Skippy - My first time out & I'm dodging tank rounds and mortar holes just to end up wounded.

chris Naganuma
Nov 14, 2024
8 min read

My first taste of combat is also a bit interesting tore my meniscus running through a tree line when a tank had us zeroed and was dropping rounds on us. One part that sticks with me is when I looked toward the RU tank and saw a bright flash and intense wave of pressure, (guessing a tank round) went in between me and the Ukrainian in front of me and I felt the heat as it went past, FUCKING INCREDIBLE MAN - that's when I started to boogie the fuck out of there and my left leg went in a hole I wasn't expecting. My body kept going but my leg and knee did not, I felt a sharp snap which ended up being my meniscus popping.

The Ukrainian in front of me grabbed me trying to get me out of the hole and started screaming in Ukrainian at me, I said “English bro English?!” And he goes and I quote “why won't you go?! If you do not move I will shoot you!! .......but not now I'll do it later” then he smiled and laughed at me.I finally got it across that I was actually injured and not just stuck, my team lead came up the rear and we made the decision to evacuate me.

Coming from no military background and not having dealt with such destructive machines before I was in absolute awe of the destruction around me, it had me almost like a trance or shock and awe if you will.

I remember being in so much pain sitting in a sheel scrape waiting for the ukies to pick me up who were rotating out of the combat area. I don’t know but I just couldn't stop smiling in some twisted way, even thought I was hurt- it was dream to see combat growing up.

They finally came and helped me hop out of the tree line to our pick up and drop off point, but our pick up ended up being delayed and would be late. Luckily for all of us we had some entertainment in the form of a broken BMP.

Earlier in the morning a BMP had thrown a track about 500 meters from our pick up & drop of point. The Russians had spotted it stuck in the open and we sat there for about 10 minutes watching the Russians trying to hit the BMP with arty and other munitions. The entire experience was actually hilarious because the Ukies were going “AYYYYYYYYYYYYEEE” when we heard the report from the gun fire - then when the round would miss you'd hear “aawweee”. Dark humor I tell ya, 🤣🤣. Because of that arty though we had to ruck out through a few more tree lines to a new pickup point and I finally was able to get myself out of there on an Evac vehicle.

So stupid of a first experience but that was my first time seeing combat I was out there about 4 hours and already needed a surgery, war is hell and stupid 🤣🤣🤣

Questions -

Chris - Can you please state your call sign, Where you are from and the unit you were attached to ( if you feel comfortable and want to give them credit. )

Skippy - My callsign is Skippy I'm an Australian volunteer that served in 1st battalion Charlie and Bravo coy as a infantryman with Charlie coy, and then a AGS17 ( Full auto grenade launcher ) operator with bravo company, before the war I was a fabricator by trade I served with Charlie company for 2 months and then bravo coy for 2 months also (both times due to injuries)

Chris - What role did you play or what did you specialize in while attached to your unit?

Skippy - My experience in Ukraine is somewhat unique in the sense I had no training whatsoever before I was sent to the front.

I guess you could say it was trial by fire of sorts and learn on the job as I go.

I will admit at first I was in way over my head but as time went and with the guys around me I was able to adjust as the conflict ramped up. My first exposure to enemy fire was on my first operation which made me really realize just how vulnerable you are in this conflict, not only are you looking out for mines constantly - you're looking up and watching drones while at the same time your dodging rounds from tanks / artillery / mortars and everything in between. For a little city boy from Australia it was both terrifying and exhilarating! I can remember seeing flashes on the horizon from artillery and the only thing I could think of was all the ww1 movies I'd watched with my father growing up, i can't deny it made me smirk like a child a little.

Chris - You stated you felt the heat as the projectile pass in between you and a Ukrainian troop in front of you. What was that experience like and what was running through your head ?

Skippy - As the round passed through me and the Ukrainian in front it took a second for it to actually register what the fuck it actually was. The heat wasn't anything significant but in temps, but it was definitely noticeable that something fast moved between us, it was honestly fucking terrifying as this was my first mission and we were still just infilling. I remember thinking to myself that if this is how we're starting out someone is going to get smoked before we finish this 24hours on our observation post - thankfully that didn’t happen though.

Chris - What was going through your head when you realized your leg was messed up and you were hurt? Did you think, well this is it 🤷🏻‍♂️

Skippy - Once I'd torn my meniscus and realized I physically couldn't walk unaided, I did have a feeling of dread and impending doom come over me (this is the first time I've ever admitted this) but honestly I didn't think I was actually going to be killed at any moment. its was weird though, my body definitely reacted as if I was going to be killed - I started shaking and getting hot sweats intensely.

Chris - Can you describe your experience what it has been like operating on the front. You stated you were in awe of the destructive power of the machines, the tanks seem to be a large one if I’m not mistaken during your time.

Skippy - Tanks and artillery tanks are scary because they travel horizontally you don't hear them till they hit you generally it's a very quick ( boom Woosh boom ) whereas artillery travels in a arc so you have that second or so to hit the deck (if you're lucky) but the tanks scare me more.. Knowing a group of men in a multi million dollar rolling beast are trying to kill you and your team specifically from sometimes thousands of yards away - it feels very personal compared to artillery which is semi just launched in a general direction

Chris - When you were stuck, Obviously the Ukie was joking when he said “ if you do not move, I will shoot you” But did he know you were wounded and did you think he was serious for a moment?

Skippy - At first the Ukrainian didn't know I was injured cause I kept trying to stand and push through but every time I tried to bear weight my leg would collapse that's when the Ukrainian started screaming at me in either Ukrainian or Russian but I wasn’t sure at it was literally my first mission lol.

In frustration I just started yelling back at him ( English you fucking idiot “we're legion” so they know English)

He sort of smirked at me and lent down put his hand on my shoulder and then said the if you do not move I will shoot you!......... not now not now but later and laughed, at first when I heard the Ill shoot you I was thinking fuck. But he followed on with "not now but I will later" and I just scoffed and sort of awkwardly chuckled he then helped me to a shell scrape and sat with me til my team lead came up the rear

Chris - What are the main challenges you have come across while doing your job in modern warfare? Holes being one of them lol - ( comedy )

Skippy - Fuck you Chris lol - Honestly with the fucking drones, the biggest problem I found is accepting the fact you're generally not going to know if they are ours or theirs it's a terrifying thing and very hard to accept.

But yeah the holes are a fucking bitch, I guess after this incident “Skippy” was a very fitting callsign lol

Chris - You spoke of the Ukies cheering and being upset when Russian artillery missed a piece of armor. Can you expand more on that and how it made you feel seeing this type of comedy.

Skippy - haha the Ukies have a weird sense of humor, seeing them get upset a BMP wasn't hit was very weird too me because from what I could see it was a salvageable piece of armor. I saw it as a massive loss since the BMP just had a thrown track which is nothing - but I don't know if there was other damage to that armor that I couldn’t see.

Chris - Did they ever hit that BMP?

Skippy - The bmp eventually took somewhat of a glancing blow and they erupted into cheers all around. I was like “wtf is going on” and about ten minutes later we kept rucking out - by that time the BMP was smoking but I never saw any flames or a catastrophic detonation. They may have retrieved it for all I know, I’m honestly not sure

Chris - Have you engaged armor or troops directly during your short time on the front?

Skippy - So I've never engaged armor itself but I have engaged and eliminated Russian Assault and Recce elements with the AGS17 during my last mission in Avdiivka. I had a confirmed hit on a group of 6 Russians or Chechens (Chechens were holding avdiivka during this time) it was a weird feeling knowing I'd hurt people from so far away I felt - somewhat detached from it all.

Chris - How does it make you feel knowing you got hurt so early on? Do you see it as a blessing or as you missed out?

Skippy - I was definitely disappointed I got injured so early on but I also saw it as fate if that makes sense. I didn't come to ukraine to die I came to help, be involved and once I was injured I was only a liability. That was the last thing I wanted to be, I'd have never forgiven myself if I'd gotten someone else hurt or worse.. Just because of me trying to push through injuries. Listen, if you're not fit you're as good as dead in Ukraine. Bring your Fitness game if you are coming here.

Chris - The west is starting to question funding and support for the war - what are your thoughts ?

Skippy - Trump is a absolute fool and bum buddies with Putin, it's sad seeing so many people switch rhetoric and stopping support cause some bald rich prick tells them Putin isn't a bad guy.

Putin is the core root of alot of the world's problems

Chris - In closing, is there anything you would like to say to the world or any one at home who may see this ?

Skippy - one thing I'd like too say to people at home is don't put your heads in the sand. We have a very dark future ahead if Putin succeeds in Ukraine he will not stop until everyone is dead and he holds what ever land he claims as “Russians”.

Start preparing, get fit, train in medical and firearms and be fucking ready. Unfortunately because of this maniac there are very big things coming, he has well and truly changed the status quo of the world. Now other tyrants are thinking they can get away with fucking around meanwhile back home we are worried about bullshit that is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Our priorities are very wrong in the west and inclusiveness doesn't stop the wars that violent men do. You need men willing to be violent to step such men.

Chris - Skippy, Thank you my friend.