Military cross for soldier who continued to fight after being just 'a hair's breadth from death'

News story MILITARY CROSS FOR SOLDIER WHO CONTINUED TO FIGHT AFTER BEING JUST 'A HAIR'S BREADTH FROM DEATH' A soldier who had a lucky escape after being shot in the head as he

ran to protect a wounded comrade in northern Helmand has been awarded a Military Cross. This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Rifleman Matthew Wilson, aged 21, from 2nd Battalion The Rifles, who was attached to the Queen’s Dragoon Guards during Operation HERRICK 15, was withdrawing from an operation in Nahr-e Saraj

in October last year when an insurgent sharpshooter shot at his patrol - hitting one of the soldiers in the leg. As the casualty lay in the open being treated, Rifleman Wilson ran forward

with another soldier to provide cover to stop the insurgent shooting again. But, as Rifleman Wilson tried to identify the enemy sharpshooter’s position to return fire, a bullet glanced off

the top of his helmet knocking him unconscious: > There was a massive crack sound and then my head was whipped > sideways,” recalled the Aberystwyth soldier, who was knocked > 

unconscious for 30 seconds before being shaken awake. >  > One of the other soldiers saw it and said he just saw dust come off > the top of my helmet and me fall to the floor, but I

 don’t > remember it happening. I just remember waking up with a massive > headache but I didn’t realise what had happened right away. >  > It’s weird. I didn’t just get up and 

think that I have just been > shot in the head. But when I put my finger on my helmet it was > really hot where the bullet had hit. >  > As a soldier I know the preparations the 

insurgent would have taken > prior to taking that shot, and it would have been just a minor > mistake - a slip of the shoulder - that meant he hit the top of my > helmet and not my 

face. The threat however still remained as the insurgent started to target the incoming casualty evacuation helicopter as Rifleman Wilson started to come to. With no option, Rifleman Wilson

began to crawl forward to identify the enemy position but the insurgent sharpshooter was just too well hidden. His only choice was to run across an open field under a hail of bullets: > 

When I got up, the insurgent who shot me knew I was still alive, so > he kept on firing at me. Staying there wasn’t a good place to be, > but also we couldn’t risk the helicopter going

 down or the shooter > hitting the casualty again or one of the helicopter crew. >  > We needed to do something about it and nobody else could get eyes on > the shooter’s 

position. So I started pegging it,” recalled the > Rifleman. >  > You could hear him going for me… I was zigzagging, doing > everything to avoid the bullets that at first were 

landing by my > feet, and then whizzing past my head. He was getting closer and > closer. Rifleman Wilson just made it to the protective cover of a ditch when an Apache attack

helicopter arrived to give them all cover as they extracted further to a nearby compound. His head still pounding from the impact of the bullet, Rifleman Wilson then climbed onto the

compound wall to help identify the enemy firing point. From his new position, Rifleman Wilson was able to return fire and, with the combined effort of the rest of the patrol, was able to

neutralise the enemy threat and launch a counter-attack. Amazingly, Rifleman Wilson then continued with the rest of his four- hour patrol back to his base where he was fully checked for

injury - and then put the incident to the back of his mind till he was called to his commanding officer’s office: > I hadn’t forgotten about it, but I’d just moved on, so I was a > bit

 confused when I was told to go and see the commanding officer as > that’s not normally a good thing! I never thought I would have > something like this medal - it’s a pretty big deal 

and hasn’t > really sunk in. >  > But I can’t wait to go to the Palace and meet the Queen to receive > the medal, although I’m really nervous about it,” admited > Rifleman 

Wilson who has suffered no side effects from the shot to > the head. >  > You have got to respect your enemy,” he concluded. “I have no > special hate. I would have done exactly 

the same, except I > wouldn’t have missed. It was a bloody good shot though. His citation says: > Wilson’s gallantry, coolness under fire and exemplary > determination, having been 

literally a hair’s breadth from death, > was nothing short of extraordinary. >  > Where many would have crumbled under pressure, shock or fear, Wilson > immediately rose to the 

challenge and took the fight forward to the > enemy. This young man is a fine example of conspicuous courage that > few display in the face of mortal danger. The Military Cross is

awarded to all ranks of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and RAF in recognition of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land. The announcement was made on

Friday with the release of the latest Operational Honours and Awards List which includes some 106 personnel. The awards are for actions taken during the period of Operation HERRICK 15 from 1

October 2011 to 31 March 2012. See Related News. Rifleman Wilson is one of seven Military Cross recipients on the list. SHARE THIS PAGE The following links open in a new tab * Share on

Facebook (opens in new tab) * Share on Twitter (opens in new tab) UPDATES TO THIS PAGE Published 1 October 2012