John A Silkstone
08-08-08, 23:49
By John Ferguson of the Daily record a Scottish news paper
A SCOTS Army doctor has been awarded the Military Cross for his bravery in Afghanistan.
Major Douglas Reid, 31, raced to treat a wounded Gurkha soldier while fighting raged around him.
He then ran, dodging Taliban bullets, across open ground to a platoon of Australian troops to try to save a mortally wounded soldier.
In another battle, the dad-of-one rescued and treated soldiers who had just been blown up in the armoured personnel carrier he was also travelling in.
Douglas, attached to the Royal Gurkha Rifles in Afghanistan, describes himself modestly as a GP.
But his Gurkha’ have dubbed him "Dr Morale".
The MC is one of the armed forces' highest awards for bravery. He said: "It is a great honour, I was really delighted when I heard about the medal.
"My wife Victoria was pregnant with our son when I was in Afghanistan, so it's been amazing to become a dad 10 weeks ago and then to receive this medal."
His citation, read out at a ceremony in Windsor, said his award was for having "saved lives and repeatedly placed himself in harm's way in order to treat casualties".
A military source said that, despite the danger of further attack by Taliban fighters and out in the open, he worked for several hours rescuing and treating those who had been wounded in the personnel carrier attack.
Douglas's dad Ian, from Ayr, said: "He still describes himself as a GP despite all that he's achieved.
"His commanding officer commented that he couldn't remember the last time a doctor had been awarded the Military Cross, so it's a very big thing. "We're immensely proud of him."
Douglas, the eldest of three triplets, was born in Ayr and was in the local Army Cadet Force as a teenager. He went on to study medicine at Dundee.
Silky
Military Medal (MM)
Established on the 25th March 1916, the Military Medal (MM) was awarded for individual or associated acts of bravery on the field of battle.
A SCOTS Army doctor has been awarded the Military Cross for his bravery in Afghanistan.
Major Douglas Reid, 31, raced to treat a wounded Gurkha soldier while fighting raged around him.
He then ran, dodging Taliban bullets, across open ground to a platoon of Australian troops to try to save a mortally wounded soldier.
In another battle, the dad-of-one rescued and treated soldiers who had just been blown up in the armoured personnel carrier he was also travelling in.
Douglas, attached to the Royal Gurkha Rifles in Afghanistan, describes himself modestly as a GP.
But his Gurkha’ have dubbed him "Dr Morale".
The MC is one of the armed forces' highest awards for bravery. He said: "It is a great honour, I was really delighted when I heard about the medal.
"My wife Victoria was pregnant with our son when I was in Afghanistan, so it's been amazing to become a dad 10 weeks ago and then to receive this medal."
His citation, read out at a ceremony in Windsor, said his award was for having "saved lives and repeatedly placed himself in harm's way in order to treat casualties".
A military source said that, despite the danger of further attack by Taliban fighters and out in the open, he worked for several hours rescuing and treating those who had been wounded in the personnel carrier attack.
Douglas's dad Ian, from Ayr, said: "He still describes himself as a GP despite all that he's achieved.
"His commanding officer commented that he couldn't remember the last time a doctor had been awarded the Military Cross, so it's a very big thing. "We're immensely proud of him."
Douglas, the eldest of three triplets, was born in Ayr and was in the local Army Cadet Force as a teenager. He went on to study medicine at Dundee.
Silky
Military Medal (MM)
Established on the 25th March 1916, the Military Medal (MM) was awarded for individual or associated acts of bravery on the field of battle.