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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| British soldier honoured by Denmark | British soldier honoured by Denmark |
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| Press Association | |
| Sat 24 Aug 2013 00.01 BST | |
| First published on Sat 24 Aug 2013 00.01 BST | |
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| A British soldier who risked his life to try to save an injured Danish comrade in Afghanistan has been honoured by Denmark for his "extraordinary" courage. | A British soldier who risked his life to try to save an injured Danish comrade in Afghanistan has been honoured by Denmark for his "extraordinary" courage. |
| Explosives expert Andy Peat, of 33 EOD [explosive ordnance disposal] Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, is the first soldier outside the Danish military to receive the Anders Lassen Foundation Award from Crown Prince Frederik. | Explosives expert Andy Peat, of 33 EOD [explosive ordnance disposal] Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, is the first soldier outside the Danish military to receive the Anders Lassen Foundation Award from Crown Prince Frederik. |
| Warrant Officer Class One Peat, from Edinburgh, was supporting a Danish patrol in January when the group was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED). | Warrant Officer Class One Peat, from Edinburgh, was supporting a Danish patrol in January when the group was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED). |
| They were moving into a compound used for manufacturing IEDs in the Upper Gereshk Valley, Helmand Province, when one of the bombs exploded on the roof, severely injuring Oversergeant René Brink Jakobsen. | They were moving into a compound used for manufacturing IEDs in the Upper Gereshk Valley, Helmand Province, when one of the bombs exploded on the roof, severely injuring Oversergeant René Brink Jakobsen. |
| As he went to his aid, Peat noticed another IED lying underneath the Danish soldier and worked skillfully to disarm the device by locating and cutting its wires. | As he went to his aid, Peat noticed another IED lying underneath the Danish soldier and worked skillfully to disarm the device by locating and cutting its wires. |
| While colleagues struggled to stretcher the Dane off the 14ft (4m) roof, Peat lay across the path of another IED, using himself and his body armour as a shield to protect the rescuers. | While colleagues struggled to stretcher the Dane off the 14ft (4m) roof, Peat lay across the path of another IED, using himself and his body armour as a shield to protect the rescuers. |
| Brink Jakobsen later died of his wounds, leaving behind a wife and three children. | Brink Jakobsen later died of his wounds, leaving behind a wife and three children. |
| Peat is credited with saving the lives of several other Danish soldiers and members of the Afghan police that day. | Peat is credited with saving the lives of several other Danish soldiers and members of the Afghan police that day. |
| The Anders Lassen Foundation was established in memory of a highly decorated soldier who was awarded three Military Crosses and posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his exploits in the second world war. Each year the foundation chooses a single recipient for its honour and cash award, and this year selected Peat for his "extraordinary courage and determined actions". | The Anders Lassen Foundation was established in memory of a highly decorated soldier who was awarded three Military Crosses and posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his exploits in the second world war. Each year the foundation chooses a single recipient for its honour and cash award, and this year selected Peat for his "extraordinary courage and determined actions". |
| At a ceremony on Tuesday at the Royal Danish Army Academy in Copenhagen, he received the award and donated the 25,000 krone (£2,900) to Brink Jakobsen's widow, Camilla, and children, Sara, Maja and Thor. | At a ceremony on Tuesday at the Royal Danish Army Academy in Copenhagen, he received the award and donated the 25,000 krone (£2,900) to Brink Jakobsen's widow, Camilla, and children, Sara, Maja and Thor. |
| He said of the honour: "I was slightly taken aback when I had the phone call to say I'd been awarded it – it's slightly surreal. Meeting the crown prince has been a great experience." | He said of the honour: "I was slightly taken aback when I had the phone call to say I'd been awarded it – it's slightly surreal. Meeting the crown prince has been a great experience." |
| The serviceman paid tribute to his own wife following the ceremony and said of his attempt to save Brink Jakobsen that "all the guys would have done the same thing". | The serviceman paid tribute to his own wife following the ceremony and said of his attempt to save Brink Jakobsen that "all the guys would have done the same thing". |
| He said of the ceremony: "To bring my wife and daughter along has been fantastic. My wife deserves the rewards as she has to stay up at home at night worrying all the time. | He said of the ceremony: "To bring my wife and daughter along has been fantastic. My wife deserves the rewards as she has to stay up at home at night worrying all the time. |
| "I'd probably say wives and girlfriends have the worst jobs because they always think we're doing stuff when sometimes we're just sitting around drinking coffee. | "I'd probably say wives and girlfriends have the worst jobs because they always think we're doing stuff when sometimes we're just sitting around drinking coffee. |
| "To be honest, it's just about doing your job and thinking about what you've got in front of you and trying your best to get out of that predicament as quickly as possible." | "To be honest, it's just about doing your job and thinking about what you've got in front of you and trying your best to get out of that predicament as quickly as possible." |
| Mrs Brink Jakobsen said: "I was quite overwhelmed that he wanted to give the money to our family. | Mrs Brink Jakobsen said: "I was quite overwhelmed that he wanted to give the money to our family. |
| Lieutenant Colonel Claus Wannen, head of the Danish Special Forces, said: "Warrant Officer One Andy Peat made an extraordinary contribution. On that tragic day he proved his worth and it's most likely he saved a number of lives that evening. | Lieutenant Colonel Claus Wannen, head of the Danish Special Forces, said: "Warrant Officer One Andy Peat made an extraordinary contribution. On that tragic day he proved his worth and it's most likely he saved a number of lives that evening. |
| "It wasn't until the day after that I heard the full story that WO1 Peat's name was mentioned with regards to selfless service. | "It wasn't until the day after that I heard the full story that WO1 Peat's name was mentioned with regards to selfless service. |
| "He's just as I imagined he would be - a relaxed, nice person, pretty much like one of my own guys. | "He's just as I imagined he would be - a relaxed, nice person, pretty much like one of my own guys. |
| "It does not strike me as a surprise that he was the one making a difference on the roof that night." | "It does not strike me as a surprise that he was the one making a difference on the roof that night." |
| WO1 Peat, along with the Danish colleagues he served with in Afghanistan, laid a wreath for WO1 Brink Jakobsen in a public area where other fallen Danish soldiers are remembered. | WO1 Peat, along with the Danish colleagues he served with in Afghanistan, laid a wreath for WO1 Brink Jakobsen in a public area where other fallen Danish soldiers are remembered. |
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