PDA

View Full Version : U.K. Conspicuous Gallantry Cross Andrew Radford



bobdina
07-19-2009, 06:25 PM
Lance Corporal of Horse Andrew Radford – Household Cavalry Regiment: Conspicuous Gallantry Cross

"On 1 August 2006, Lance Corporal of Horse Andrew Radford's Troop of the Household Cavalry Regiment was deployed in Southern Afghanistan. As his Troop moved through a small village, the lead two vehicles were ambushed by Taliban forces with a combination of Rocket Propelled Grenade fire, heavy machine guns and a large Improvised Explosive Device. One of the vehicles was destroyed in the initial attack, killing three of its four occupants immediately and continued to burn fiercely. The crew of the second vehicle managed to extract themselves from the ambush whilst under accurate enemy rocket fire, and had to abandon their vehicle in the process.

"Seeing the imminent danger that the driver of the abandoned vehicle was in, and without hesitation or prompting from his officer, Lance Corporal of Horse Radford dismounted from his vehicle under sustained enemy fire and ran into the ambush killing area towards the gravely injured driver. Entering into a scene of utter devastation and horror, Radford reached his injured comrade.

"He showed an almost superhuman effort to carry the wounded trooper back 70 metres uphill to his own armoured vehicle under challenging conditions. This feat was all the more remarkable as at the time he was still under heavy fire from a mixture of machine guns and Rocket Propelled Grenades. Lance Corporal of Horse Radford showed a complete disregard for his own safety and acted completely on his own initiative. A father of four young children, he deliberately put himself in harm's way and was utterly focused on saving his fellow comrade in trouble, who had suffered horrendous injuries. Without doubt, his immediate action saved his colleagues life and has justified the award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross."