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| Flt Lt Christopher Gordon awarded for 'courageous' Afghan rescue | Flt Lt Christopher Gordon awarded for 'courageous' Afghan rescue |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A RAF pilot has been awarded a medal for his "considerable courage" in the rescue of soldiers in Afghanistan. | A RAF pilot has been awarded a medal for his "considerable courage" in the rescue of soldiers in Afghanistan. |
| Flt Lt Christopher Gordon, 29, of Manchester, has won the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping 30 troops escape heavy fire in Helmand. | Flt Lt Christopher Gordon, 29, of Manchester, has won the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping 30 troops escape heavy fire in Helmand. |
| His twin-rotored Chinook helicopter had only one engine in operation at the time of the rescue, last August. | His twin-rotored Chinook helicopter had only one engine in operation at the time of the rescue, last August. |
| He had to quickly assess if he could take off, before having to fly low and use field plough marks to navigate. | He had to quickly assess if he could take off, before having to fly low and use field plough marks to navigate. |
| The rescue happened after 60 British and Afghan troops were dropped into an "insurgent safe haven" by two Chinook helicopters, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said. | The rescue happened after 60 British and Afghan troops were dropped into an "insurgent safe haven" by two Chinook helicopters, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said. |
| 'Good chance' | 'Good chance' |
| When the two helicopters returned to pick the troops up, they came under heavy fire and Flt Lt Gordon's vehicle lost the use of one of its two rotor engines. | When the two helicopters returned to pick the troops up, they came under heavy fire and Flt Lt Gordon's vehicle lost the use of one of its two rotor engines. |
| Knowing the Apache helicopters which were supplying them with air support had to return to Camp Bastion to refuel, Flt Lt Gordon said he had to make a quick calculation to work out if he could still take off 30 soldiers on board. | Knowing the Apache helicopters which were supplying them with air support had to return to Camp Bastion to refuel, Flt Lt Gordon said he had to make a quick calculation to work out if he could still take off 30 soldiers on board. |
| "I thought, 'you can pull this off'," he said, and signalled to his crew to get the troops on board. | "I thought, 'you can pull this off'," he said, and signalled to his crew to get the troops on board. |
| "They all ran towards the aircraft - one soldier was shot through the leg, quite minor, I think it just grazed him. | "They all ran towards the aircraft - one soldier was shot through the leg, quite minor, I think it just grazed him. |
| "From the numbers I had calculated we had a good chance that it could work but nothing was going to be certain." | "From the numbers I had calculated we had a good chance that it could work but nothing was going to be certain." |
| The extra weight and damaged engine meant he was forced to fly for 3 miles (4.8km) at around 20 ft (6m) from the ground, rather than the usual 50 ft (15m), creating a dust cloud which obscured his view. | The extra weight and damaged engine meant he was forced to fly for 3 miles (4.8km) at around 20 ft (6m) from the ground, rather than the usual 50 ft (15m), creating a dust cloud which obscured his view. |
| As a result, he used the ruts ploughed into fields as a guide, so as to remain on course and not lengthen the journey, as he said he was concerned the "good engine [would] overload or overcook". | As a result, he used the ruts ploughed into fields as a guide, so as to remain on course and not lengthen the journey, as he said he was concerned the "good engine [would] overload or overcook". |
| "We have various limits, then there are the 'only use in an extraordinary circumstance' ones, which this was," he said. | "We have various limits, then there are the 'only use in an extraordinary circumstance' ones, which this was," he said. |
| 'Worst-case scenario' | 'Worst-case scenario' |
| He added that when the helicopter arrived back at Camp Bastion, the troops had to endure a "heavy landing" before they could alight, though he said they had had no idea the helicopter was badly damaged. | He added that when the helicopter arrived back at Camp Bastion, the troops had to endure a "heavy landing" before they could alight, though he said they had had no idea the helicopter was badly damaged. |
| "They didn't know I was on one engine but they knew we were in a tricky situation," he said. | "They didn't know I was on one engine but they knew we were in a tricky situation," he said. |
| "They were just extremely happy to get out of the situation because they didn't know if they would. | "They were just extremely happy to get out of the situation because they didn't know if they would. |
| "Everything seemed to be stacked up against them - if we couldn't get them, and the Apache had to get back because of fuel, they were thinking worst-case scenario." | "Everything seemed to be stacked up against them - if we couldn't get them, and the Apache had to get back because of fuel, they were thinking worst-case scenario." |
| Speaking about his medal, the 29-year-old, who is based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, said it was "very humbling to receive it". | |
| "It shows all the effort that the aircrew and our engineers work extremely hard to make sure we can get airborne," he said. | "It shows all the effort that the aircrew and our engineers work extremely hard to make sure we can get airborne," he said. |