A Ukrainian warrior from the 95th "Polissia" Air Assault Brigade told how he and his team managed to hold back russian assaults for 10 days with just one L119 light gun. Every day, the enemy tried to break through the defense, but the gun crew did not retreat. His story was shared by Oboz.ua, citing a Facebook post from the 95th Brigade.
"Our L119 gun crew was behind the positions of a friendly brigade. For ten days, the russians tried to storm them 10-12 times a day. The breaks were so insignificant that in the end it was one continuous assault. Then we held back the enemy with just one gun. We worked without a break until they (the enemies - ed.) calmed down," said Dmytro, a sergeant from one of the battalions of the 95th Air Assault Brigade.
Read more: British L119 105mm Howitzer is Already in Ukraine: Military Told About its Advantages Over the Soviet D-30
Dmytro, who is the commander of the gun crew, is always calm in positions, even during fierce fighting. According to him, this is a professional asset from his past work, when he worked as a rescuer in the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
"The work there is such that stressful conditions become the norm. Therefore, it prepared me well for war. Especially in military affairs, a cool head is always a plus," the soldier explained.
According to the warrior, there is nothing complicated in his job. He states that with desire and motivation, anyone can reach the level of "master."
Dmytro's gun crew is one of the most productive; their main task is now to support the infantry. "To destroy the russians before they even get close to our stormtroopers, or to destroy their equipment along with them during the assault. It is nice to hear commanders after the battle say that we worked well covering our troops by artillery fire," the defender of Ukraine said.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskii, awarded Sergeant Dmytro the "Cross of Military Honor" breastplate for professionalism and determination on the battlefield.
The L119 light gun is a version of the British L118 towed field gun with a different barrel and a percussion primer firing mechanism to shoot a variety of standard M1 family rounds. This type of 105mm artillery shell is common across NATO countries. The maximum firing range is 11,400 metres (12,500 yd).
Despite the fact that the artillery system is classified as a "gun," it is a howitzer by its purpose. It provides direct and indirect fire support to combat units of the Ground Forces as well, and can be used in both offensive and defensive operations.
Until 2005, this howitzer was in service with the British Army and was exported to several countries. A license for the production of this artillery system was purchased by Australia, Thailand, and the United States.
Read more: The Ukrainian Artilleryman Destroyed russian SPG-9 Kopyo Gun with the British L119 Light Gun (video)
