On Her Majesty’s Service: Harry tells of missions ‘taking out’ Taliban fighters

The third in line to the throne flew dozens of missions as a gunner in an Apache attack helicopter, carrying out strikes against insurgents and protecting ground forces in Helmand.

Details of the Prince’s 20-week tour with 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, can now be revealed afer he completed his second spell serving in Afghanistan.

“Yeah, so lots of people have,” he said matter-of-factly, after being asked if he had killed from the cockpit. 

“The squadron’s been out here. Everyone’s fired a certain amount.

“Take a life to save a life,” he shrugged. “That’s what we revolve around, I suppose. If there’s people trying to do bad stuff to our guys, then we’ll take them out of the game, I suppose.”

On his last tour of Afghanistan Prince Harry was on the ground with the Household Cavalry co-ordinating air attacks but the deployment was cut short when commanders became concerned the collapse of a media blackout could expose him and his fellow soldiers to greater danger.

A return to Afghanistan, this time based at Camp Bastion, was made possible after he trained as an Apache co-pilot gunner but he insisted killing the enemy was not his motivation.

“It’s not the reason I decided to do this job,” he said. 

“The reason to do this job was to get back out here and carry on with a job.”

The royal, who made no secret of his frustration at being restricted to living at the military base, added: “I suppose we’re not out at the sharp end because we’re stuck in Bastion.

“But I know there is probably – hopefully a minority of people –that seem to think that I’ve got a free pass, I’m in this aircraft therefore I’m as safe as houses.

“Well yeah, the AH (attack helicopter) is one of the safer platforms on this tour. 

“But you can’t get a free pass in this job. You can’t get a free pass on anything in the Army, really.”

Squadron commander Major Ali Mack stressed the helicopter fleet including Prince Harry had been “extremely busy”.

He said: “I can safely say there’s nothing regarded safe or routine about flying in Afghanistan.

“There is nothing routine about deploying to an operational theatre – where there is absolutely an insurgency – and flying an attack helicopter in support of both Isaf and Afghan security forces.”

Prince Harry spent Christmas in Afghanistan during his tour which also saw the news emerge that he is to become an uncle.