News Search Search this site or the web powered by FreeFind Site search Web search Story archive		18-03-2005 The Scotsman Black Watch soldier who ignored injuries to help colleagues is rewarded for bravery By Gethin Chamberlain Chief News Correspondent A BLACK Watch soldier who has already won the Military Cross for his bravery during the war in Iraq two years ago has been decorated for the second time for his courage under fire. Corporal Peter Laing has been awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal for rescuing his wounded colleagues when they were hit by a suicide bomber during the regiment's controversial deployment south of Baghdad last year. Despite being badly injured in the initial blast, he managed to drag the other wounded men into a ditch under heavy mortar fire and gave them first aid. Cpl Laing, who suffered head injuries and a damaged eye in the incident last November, then helped to load the injured men on to a helicopter before finally seeking treatment himself. A Black Watch spokesman said: "Through personal example, masterly self-control and despite his own wounds, Corporal Laing contributed greatly to the successful evacuation of his stricken section preventing the casualties' condition deteriorating further." The 31-year-old, from Fife, won the Military Cross during the war in Iraq in March 2003 when his sniper team took on Iraqi militia in close combat. He is one of 12 soldiers from the regiment to be decorated in the latest batch of honours announced today. The regiment, whose commanding officer Lt-Col James Cowan was awarded the OBE for his leadership, lost six soldiers during the deployment south of Baghdad and another in Basra. Lt-Col Cowan praised the soldiers for their bravery: "Almost any one of them could have been here today," he said. The citations for the other soldiers who will be presented with medals by the Queen later in the year recorded a number of outstanding acts of bravery. Private Jonetani Matia Lawaci, 29, from Suva, capital of Fiji, received the Queen's Gallantry Medal for diving into a river and rescuing three fellow soldiers when a transporter toppled over and tipped their Warrior armoured vehicle into the water as they made their way from Basra to the British base, Camp Dogwood, on 29 October. Pte Kevin McHale, the driver of the Warrior, died in the incident but Pte Lawaci was able to haul Pte Phil Wright, Pte Stevie Ambrose and Lt Guy Williams to safety. Described in Black Watch incident reports as having displayed the "highest form of courage and quick-thinking", he said the only thing going through his head at the time was: "That's my mates in there." With the Warrior upside down in the river, Pte Lawaci - who was in the following vehicle - did not wait for orders to go to the rescue. "I reacted on instinct. I'm a good swimmer. I'm an islander. There was a lot of other guys involved. I was just the first in," he said. He dived under the water to haul open the Warrior's heavy back door and dragged Ptes Wright and Ambrose on to the bank, then jumped back into the water to pull the vehicle commander, Lt Williams, to safety. He also managed to get Pte McHale out, but it was too late to save him. There was also a Queen's Gallantry Medal for Pte Damien Currie, 19, from Fife, for his bravery following a suicide bomb in North Babil. He was first on the scene to help a number of severely injured soldiers. Despite his inexperience, he treated wounded colleagues while coming under a hail of bullets and grenades. Major Robin Lindsay received the Queen's Commendation For Valuable Service for his leadership after a series of insurgent and suicide attacks in North Babil. Lt Nick Colquhoun, 26, from Skye, was honoured for leading his platoon through two periods of intense action in Al Amarah and North Babil. Sgt Major David Hood, 35, a father of three from Dunfermline, Fife, was handed the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service, for "consistently excelling" in his leadership of the Black Watch's D Company throughout the tour. L-Cpl Steven Leslie, 23, from Dundee, was given the Queen's Commendation for Bravery for rescuing Sergeant Kevin Stacey from a transporter after it was hit by a roadside bomb in Basra on 12 August. L-Cpl Lisa Newburn, 22, from Derby, Lt Richard Holmes, 23, from Perthshire, and Cpl Michael Ross, 26, from Orkney, were all mentioned in dispatches.
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