by Chris Hunter

A Kent soldier and police officer has recounted the "stomach-turning" moment he learnt an Afghan recruit had killed the man who trained him at Sandhurst.

Maidstone Police’s PC Pete Alexander - also a TA captain - was training Afghan officers in Helmand Province, and was only eight miles from the scene of the attack, when a rogue Afghan officer shot dead five British servicemen at a checkpoint on November 3.

Among the dead was Warrant Officer 1st Class Darren Chant, who had been one of PC Alexander’s Colour Sergeants at Sandhurst.

The 28-year-old Medway man says he "knew of" the gunman but does not wish to talk about him.

Currently on two weeks’ leave, and preparing to return to Afghanistan next Sunday December 13, he says he still cannot totally trust Afghan officers, but remains determined to continue in his role.

"It hit us hard" said PC Alexander, a soldier with the Territorial Army’s Royal Artillery Regiment. "You have to build up a relationship with these people. You have to gain their trust. They have to gain your trust. Unfortunately, as a result of that incident it meant that an element of our trust towards them was lost.

"To hear of the death of someone you had been trained by; someone you looked up to when you were in your younger years at the beginning of your training.

Having project-managed the construction of the new Helmand Provincial Training Centre, he is "excited" about returning to the region next Sunday and beginning work at the new site, despite the killings in November.

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