page_title: Yorkshire Regiment
section_title: Afghanistan 2007–2008
hierarchical_section_title: Yorkshire Regiment / History / Afghanistan 2007–2008
caption_attribution_description: Afghanistan Service Medal Parade, 2nd Battalion (Green Howards) of the Yorkshire Regiment, Weeton Barracks, UK
context_page_description: The Yorkshire Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, created by the amalgamation of three historic regiments in 2006. It is currently the only line infantry or rifles unit to represent a single geographical county in the new infantry structure, serving as the county regiment of Yorkshire. It lost one battalion as part of the Army 2020 defence review.
  The regiment's recruitment area today covers almost all the historic county except for the eastern half of South Yorkshire and the southeast of West Yorkshire, which is a recruitment area for the Rifles, and the part of the West Riding that is now in Greater Manchester. The recruitment area covers all of the present-day ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire. Recruitment, however, is open to those from outside the formal recruitment area, with the regiment in particular recruiting from North East England and other Commonwealth countries.
  The regiment's antecedent units also recruited in areas that are now part of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Cumbria, Lancashire and Greater Manchester.
context_section_description: The 2nd Battalion (Green Howards) of the regiment were deployed to the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in September, 2007 in an 'Operational Mentoring and Liaison' role with the Afghan National Army. Whilst there they took part in the Battle of Musa Qala during which Sgt Lee Johnson was killed shortly after 10am on 8 December 2007, in the lead up to the operation to retake the town from the Taliban forces, after his Vector armoured vehicle ran over a landmine. Sgt Johnson had previously received a MID for assisting his company commander, Major Jake Little, in extracting soldiers who were surrounded by Taliban fighters. Major Little was later awarded a Military Cross for his "inspirational leadership" to extract his men.  Acting Sergeant John Cockburn was also awarded a Military Cross for his actions in the same tour of duty.
  The 2nd Battalion (Green Howards) returned to their barracks in Weeton, Lancashire during April, 2008 and were presented with their service medals at a parade there on 30 April 2008 by Major General Andrew Farquhar, Honorary Colonel of the Battalion, along with Brigadier Andrew Mackay, of 52 Infantry Brigade, and Brigadier Mike Griffiths, of 42 (North West) Brigade.
caption: 2nd Battalion (Green Howards) Medal Parade
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