Llandudno Junction solider getting ready to face the Taliban

Mar 25 2010 by Eva Ketley, North Wales Weekly News

Ryan Mercer

A TEENAGER from Llandudno Junction is undergoing intensive training to face the Taliban on the frontline in Afghanistan.

Ryan Mercer is just 18 years old, but will be doing arguably one of the most dangerous jobs in the world searching for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), with Force Protection.

He flew to Afghanistan on Mothering Sunday after enjoying a big send off with all his friends and family at the Maelgwyn Pub.

His proud mother Jayne said: “It was a very bad day for me Mothering Sunday, as I knew Ryan was flying to Afghanistan.

“He sent me some lovely flowers and a card with a lovely verse, I was over the moon about that.”

Jayne has talked to her son every other day since he arrived in Camp Bastion. She said: “He talks about the heat a lot and seems very quiet over the phone sometimes, I think the reality of the situation has hit home.

“He phones up a lot which is quite unusual, I think he’s a little homesick.”

Karl Davies, Ryan’s cousin and closest confidante, said that Ryan who is known as ‘Little Giggsy’ to his friends, is putting on a brave face. Karl said: “He was supposed to phone me over the weekend but due to the recent deaths of soliders over there they block all contact to ‘home’ until the families have been informed of their loss.

“He’s going through eight days of intensive training which Ryan says “enhanced” his previous 18 months of training.”

Ryan is enjoying life on Camp Bastion.

Karl said: “According to Ryan the food is incredible, the meals that are cooked for them are fantastic, and there is plenty of it.

“There is a Pizza Hut on the base and he’d just been enjoying a Chinese when he phoned.”

When not training Ryan plays football and volleyball with his unit but says he spends most of his time in the gym.

“He was thrilled to have watched Manchester United v Liverpool in the coffee shop they have on the camp,” revealed Karl.

“Sleeping arrangements aren’t so good, Ryan and nine others sleep in ‘Cam-Cots’ (four posts with the material hanging off it like a hammock) covered with a mosquito net.”

When Karl asked his cousin whether he was nervous about his first mission Ryan replied: “No, I just want to get out there and go Vallen (which is what they call the metal detector which looks for the IEDs).”

Karl said: “His fellow soldiers, 30 in his section think Ryan is ‘nuts’ as he just wants to get out there. Personally I think it’s his way of handling his nerves.

“My little cousin said the first mission is the one most soldiers get nervous about, as there is nothing like being thrown in the deep end.”