Bravest of the brave fights way to medal

On our behalf they have faced situations of almost unimaginable terror and shown levels of courage most of us can only wonder at.

Today, the country showed its gratitude by honouring them – with a Shropshire soldier leading the way.

Charging the enemy with his bayonet drawn, the daring exploits of Tern Hill soldier Corporal Sean Jones sound like a scene from the trenches of World War One.

But in fact his heroic deeds took place just under a year ago on the front-line in Afghanistan.

Now, after doing his bit for his country, his country has done its bit for him with the announcement that he has been awarded the Military Cross.

Cpl Jones serves with the German-based 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Regiment. The 25-year-old father-of-two, a former pupil at Kings School, Gutersloh, Germany, was leading a patrol through Kakaran village in Helmand when the enemy opened fire.

He said: "We were crossing a ditch when the shooting started. I was just coming out of the ditch and most of the fire was coming at me. I hit the deck immediately.

"I have been shot at quite a few times. Gravel and dirt was flying up all around me from the bullets."

Caught in the killing area, and unable to advance into the hail of bullets, the soldiers withdrew to the relative safety of the water-filled ditch to return fire but were effectively trapped as the insurgents moved in to try to overwhelm their position.

Cpl Jones added: "We had to react quickly. It was obviously a well-planned ambush and they overwhelmed us with fire from three points initially."

Staying put was out of the question, and after firing a rocket at one of the enemy strongholds, Cpl Jones ordered three of his men to fix their bayonets.

The troops, led by Cpl Jones, then broke cover and charged across 80m of open ground as enemy fire intensified.

He said: "I asked them if they were happy. They were all quite young lads and the adrenalin was racing. I shouted follow me and we went for it.

"I got 'commander's legs' on and was going very quickly. I realised I'd left them behind a bit so had to slow down and was engaged again so I organised my guys who started attacking the enemy firing points."

As two of the soldiers provided covering fire, Cpl Jones prepared a hand grenade for the final assault. He raced towards an alley and was about to throw the grenade but realised the buildings were occupied so put the explosive away.

But the speed, aggression and audacity of his bold charge caused the insurgents to fall back in disarray.

Cpl Jones said: "We always said we want to pick our fight. We knew this was the time to do it. Before this, the locals were wary of us but this showed they could trust us to protect them from the enemy and that we wouldn't endanger them while doing it.."

Also receiving the Military Cross today is rifleman Matthew Wilson who continued an attack against the Taliban despite being shot in the head.

Rifleman Wilson, 21, of 2 Rifles, was withdrawing from an operation in Nahr-e Saraj in October last year when an insurgent sniper shot at the patrol - hitting one of the soldiers in the leg.

As the casualty lay out in the open being treated, Rifleman Wilson ran forward with another soldier to provide cover to stop the insurgent shooting again.

But as he identified the enemy 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.

"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."

Rifleman Wilson then ran across an open field under a hail of bullets to attack the sniper.

He said: "When I got up the insurgent who shot me knew I was still alive so he kept on firing at me. You could hear him going for me ... I was zigzagging, doing everything to avoid the bullets that at first were landing by my feet, and then whizzing past my head. He was getting closer and closer."

The soldier just made it to the protective cover of a ditch and was rescued by back up.

An Army officer who returned to Afghanistan despite almost dying on his last operational tour has also been mentioned in despatches for his bravery in more than 50 high-intensity battles.

Captain Nick Garland, 29, returned to the war zone and again saw himself under fire in Helmand with the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, from Newbury, Berkshire.

Sapper Ryan Pavey, 24,from Eastleigh , Hampshire, who risked his life to save a four-year-old boy hit by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan has been awarded a Queen's Commendation for Bravery.