Full recovery for brain-impaled gunner

A SCOTTISH soldier who was impaled when a branch smashed into his brain during a road accident is expected to make a full recovery, his family said yesterday.

Gunner Colin Dodds was on a training exercise in Kenya when his vehicle crashed into a tree leaving him with serious head injuries.

The 19-year-old, who serves with the 19th Regiment of the Royal Artillery, will return to the UK on Monday for further surgery.

But his family from Galashiels have been told he is expected to make a full recovery from his horrific injuries.

His father, also Colin, 46, said: "He was in the back of a vehicle chasing another vehicle in an exercise.

"A dust cloud got blown up and the driver went off the road into a wooded area. Colin was impaled when a branch went through the side of his head.

"The branch went into the right side of his brain. It was very serious and he is to get a plate put into his head," Mr Dodds said.

"In the first few days after surgery he could not co-ordinate, which was a big worry. He is stuttering just now but his speech should come back.

"He has been extremely lucky and is expected to fully recover.

"He will need more surgery at Birmingham but due to the severity of his injuries he will not be allowed home for two weeks."

The accident happened on 7 February and the soldier's parents had been prepared to fly out to Kenya.

Mr Dodds said: "We got a knock on the door at 11pm and it was the Ministry of Defence. The information was very vague, all we were told was that our son had been seriously injured.

"Nine hours later two soldiers came down to arrange us to fly out to Kenya but because Colin started to make a recovery it was downgraded. But we were ready to go out."

He added: "He is a fighter. Even the army said 'you have some boy there'. Despite the severity of the injury he is determined to get himself better.

When we spoke to him on Sunday he was getting his sense of humour back. We just want to get him home."