AHAMPSHIRE soldier has spoken for the first time about surviving one of the most savage battles of the eight-year war in Afghanistan.

Captain Dave Mans, from Lymington, was one of 30 soldiers who made a heroic stand against some 400 Taliban insurgents last summer.

Dubbed The Siege of Roshan Tower, the troops were attacked for nine days and nights by rocket- propelled grenades, mortars and AK47s.

Yet the soldiers – from A Company, 2 Battalion, the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment – suffered just one casualty from a shrapnel wound as they killed a quarter of the enemy.

Up to 55 mortar rounds a day exploded as the platoon, nicknamed The Tigers, defended the strategically important high ground overlooking the town of Musa Qala in Helmand Province.

The piece of land was only the size of a tennis court, but Captain Mans said its significance was far greater because of the message it sent to the Afghan people.

“We didn’t want to surrender the tower because it would have set a precedent that the British Army would withdraw from outstations,”

the Southampton-born squaddie said. “It was also strategically an important place. It’s important that the Afghan people have confidence in the British Army. We couldn’t be seen to withdraw from situations like that.”

The siege was immortalised by bestselling author and former SAS trooper Andy McNab, who was stationed half a mile away. He likened it to the famous Rorke’s Drift attack in 1879, when 139 soldiers defeated over 4,000 Zulu warriors.

“The bravery of these few men knows no bounds. The Siege of Roshan Tower should go down in history as perhaps the most savage of the Afghan conflict,” he said.

Captain Mans, who this month returned to Afghanistan for a second tour, added: “It was certainly the most intense experience of my time. I was in command of the 30 troops when we came under attack, I relayed messages back to the operations room and basically organised the fighting.

“It wasn’t 24 hours a day – there was actually plenty of time when there was nothing happening at all.We kept fighting out of pure necessity, but I think everyone was quite glad for a bit of excitement as well – if you can believe that.”

The 26-year-old said McNab may have used a degree of journalistic licence in his account of the fight, but the battalion was pleased to have their efforts recognised.

A Company, 2 PWRR this month returned to Afghanistan for a three-month tour in the south of the country. As second-in-command, Captain Mans hopes he will this time have an opportunity to work alongside the Afghan people.

“Things are improving out there. I think everybody is aware that we are going to be there for a little while yet, but even in my small time out there I saw a significant improvement in the quality of life for the Afghan people.

“They are a very interesting and diverse people. Not every person is as lucky to go out to see a culture like that, so I’m really looking forward to it.

“It certainly puts life back home in perspective and it makes you really appreciate how good things are back in England, you certainly miss it when you are away.”