- Ellen exit heralds major "American Idol" makeover
- Hugh Hefner: Rebel with a cause | Video
- U.S. worried more secret documents may be released
- Second senior Democrat may face ethics trial
- BP to try well kill Tuesday | Video
- Software released for attacking Android phones
- U.S. bank failures total 108 after 5 shut on Friday
- House approves oil spill reform bill
- Wildfires spread in western Russia, kill 28 | Video
- Arizona immigration law appeal set for November
Commentary
Cuba and twisted logic, double standards
It is time for the United States to stop trading with China and ban Americans from traveling there. Why? Look at the U.S. Department of State's most recent annual report on human rights around the world. Commentary
Soldier tells how he threw back Taliban grenade
Rifleman James McKie from Recce Platoon, 3rd Battalion The Rifles is pictured here in this undated handout photo.
Credit: Reuters/Handout
LONDON |
LONDON (Reuters) - A soldier serving with the British Army in Afghanistan has told of the moment he threw back a Taliban hand grenade, telling himself: "I've really only got one chance to do this."
Rifleman James McKie from Recce Platoon, 3rd Battalion The Rifles was under fire from three directions on a roof when the grenade hit his platoon commander and landed at his feet.
"My first thought was I hope this doesn't hurt too much," the New Zealander said. "That, and I've really only got one chance to do this.
"If it fails, either way, doing nothing, I'm going to get the same amount of hurt. So I picked it up and threw it off the roof."
It exploded in mid-air just seconds later, sending shrapnel flying.
A media statement from The Rifles at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, which carried McKie's account, said his actions helped to save the lives of his commander and one other soldier who were involved in a fire-fight in the Sangin area of Helmand province, where six British soldiers have been killed in the last week. "We were in a high position on a compound roof," McKie went on. "There was no way you could throw yourself off and not get injured, so I made a decision to pick up the grenade and throw it off the roof.
"I tried to throw it properly, to clear the roof. I didn't want to do it half-arsed and have them throw it back at us or anything like that.
"I remember thinking that if I didn't pull this off, it was going to hurt. But at that stage I was pretty much committed."
McKie sustained fragmentation injuries to his right arm and face as the grenade exploded mid air, close to where he stood.
Fragmentation also hit his Platoon commander Captain Graeme Kerr who received leg injuries and who is recovering at Selly Oak Hospital in Britain.
"In retrospect, people keep telling me how brave I am, which I'm slightly embarrassed about," said McKie, who previously served in the New Zealand army.
"I'd like to think that anyone in that situation would have done the same or something similar because you can't just sit there and let yourself or other people get hurt.
"I don't feel particularly brave. I thought: I have to do this to survive."
Another Brave Young Soul fighting for Politicians who have no sons or daughters in Harms Way(:
God Bless you Sir and good luck!
to you young man thank you for your bravery and for defending peoples rights.now if we can get goverments to understand this we would all be better off
The true heroes. Not the ones that get all the publicity during movie rewards.
God Bless You Son,
Too bad Our Politicians Won’t send there own sons and daughters to the front lines. Maybe then, some concrete results would happen with royalty blood on the line.
Human instinct can be wonderful at times and it certainly helped this brave soul. I firmly believe the UK and US need to get the heck out of Afghanistan
To put such good people in harms way … Think of those who didn’t have those few seconds.
what a cool story.
He is so humble too – in retrospect of a heroic move. In my mind you are the man Rifleman James!!!
Going, serving… makes you brave. From cooks to riflemen. All of you are brave. 1 told me he was just a truck driver, i never told him, but should have, he was a truck driver whose life was always on the line. Bravery.
