New Zealand Gallantry Decoration - Cpl Matthew Ball

[JPL]

Another news story.

When Corporal Matthew Ball was serving in Afghanistan, he was shot at, had his leg impaled, his skin punctured with shrapnel and his face and head burned.

But still he tried to pull Lieutenant Timothy O'Donnell out of harm's way, plunging into fire to get to him.

The 25-year-old Linton soldier will be awarded the New Zealand Gallantry Decoration for his actions on that day in August 2010, it was announced yesterday.

Read the complete article: http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/5715731/Soldiers-heroism-to-be-honoured

Jean-Paul

[Mervyn Mitton]

Jean-Paul - another harrowing account of great bravery in the field. I will never understand though, why New Zealanders are involved in Afghanistan.

For that matter - why any Western Countries are involved.

This is the 4th Afghan War that we have fought and have never been fully succesful in any of them.