Válečný kříž obdržel Gavin Kimberlin zřejmě za odvahu při akci, ve které byl zraněn český voják do nohy.
WARRANT OFFICER II GAVIN KIMBERLIN – MILITARY CROSS
WORCESTER Warrant Officer Gavin Kimberlin has been awarded the Military Cross for his brave efforts fighting the Taliban in Helmand.
During his tour of Afghanistan, he was attached to the Czech Special Operations Group. Halfway through his tour he came under attack by 30 to 40 Taliban.
A rocket propelled grenade (RPG) landed just metres from where he was standing, hitting one of his vehicles and launching a Czech soldier into the air.
WO Kimberlin pushed forward, fighting the Taliban and allowing time for his injured comrade to be evacuated to safety.
„We were about 14 strong and as we were fighting an RPG struck behind us,“ he said.
„He (a Czech soldier) was on a vehicle and the RPG threw him off.“
„We needed to extract him because he was badly injured. We were taking small arms fire and they started to mortar us at the same time and attempted to surround us.
„I pushed forward and fought back the Taliban, held them off long enough for the injured soldier to be treated.
„He survived, they managed to save his foot, and I believe he will walk again.“
After safely getting his group out, WO Kimberlin then planned an operation to go back to the area where they had been hit.
„We went back two weeks later and killed 21 Taliban, it was a bit of pay-back,“ he said.
The 37-year-old soldier lives in Worcester with his wife Jane and 16-month-old son Will. A former student of Elgar Technology College in Worcester, he joined the Army straight after leaving school.
„I joined in 1986 when I was 16, straight out of the gates of Elgar and straight into the careers office in Worcester,“ he said.
His wife – a junior school teacher in Worcester, is very proud of him, and WO Kimberlin has said he will make sure his son knows why he was awarded the Military Cross.
Aside from two deployments to Afghanistan, WO Kimberlin has served in Northern Ireland on a number of occasions.
During the First Gulf War he was posted to Jordan, and he has also served in Sierra Leone.
The Military Cross is one of the highest awards for exemplary gallantry against the enemy on land.
Zdroj: worcesternews.co.uk
