Military honours for soldier shot in the neck and colleague who saved him

”I owe him one now. It's my round every time," said Lance Corporal Moloney

Ministry of Defence undated handout photo of Lance Corporal Simon Moloney (left) of the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons), who has been awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross and Lance Corporal Wesley Masters, Royal Army Medical Corp (Cpl Si Longworth RLC (Phot)/PA Wire)

A soldier who continued fighting despite being shot in the neck and his colleague who saved him, were given military honours on Friday.

Lance Corporal Simon Moloney and Lance Corporal Wes Masters were among the 117 people from the Army, Navy, and Royal Air force who appear on the Operational Honours list published in the London Gazette.

25-year-old LCpl Masters. from The Royal Army Medical Corps. was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry and courage in tending to 23-year-old LCpl Moloney who was shot in the neck by Taliban insurgents.

Without waiting for orders, LCpl Masters crossed 300 metres of open ground under heavy fire while carrying 60kgs of equipment to reach his fallen friend.

"I called it in for a medic not really thinking that it would happen but he managed to get there through fire very soon.

“He got there within two minutes."

Despite LCpl Moloney having suffered a rare and complicated injury, LCpl Masters was able to stabilise him to the point that he was able to rejoin the gun battle that was raging by the time.

LCpl Moloney, of the Blues and Royals, added: "As soon as Wes came I was completely at ease - I was quite happy then, that I was going to survive and that he had it in the bag."

LCpl Moloney received a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for his gallantry and skill.

He added that he down-played the injury when he told his mother back home in St Albans.

He said: ”I didn't want to scare her so I said I'd hurt my neck.

“She obviously knew you don't just hurt your neck in Afghanistan.

"Once I'd come home and she saw that I was alright and in good health she was a bit better."

As for LCpl Masters' quick decision to help him on the battlefield, LCpl Moloney admits that it could prove expensive.

He said: "I owe him one now. It's my round every time."

Other men and women to be recognised in Friday’s honours include LCpl Sinead Dodds who helped to free her commander who was trapped when the armoured vehicle they were travelling in was hit by an IED in Afghanistan. She will be awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery..

Announcing the awards, Commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps Lieutenant General Tim Evans said: "On operations our servicemen and women face dangers, real dangers, and they do so in the full knowledge of the risk.

"And often in very arduous conditions, none more so than in Afghanistan.

"I take this opportunity to pay publicly tribute to all of them - all of those who are receiving citations in the next few days."

Additional reporting by PA