Old school friends meet up again in Afghanistan

Two school friends have met up in Afghanistan – 22 years later.

Regimental Sergeant Majors Dave Triandafilou and Dave Youngs first met when they were just 10 years old, and met by chance time and time again during operational deployments around the world.

The pair, both Warrant Officers, grew up in Ollerton.

Now 39-year-old Dave Triandafilou, of 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment, has handed over the reins of his current job to his old school friend.

WO1 Youngs, from 2nd Battalion the Rifles, has taken on the Regimental Sergeant Major duties, and is living and working with the 3/215 Afghan National Army Corps Brigade to mentor and partner their soldiers.

WO1 Triandafilou is based in Falingbostel, Germany, but is originally from Ollerton. He is married to Heather and they have one son, five-year-old Ben.

He joined Army at 16, one week after leaving Dukeries College in Ollerton. Since then he has served 22 years and completed tours in Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone, Iraq, two tours of Bosnia and four tours of Afghanistan.

He said: “It’s been quiet compared to previous tours, and it’s gone really fast.

"My role has included advising my ANA counterpart, and patrolling the whole of Task Force Helmand’s area of operations. I think I have travelled more than 10,000km during my tour."

WO1 Triandafilou said: “Afghanistan is now much more developed, and is safer in places than it has been on previous tours.

"It’s good to see what a difference we have made to the lives of the civilian population."

WO1 Youngs, who is also 39, is based in Ballykinler, Northern Ireland, and married to Clare. They have three daughters - Jenna, 17, Aimee, 15, Ellie, 10.

Like WO1 Triandafilou, he also joined the Army at 16 but attended Mansfield Sherwood Hall Upper School. He has completed tours in Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone, Iraq, and twice to Afghanistan.

He said: “It’s really reassuring to be taking over from Dave. We’ve known each other since we were 10 and always meet up in the strangest of places - Iraq, Afghanistan in 2009, and now. Happily, I seem to be aging better.

“I’m looking forward to working with the ANA as we move towards transition and toward handing over complete control to the ANA. I’ve only been in Afghanistan for few weeks but I have already seen the dramatic change in the ANA since I was last here.

“I’m sure I will catch up with Dave in the summer for a beer. Hopefully, the next time I see him it will be on UK soil for a change.”