAP and CRACK as bullets pass just inches around me. I ran another 20 paces before I leapt face first I into a pile bricks. I scrambled into the shell of a destroyed building with the rest of the team.
I was genuinely terrified, not for myself but for Will who was now trapped on the otherside of the road by himself. ISIS had failed to hit me, perhaps in panic as they had woken up in time to see me half way across the road. Now though, they were awake, ready and waiting on Will to cross.
The team radioed another YPG position and a PKM started hammering the ISIS building. The 223 commander crawled forwards and started shooting with his m16 while calling on Will to cross. ISIS were fully suppressed and Will made it across without incident.
I breathed a huge sigh of relief, I walked over to see if he was ok. I was surprised to see a big smile on his face, 'Macer those bullets went up your ass!' he said with a laugh!
I couldnt believe it! I was scared for him, but he didn't seem to have a care in the world! I remembered a story where a bullet had scraped past Ameds head causing little more than a scratch that bleed alot. He didn't bother getting medical treatment and he was out fighting the same day.
As I ran to catch up with the team, I couldn't help but shake my head and think Amed was one really really brave guy!
There is nobody that has a bad word to say about Will. He was universally loved and everyone has a wonderful story to say about him. I heard last week that he had died in combat. I didn't want to believe it, he was the last and 6th International Volunteer to die in Manbij. He was a legend that gave everything for the liberty of Rojava.
Sleep in peace Will, your spirit will live forever in the hearts of millions.
Macer Gifford
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