First Female Distinguished Flying Cross Winner Praises Crew

The first woman in the Royal Air Force to be awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross says the medics "deserve all the credit" after the team she was part of saved a rifleman's life in Iraq.

Michelle Ouellette was a Merlin helicopter pilot, completing tours of the country throughout 2006 and 2007.

During her third tour, British Rifleman Stephen Vause was critically injured by a mortar in Basra City but a miraculous pick-up by Michelle and her crew meant the soldier was able to survive.

In 2008, she was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and commended for her role in saving the Rifleman's life.

In 2007, Michelle was serving her third tour of Iraq which is when she took notice of the increased threat compared to her previous experience of the country.

"You were getting shot at a lot more," Michelle said.

"They were coming up with more intricate plans of how to bring helicopters down.

"Helicopters were a massive risk because it's such a big thing to achieve.

"Normally, there'd be 24 of us on there if it was fully loaded.

"To take out 24 people and a £30 million helicopter, that was on their plans, that's what they were aiming to do."

'Crew deserve the credit for rescue'

On 1 June 2007, the crew's night was going to plan until they received a knock on the door asking them to get up and get dressed and head to their aircraft.

"We knew the base was going to be under attack, but that was it.

"It comes in over the radio that we had one casualty to pick up, he's severely injured.

"Where we were going hadn't been landed in by helicopters for about two years.

"Straight away, it's not set up for a landing site. You know it's going to be so dusty.

"And, it was being attacked at the gate by small arms fire and then rockets coming."

Despite the difficult conditions, the crew found injured Rifleman Stephen Vause who had taken shrapnel to the head and was in critical condition.

"The medics get out straight away to go and meet the injured soldier," says Michelle.

"They're so good at what they do."

She says the medics were quick to begin treating the injured rifleman.

While their helicopter was hidden by the cloud of dust, their defensive aids system, an aircraft system which defends from missile attack, had a reaction and released flares.

This meant they had no option but to get out of the area quickly.

Michelle continues to praise the medical staff:

"They're the ones really that deserve all of the credit because they did amazing to keep Stephen alive."

In 2008, her achievement was acknowledged with the Distinguished Flying Cross - recognition Michelle says she was shocked to receive.

When talking about the award, Michelle is quick to share the praise with the other personnel there that night: "It's clearly not just for me.

"If the engineers don't do aircraft, they don't get serviced.

"I had George, who was my navigator. Chris and Thomo were my crewmen.

"It's for all of them, not just for me."