A SOLDIER has been honoured for saving the life of a colleague injured in an explosion.

Acting Sergeant Ryan Vickery had been leading a patrol which came under fire from the Taleban in Helmand, Afghanistan.

During the gun battle, the group’s mortar controller was seriously injured by an enemy sniper.

An improvised explosive device (IED) then detonated, killing a rifleman and wounding a section commander, burying them under a huge pile of rubble.

Former Braintree man, Mr Vickery, began digging them out of the rubble with his hands, saving the commander’s life.

The 36-year-old, of 1st Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment, said: “It was extremely traumatic for the few seconds and it is either crumble or continue.

“You just can’t get to think. You just have to get on with it. For a split second I could have thrown in the towel.”

The married father-of-one received a Mention in Despatches for his exemplary gallantry and outstanding leadership.

He was leading his men towards the insurgent front line, with the enemy just 350 metres away.

The nearby ground was heavily booby-trapped with IEDs.

When the mortar controller was shot, the former Notley High School pupil quickly secured an area for him to be evacuated by helicopter.

Once the casualty was safely removed, Mr Vickery led his men to press on with the mission, forcing the insurgents back hundreds of metres before coming under renewed fire.

The soldiers were forced to crawl 100 metres across open ground towards the enemy, ultimately defeating them.

When the bomb exploded, he fought to save his men from under the rubble.

His citation states: “Vickery’s action is but one example of his enormous courage, fighting spirit and outstanding leadership in the most difficult of circumstances. He has displayed his exemplary qualities consistently throughout the tour during many other significant engagements with the enemy.

“His lack of any self-regard, and in particular the way in which he dealt with the death of one of his soldiers, marks Vickery out as someone who is truly deserving of the highest public recognition.”

Mr Vickery, who was in Afghanistan for six months and has been in the Army for 11 years, said despite the horrors, his platoon had a positive impact on the area and defeated the Taliban.

The Mention in Despatches is the oldest form of recognition of gallantry within the UK Armed Forces.