Incredible bravery

Incredible bravery of British soldier, Warrant Officer Andy Peat, who put body over Taliban bomb

• Warrant Officer Andy Peat screened Taliban bomb in Afghanistan with his body to stop others stepping on it
• Commanders said his heroism ‘saved a number of lives’

A British soldier risked his life in Afghanistan by covering a booby-trap bomb with his body to try to save a wounded comrade.

Warrant Officer Class One (WO1) Andy Peat heroically used himself as a human shield to protect rescuers from triggering another improvised explosive device (IED).

The bomb disposal expert positioned himself just a foot above the explosive so colleagues could evacuate the Danish casualty.

Stretcher bearers had to pass so close to the Taliban bomb that WO1 Peat feared they would accidentally step on it unless he screened it with his body.

Despite knowing he would bear the brunt of any blast the 39-year-old remained motionless until the soldiers had clambered over him.

Commanders said his heroism ‘saved a number of lives’.

Now WO1 Peat, who serves with 33 Engineer Regiment, has been honoured by Denmark for his ‘extraordinary’ bravery.

He is the first soldier outside the Danish military to receive the prestigious Anders Lassen Award from Crown Prince Frederik.

WO1 Peat was supporting a joint Danish-Afghan patrol in January when the group was blasted by an IED in Helmand’s Upper Gereshk Valley.

The explosion inflicted terrible injuries on Oversergeant Rene Brink Jakobsen, a member of the Danish Special Forces, who lost both legs and an arm. WO1 Peat discovered the unit was surrounded by at least ten more IEDs – including one underneath the injured soldier.

He managed to disarm the device by cutting its wires.

Hero: WO1 Peat was honoured by HRH Prince Frederik Andre Henrik Christian, Prince of Denmark for his action in Afghanistan

But as three Danish comrades struggled to stretcher WO1 Brink Jakobsen off a 14ft roof, WO1 Peat was alarmed to see another IED close to the escape path.

He told the Mail: ‘The bottom line was if someone had initiated the device, it would have wiped out everyone.

‘My priority was ensuring no-one initiated the IED but in the back of my mind I was aware that if it went off, I would be taking the force of it.’

Poignant: Andy Peat laying a wreath at the wall of remembrance after he was awarded a citation from HRH Prince Frederik of Denmark

Tragically WO1 Brink Jakobsen later died of his wounds, leaving a wife and young family.

But WO1 Peat, a married father-of-one from Edinburgh, was praised for saving the lives of another Danish soldier plus five Afghan policemen. He received his award at the Royal Danish Military College in Copenhagen.

The Anders Lassen Foundation was established in memory of a soldier awarded the Military Cross and two bars and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in the Second World War.

Each year the foundation chooses a single recipient for its honour and cash award.

WO1 Peat was selected for his ‘extraordinary courage and determined actions’.

Casualty: Rene Brink Jakobsen lost both legs and an arm

In a touching gesture, he donated the 25,000 krone – £3,000 – award to his dead colleague’s wife, Camilla, and three children, Sara, Maja and Thor.

He said: ‘I was slightly taken aback when I had the phone call to say I’d been awarded it – it’s a great honour.’

WO1 Peat received a mention in despatches in 2007 for his bravery on the battlefield.

He said: ‘If you take any IED operator and put him in front of the same predicament, all the guys would have done exactly the same thing.

‘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 really appreciate what he did and I’m very grateful that he would think of us in this way.’

Lieutenant Colonel Claus Wannen, head of the Danish Special Forces, said: ‘We’re very picky about who we want to actually have the award. WO1 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.’