Yorkshire soldier honoured by Nato for rescue courage

Aaron Crompton, 19, is one of only two British troopers ever to receive the Nato Meritorious Service Medal.

The young soldier from Bradford not only saved his colleagues but survived an attack by the Taliban in the same day during his first tour of Helmand province last May.

Trooper Crompton, who joined the Army when he was 16, was in an armoured patrol near a river when a vehicle on the other side broke down. The teenager swam across the 60-yard wide waterway to repair it, but found it needed to be towed back. It was decided to move equipment and troops back over the river and Trooper Crompton volunteered to help a medic across.

Carrying her backpack full of medication, he made it to his side of the bank when a gunner alerted him to the medic who was in difficulty because the current was so strong. He went back in to save her and then spent about 45 minutes in the water looking for the rifle she had dropped and by the time he emerged was suffering signs of hypothermia.

He was treated by the medic and fell asleep in his armoured vehicle – only to be woken up when it came under attack from the Taliban, seriously injuring a gunner. Still under fire, he rushed to his aid.

“Me and the medic then had to treat the injured gunner and get out of there,” said Trooper Crompton. “I just did my job. I bandaged him up and did the best I could.”