Documentary to show private’s death

Private Chris Gray’s final moments were captured by a camera mounted on the helmet of his platoon sergeant as they embarked on an operation to clear a Taliban stronghold in Helmand Province in April 2007.

Sgt Simon Panter, of 3 Platoon 1 Royal Anglian Regiment, and the MoD provided the uncensored footage for a documentary with Pte Gray’s parents giving the go-ahead for their son’s death to be included.

Pte Gray, who had gone to Holm-firth School, in West Yorkshire, and trained at Catterick, was only feet away from insurgents when the bullet penetrated his body armour and entered his heart and lungs.

Amid shouts of “Man down!” and continuing rounds of fire, the video shows his colleagues fighting to save him.

His mother, Helen Gray, from Leicestershire, said she had no reservations in allowing the footage to be aired. “I know some people will say ‘You shouldn’t see this’ but I think, why not? Because it’s not pretend, it’s not a horror film, it’s real. This is what is going on day in day out in Afghanistan. These are our boys... our sons. This is our Army. This is reality.”

While upsetting, the footage also provided some comfort to Pte Gray’s grieving family.

“After Christopher is hit, the lads try everything to get him back. They don’t even think of their own safety,” Mrs Gray said. “I found that very comforting. I hope it helps other families who have lost sons or daughters.”