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A Territorial Army soldier has received a prestigious national commendation for gallantry for his actions while serving in Afghanistan. Cardiff TA soldier mentioned in Dispatches for gallantry
Lance Corporal Andrew Cairns, 32, of Llandaff North, Cardiff, has been mentioned in dispatches after returning from his third operational tour working side by side with the Regular Army.
Andrew serves with the TA’s 144 Para Medical Squadron, trained medics who parachute out of planes alongside the infantry to treat casualties on the battlefield.
While out in the renowned Helmand province, Andrew’s role was to teach the Afghanistan National Army (ANA) medics and Infantry soldiers medical skills, to coach and mentor them on operations in the dangerous province and provide life saving medical intervention on the battlefield.
Andrew said: “It was the 13th day of the 14 day operation when we came across an improvised – a homemade – explosive device planted by the Taliban. We marked and recorded it then boxed around it. We continued, but then a vehicle at the back of the convoy struck another mine and was completely destroyed. One of the ANA soldiers in the vehicle was thrown 15 feet away into a drainage ditch. His right leg was partially amputated by the blast and shrapnel peppered his other leg. It was night time and pitch black so I had to treat him using the light of my head torch.”
Andrew worked hard to stop the severe bleeding and kept the soldier alive for five-and-a-half hours during which time they were continually exposed to enemy fire. The team worked tirelessly on clearing a safe route, searching for further devices during the extraction, allowing them to evacuate the wounded soldier by helicopter.
Andrew said: “We did find another huge explosive device which would have destroyed more than half the patrol if we hadn’t had been so careful.
“It was quite traumatic but I don’t feel like I’ve done anything more than any of my colleagues would have done.”
On another occasion, Andy risked his life by running onto the roof of a burning building to remove ammunition which could have otherwise exploded with the potential of injuring others and causing more damage.
He said: “If the ammunition had fallen through the roof as it burned, it could have put others in danger as well as destroying a lot of kit. The fire was well underway but I didn’t want the possibility of that happening. It wasn’t really something I thought about.”
Andrew has been in the TA for 11 years alongside his full time job as an operations executive for UK Secured Lending in Cardiff.
Since returning from Afghanistan, he has received the local Lord Lieutenants Award with Merit for Distinguished Service at Cardiff’s Maindy Barracks and has now been recognised nationally.
A Mention in Dispatches is the fourth highest gallantry award available in the military and is awarded in recognition of distinguished service from a senior commander.
Andrew said: “I’m extremely pleased not only for myself but for my unit. It shows that the TA, particularly 144 Para Medical Squadron can stand shoulder to shoulder with the Regular Army and do the business.
“I do feel that I’m being rewarded for doing my job, I don’t believe I did anything anyone else wouldn’t have done.
“We’ve all got a healthy respect for what we’ve done in service, I don’t think you ever become blasé about it but it is part of your job which you perform to the best of your ability and aim to protect those around you.
“It was definitely different coming back to work from Afghanistan but there are several stages to go through to help you adjust. The experience does put everything else into perspective and it’s funny to hear people complaining about the small things at work.
“I absolutely loved my time out in Afghanistan. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to test myself and prove that I could do the job I was trained to do. I would go back tomorrow, in a heartbeat and I will be putting my hand up again for the next tour. You’ve got to stand up and be counted.”
