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.
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.
Rifleman Matthew Wilson, from 2nd Battalion The Rifles, is to receive the Military Cross
[Picture: Shane Wilkinson, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]
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....
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