British Army Sergeant is Mentioned in Dispatches after driving into firefight in Mali
A British Army sergeant who drove directly into a firefight while deployed in Mali as a UN Peacekeeper has received a Mention in Despatches in this year's Operational Honours list.
Sergeant Adam Humphreys, 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards, said his troop was out on patrol and "came across two armed men near a river".
Two soldiers from the Queen's Dragoon Guards dismounted from their Jackal vehicle and headed into the bushes to try and find the men, but found themselves pinned down by enemy gunfire.
Sgt Humphreys arrived on the scene and, without hesitation, directed his driver to drive straight into the firefight while shooting his machine-gun to enable the soldiers to escape to safety.
Sgt Humphreys' citation said his actions contributed to saving the lives of the two soldiers.
"His courageous actions in the face of the enemy have demonstrated the resolve of the United Nations peacekeepers and strengthened the reputation of the British Army amongst her allies," it said.
"When they saw us, they fled, so we searched the area to see if we could find them. I found one of them hidden in the water and detained him," he said.
During the peacekeeping mission, his actions also saw the detention of armed men and the seizure of weapons.
He said he "was really surprised... and very proud" to receive the award.
"I was just doing my job and although I never expected this award, it is a great honour."
Another member of the British Army was also awarded a non-operational commendation.
Although he is now retired, Lance Corporal Fraser Gee, formerly of the Royal Tank Regiment, was recognised with a Queen's Commendation for Bravery (QCB) following his actions at a road accident.
LCpl Gee conducted triage, provided first aid to casualties and led the extraction of a casualty from a vehicle at risk of catching fire.
He also administered CPR until an off-duty paramedic arrived, with his citation stating his selflessness.
A Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS) was awarded to Acting Corporal Stefan Cole, Royal Army Medical Corps, for saving the life of a casualty.
The Army Aviation Winch Medic was tasked, alongside his MEDEVAC crew, to extract a seriously ill person through an extremely small gap in the jungle canopy.
His citation stated: "He conducted the mission faultlessly and worked relentlessly to stabilise the casualty during the flight to hospital, thereby saving his life."
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