Battleworn

About the Book

Gritty, harrowing and full of courage, a testimony to the men and woman from the council estates of Britain who lived and died in the longest campaign the British Army has fought in decades a must read for any politician.
– AR retired Warrant Officer 1st Class 22 SAS Chantelle Taylor joined the British Army in 1998 as a combat medical technician. Ten years later she made history, becoming the first female soldier to kill a Taliban fighter in close-quarter combat while on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. In Battleworn, she tells the story of B Company, a beleaguered group of individuals who fought relentlessly to hold Nad-e Ali, a dusty, sweltering hellhole surrounded by the Taliban. A routine patrol into an area saturated with enemy fighters escalates into a seven-week siege. Facing the possibility of death daily, Taylor writes of gun battles and perilous patrols, culminating in the extraction of more than sixty-six casualties with four killed in action. A powerful story written with a humility that captures the sometimes impalpable humour of soldiers at war, Battleworn provides a testament to combat medics all over the world. It highlights the crucial role that they play in today’s 360-degree battlefield.

About the Author

Chantelle Taylor joined the British Army in 1998 as a combat medical technician, twelve years and five deployments later she was recommended to take the Queens commission from the ranks but opted to leave the service. She returned to Afghanistan for a third time with the U.S. Department of State, where the former soldier developed from inception the trauma assistant program completing two years as an instructor in combat medicine. Her contribution to the world of tactical medicine continues with her experiences in the field shared through the interactive “soldier” exhibition at the British national army museum, London. Chantelle was formerly presented to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during the official museum opening ceremony. “Battleworn” along with the author’s poem “Keep me Awake” was featured as part of the British militaries contribution to the Warrior Care exhibition of art in Washington, D.C. Taylor recently advised technically on the short film “Do No Harm” in Los Angeles and her book has been named as a finalist in the Independent Foreword reviews “book of the year” awards.