Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 1, 2011 11:58:31 GMT 12
tvnz.co.nz/national-news/gallantry-awards-soldiers-in-afghanistan-ambush-4429422
Gallantry awards for soldiers in Afghanistan ambush
Published: 6:02AM Saturday October 01, 2011 Source: ONE News
Three New Zealand soldiers have received gallantry awards for their response to an ambush in Afghanistan last year in which Lieutenant Timothy O'Donnell was killed.
Corporal Albert Henry Moore has received the New Zealand Gallantry Star, which is the next level of award after the Victoria Cross.
He was the commander of the rear vehicle of a New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team patrol when it was ambushed by insurgents near the town of Chartok in Bamyan Province on August 3, 2010.
The insurgents set of an improvised explosive device which immobilised the lead vehicle and then began firing at all four vehicles with small arms fire and shoulder launched rockets in an engagement that was to continue for 35 minutes.
Under continuous fire from the enemy, Moore drove forward 30 metres to the immobilised vehicle to recover communications equipment, and made two further trips to it to collect a machine gun and further ammunition. He was struck on the shoulder by shrapnel from an enemy rocket.
Moore remounted his vehicle a fourth time and went forward 350 metres to where the lead vehicle was, at the same time co-ordinating fire onto the high ground from his vehicle and establishing communications with the two surviving members of the lead vehicle. They were pinned down by enemy fire in a dry creek near their vehicle.
On arrival, Moore positioned his vehicle between the enemy and the soldiers so they could safely mount the vehicle, and he then took them back to the patrol's base for treatment.
The New Zealand Gallantry Decoration has been awarded to Lance Corporal Allister Donald Baker who was the turret gunner the the lead vehicle, and Corporal Matthew John Ball who was its driver.
Baker suffered a broken ankle in the initial explosion, but under fire from the enemy, climbed down from the vehicle to help Lieutenant O'Donnell who was slumped forward in the front passenger seat.
Baker shouted to Ball who was not moving and under fire from the enemy both soldiers took turns to try and recover their commander's body, as the vehicle was hit by two rockets.
Baker had to pull out Baker's hair when it caught alight. He also suffered burns to his shoulders.
It was only when ammunition stored inside the vehicle began to explode that both solders were forced to withdraw and crawl to a dry creek bed some 40 metres away, where communication was established with the remainder of the patrol. Support reached them some 20 minutes later during which time they continued to be targeted by the enemy.
Ball was stunned by the initial explosion and only regained full consciousness after being shouted at by Baker. Ball's right leg was impaled on the vehicle's engine housing until he extracted himself, under enemy fire.
The New Zealand Gallantry medal has been awarded to Warrant Officer Denis Joachim Wanihi who served in Afghanistan during 2010 in a supervisory role with a multi-national team dealing with incidents involving Improvised Explosive devices and Explosive Ordinance Devices in Khowst and Patika provinces.
The citation said he received, processed and shipped evidence for at more than 259 IED incidents.
It said he carried out his duties in a high threat environment. Many if the IEDs he encountered were notoriously volatile and he was exposed to stressful and dangerous situations on regular basis.
Gallantry awards for soldiers in Afghanistan ambush
Published: 6:02AM Saturday October 01, 2011 Source: ONE News
Three New Zealand soldiers have received gallantry awards for their response to an ambush in Afghanistan last year in which Lieutenant Timothy O'Donnell was killed.
Corporal Albert Henry Moore has received the New Zealand Gallantry Star, which is the next level of award after the Victoria Cross.
He was the commander of the rear vehicle of a New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team patrol when it was ambushed by insurgents near the town of Chartok in Bamyan Province on August 3, 2010.
The insurgents set of an improvised explosive device which immobilised the lead vehicle and then began firing at all four vehicles with small arms fire and shoulder launched rockets in an engagement that was to continue for 35 minutes.
Under continuous fire from the enemy, Moore drove forward 30 metres to the immobilised vehicle to recover communications equipment, and made two further trips to it to collect a machine gun and further ammunition. He was struck on the shoulder by shrapnel from an enemy rocket.
Moore remounted his vehicle a fourth time and went forward 350 metres to where the lead vehicle was, at the same time co-ordinating fire onto the high ground from his vehicle and establishing communications with the two surviving members of the lead vehicle. They were pinned down by enemy fire in a dry creek near their vehicle.
On arrival, Moore positioned his vehicle between the enemy and the soldiers so they could safely mount the vehicle, and he then took them back to the patrol's base for treatment.
The New Zealand Gallantry Decoration has been awarded to Lance Corporal Allister Donald Baker who was the turret gunner the the lead vehicle, and Corporal Matthew John Ball who was its driver.
Baker suffered a broken ankle in the initial explosion, but under fire from the enemy, climbed down from the vehicle to help Lieutenant O'Donnell who was slumped forward in the front passenger seat.
Baker shouted to Ball who was not moving and under fire from the enemy both soldiers took turns to try and recover their commander's body, as the vehicle was hit by two rockets.
Baker had to pull out Baker's hair when it caught alight. He also suffered burns to his shoulders.
It was only when ammunition stored inside the vehicle began to explode that both solders were forced to withdraw and crawl to a dry creek bed some 40 metres away, where communication was established with the remainder of the patrol. Support reached them some 20 minutes later during which time they continued to be targeted by the enemy.
Ball was stunned by the initial explosion and only regained full consciousness after being shouted at by Baker. Ball's right leg was impaled on the vehicle's engine housing until he extracted himself, under enemy fire.
The New Zealand Gallantry medal has been awarded to Warrant Officer Denis Joachim Wanihi who served in Afghanistan during 2010 in a supervisory role with a multi-national team dealing with incidents involving Improvised Explosive devices and Explosive Ordinance Devices in Khowst and Patika provinces.
The citation said he received, processed and shipped evidence for at more than 259 IED incidents.
It said he carried out his duties in a high threat environment. Many if the IEDs he encountered were notoriously volatile and he was exposed to stressful and dangerous situations on regular basis.
