After our orders it was about 21:00 and Kabul was in darkness. Our orders were to conduct a vehicle patrol through the city and up to a village on a hillside, where we were to conduct a vehicle check point.

We loaded up and boarded the two Snatch Land rovers, it was the first time I had driven through Kabul at night.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that the streets were quiet; the roads were relatively empty from traffic.

We made our way through the city with ease only the odd street light and dull glow from houses lit our way as we passed through.

As we approached the foot of the hill we noticed the stark contrast between the main hub of the city and the village that lined the side of the hill.

There were no lights, probably not any electricity and the tarmac road turned into an uneven stony track. The houses were no longer built from brick and plaster but now from mud. We carried up and arrived at the point where we were to conduct a vehicle check point.

The front vehicle stopped on the left side of the road, I passed with my vehicle a few metres in front and parked over on the right side of the road, creating a chicane. While the commanders and other soldiers jumped out and started setting up the signs and cones, me and the other driver switched on our spot lights and shone them on up the hillside that rolled out before us, scouring for anything or anyone that could pose as a threat to our call sign.

Once the check point had been set up we waited in the darkness. Slowly but surely a flickering beams of light hit the night sky from over the brow of the hill.

Then the vehicle trundled over the brow and down toward our check point. The lads on top cover aimed their weapons just in case and the mini bus pulled up in to the two Land rovers. The commander along with the interpreter approached the driver and explained why we were conducting a vehicle search and the guys on the ground search the occupants and the vehicle inside out. After thanking the occupants the vehicle carried on through and down into the city.

We conducted this on a few more vehicles searching for anything suspicious then collapsed the check point and carried on up the hillside. The patrol went over the brow of the hill and started to drop down the opposite side. The track had almost disappeared with erosion and was covered in icy slippery mud; there was a really steep drop to the right side of the vehicles leading to the valley floor.

On more than one occasion the wheels slid and I thought we were going over, I didn’t say that to the lads in the back though, as most of them are encased in the darkness of the shell of the vehicle and that would have done nothing for their confidence and nerves.

Arriving at the village on the other side of the hill, everything was in darkness; there was not much space to squeeze the vehicles through, as the track was lined with high mud walls towering over the Land rovers.

One little fruit stall was still open and the gentleman within it gave us a big smile and wave which was reassuring.

We came out of the village and entered the main hub of the city, using back streets to get back to the base, we weaved in and out of check points arriving back safely around 22:30.