In the Valley of Death

The nine men are buried in a stony field beyond an orchard of pomegranate trees in the village of Zambar, in eastern Afghanistan. Above their graves, multi-colored flags ripple in the mountain wind - deceptively cheerful reminders of the black day when Australia's Special Air Service came to this valley.

What happened during Redback Kilo Three's patrol is a war story the Australian Army would prefer to forget. During a gunfight many believe was the longest engagement by an SAS unit since the Vietnam war, the patrol's six members showed undoubted heroism. But their actions - which led to...