Victoria Cross awarded to British Soldier for saving American Officer

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A British paratrooper who showed "complete disregard" for his own safety during a Taliban attack in Afghanistan has been awarded the Victoria Cross - the highest British military honour.

L/Cpl Joshua Leakey, 27, of the Parachute Regiment, was recognised for his valour during the 2013 attack.

He is the third serviceman - and the first living servicemen - to receive the medal for service in Afghanistan.

L/Cpl Leakey, from Hampshire, said he was "deeply honoured".

He has been recognised with the VC almost 70 years after another member of his family was awarded the same honour.

L/Cpl Leakey's second cousin twice removed, Sergeant Nigel Gray Leakey, was a posthumous recipient of the VC in November 1945, for his actions while fighting in Africa during the Second World War.

L/Cpl Leaky braved Taliban fire and went to the aid of an American Captain injured by machine gun fire , without thought for his own safety . L/Cpl leakey ran to the injured officer and administered first aid , for this bravery he was awarded the Victoria Cross the highest award in the British Millitary a true hero. see the story on the BBC here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31626357

FULL STORY

After dismounting from helicopters, a group of UK and US forces came under attack from around 20 insurgents armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

Soldiers from the group became pinned down by fire on the side of the hill and surrounded by insurgents.

L/Cpl Leakey ran to the top of a hill, despite enemy fire, to assess the situation and provided first aid to a wounded US Marine Corps captain.

He then ran back up the hill to reposition a machine gun and began firing at the insurgents, despite bullets "ricocheting" off the machine gun's frame.

Despite the danger, he returned to the injured captain - drawing enemy fire again - to retrieve a second machine gun, before running back to the crest of the hill once more, where he managed to help regain the initiative.

During the battle, 11 insurgents were killed and four were wounded.

L/Cpl Leakey said the only thing he was scared of during the fire fight was "letting my cap badge down".
'Best position'
"You don't really think what could happen to yourself, you think 'how is what I'm doing now going to improve the situation?'," he said.

"It's part of the very nature of being in the Army, and especially the Parachute Regiment, that we have to adapt to situations you don't expect to happen."

He told the BBC: "In that particular incident I was in the best position to do that. If it had been any of my mates they would be in this position now."

"I don't look at it about being about me in particular, I look at this as representing everyone from my unit, from my battalion, who was involved in the campaign in Afghanistan," he added.

In a statement, his parents said they were "hugely proud" of their son.