Soldier's nerves of steel save Afghan child's life
A People In Defence news article
21 Dec 10
A British soldier who recently encountered a Taliban gunman using a child as a shield took a split-second decision to get shot himself rather than risking the child's life.
Lance Corporal Craig Murfitt gives first aid to an Afghan girl
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]
Lance Corporal Craig Murfitt, a rifleman and medic serving in Afghanistan's Helmand province, demonstrated nerves of steel and the coolest of clear heads in a startling sequence of events, after being called to assist fellow soldiers during a recent patrol
The 25-year-old, serving with the Tidworth-based 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, was amongst a crew of soldiers patrolling in one of the Army's new Warthog armoured vehicles.
They were out on a routine security patrol, providing reassurance to local communities, when suddenly they were re-tasked to reinforce infantry colleagues who had been pinned down by fire from hidden insurgents and needed urgent back-up.
Lance Corporal Murfitt, from Barnstaple in Devon and known to Army mates as 'Murf', said:
"It had been a pretty standard patrol, but when the call came in and we were re-tasked, we were told to get in there fast and provide support.
"I was in the rear half of my Troop Sergeant's vehicle ready to give precision fire with my rifle, and the driver stepped on it to get there as quickly as possible.
"Our arrival, with our heavy firepower, seemed to bring the fight to an end fairly quickly, but we stayed alert.
"Everything was quiet, but then I spotted three men with a child on a compound roof, about 300 yards to the front of the vehicles.
"Suddenly two of the men moved off, leaving one man with the child – it was a girl, no more than 10-years-old. At this point I realised something was wrong - the man picked up a rifle and moved behind the child, taking aim at me."...
To read what happened next in this mindboggling story , go here.
No comments:
Post a Comment