Shot nine times by Taleban, but soldier still led squad to safety

A BRITISH Commando was shot nine times during a Taleban ambush in Afghanistan but still managed to lead his comrades to safety.

Private Jerry Davis was surrounded by 50 militia in the desert during a surprise attack.

The father of three fought off the assault after his Land Rover became separated from a convoy on patrol.

The 44-year-old led his colleagues to the refuge of a makeshift base. All the men escaped without injury.

At midday on 2 March the six-vehicle convoy was in the Helmand Province near to the area's capital, Lashkar Gah.

"All of a sudden it all went crazy," said Pte Davis. "I don't know how they missed us. They were firing on us with RPGs, mortars and machine- guns. "

The armoured Land Rover driven by Pte Davis, who was on patrol with the Royal Marine 3 Commando Brigade became separated from the convoy. "I decided we had to get out of there otherwise we would have been killed," he said.

As he tried to escape, the heavy Land Rover became stuck. The rest of the convoy set up a "fire-base", leaving the crew of six to battle the encroaching guerrillas, who were about 40 feet away.

Pte Davis said: "We were fighting them on our own then. I got down into a kneeling position and laid down covering fire for the rest of the men. I could see a Taleban soldier shooting at me, that is how close it was."

The private continued: "As I fired, he fired back with an automatic weapon. Rounds deflected off me and I was knocked unconscious. One of the bullets got lodged in my rifle."

"I knew I had to get back to the compound which was about 30 feet away and started to zig-zag to avoid getting hit."

After about 20 minutes, his friend, Corporal Dave Bracthie, and a rifleman from the unit which had set up the fire-base, drove back out into the battleground to rescue the men.

"That was very brave," said Pte Davis. "Without them we would have had to sprint half a mile back to the fire-base with all our kit followed by the Taleban. Survival would not have been very likely."

Pte Davis, who has lived in Wooburn Green, Buckinghamshire, for 20 years, is now on leave.

He will receive a medal for bravery for his actions in the battle at a parade next month.