An airman from RAF Leuchars shot by Taliban insurgents during a gruelling tour of duty in battle-scarred Helmand Province has told how his fearless comrades rushed to his aid despite the threat posed by enemy fire.
Duran Dawson was the sole casualty among the near-200 Fife gunners recently deployed to Afghanistan. The 20-year-old is a member of 58 Squadron, RAF Regiment, which had been tasked with defending the allied stronghold of Camp Bastion.
Despite his traumatic experience, Duran has since made a full recovery and has declared himself ”ready” for another tour of duty.
Duran was helping to pull casualties from the front line in Afghanistan when he was shot by a Taliban soldier. He was among those offering force protection to the squadron’s Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) and was scrambling to board a Chinook helicopter when an insurgent’s bullet ripped through his shoulder.
”The incident occurred during the successful extraction of a casualty from the front line,” the senior aircraftman said. ”Our job was to protect the MERT from Taliban attack, which we did. We were in direct contact with the Taliban but we managed to get the casualty on board the Chinook and were taking off when a round fired at us came through the side of the aircraft.”
He admitted the moments immediately after the impact remain a blank, but what he does distinctly remember is the help promptly offered by his brave colleagues.
”I was hit across the shoulders. The next thing I knew my mates were all round me cutting off my body armour and tending to my injuries.”
Just one day later Duran was on his way back home to Britain, where he completed his recovery.
”I was flown back to the UK the next day and got fantastically good treatment in hospital in Birmingham,” he said.
Duran, from Newcastle, was proud to join his colleagues during their homecoming parade through the streets of St Andrews on Tuesday (link).
Despite being rewarded with a few weeks’ leave, he is already eagerly anticipating his next deployment.
”This was my second tour in Afghanistan, and I am fit and ready for the next tour wherever and whenever that might be,” Duran added.
The safe return home of all the gunners from RAF Leuchars was celebrated during a parade through the streets of St Andrews on Tuesday. Thousands lined the route to cheer the heroes.
The fact just one of their number was wounded during the tour is all the more remarkable given the fact they faced near constant threats from mines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance left behind from the Soviet occupation.
Wing Commander Dave Tait was the officer commanding Number 6 Force Protection Wing, which included Duran’s 58 Squadron.
He said: ”It was an incredibly demanding seven months. However, I could not be more proud of the way in which everyone involved went about their task in Afghanistan.”
Squadron Leader Dave Stellitano, officer commanding 58 Squadron, said: ”Every single man has delivered an outstanding personal performance and played his part in ensuring the success of the squadron on operations essential to the UK effort.”For a photo gallery from Tuesday’s parade click here