THE family of a Suffolk soldier have spoken of their pride after he was awarded the Military Cross.

Craig Robinson

THE family of a Suffolk soldier who helped three comrades escape a Taliban ambush despite being shot in the leg himself have spoken of their pride after he was awarded the Military Cross.

Second Lieutenant Alexander Barclay, from the 5th Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland, received the accolade in the Operational Honours List for his service in Afghanistan.

The 23-year-old, from Blaxhall, near Woodbridge, was on patrol when his platoon came under fire from a Taliban ambush.

He successfully guided his troops through the first attack and then braved four more when he went to help others missing at the original ambush site.

Despite being shot in the leg the former Woodbridge School pupil - who is based at Canterbury's Howe Barracks - still managed to get his team safely back to base.

Last night, his parents Sandy and Miranda said they were immensely proud of their son, who only passed out from Sandhurst in 2007.

“Afghanistan was his first tour of duty,” Mr Barclay said. “It is an amazing achievement and obviously we are incredibly proud - I think we must have grown about 25 feet.

“Everybody out there does a serious job and it would be wonderful if all the guys in the same situation received some award because it is very much a team effort.”

His grandfather Brigadier Adam Gurdon, 77, who served with the Black Watch - the sister regiment to the Royal Regiment of Scotland, known as the Argyles - added: “It was quite a shock last August when he got wounded.

“The first we heard about it was when he phoned us from Afghanistan and said he was just going off to theatre to have his wound sorted out.

“He never said anything more about it - all he told us was that he was in an ambush and he got nicked. It was only when all the details came out when he was awarded the MC that we realised exactly what he had done.

“It was a considerable effort. But in the heat of battle you don't think about being brave - you just do what your instinct says. We're very proud as you can imagine. He's a very laid back boy and very quiet.”

The Military Cross is a decoration given in recognition of “acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land.”

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) website reads: “As platoon commander of B Company 5 SCOTS and despite a shot in the leg, Barclay's personal bravery, determination and leadership of the very highest order ensured that three men escaped a Taliban ambush alive.”

The head of Britain's fighting soldiers, Lieutenant General Sir Graeme Lamb, paid tributes to all those who were in the honours list.

“These young men acted above and beyond the call of duty,” he said. “They are not consumed by trivial self-interest, barging others aside in order to gain some material advantage for ambition.

“These warriors know the meaning of life and death, of standing by your friends, of standing up and being counted.

“Look no further for your 21st century role models... these are your real heroes, they live among you, they defend you and your right to freedom and the freedom of those less fortunate than you. There are none better.”

A total of 177 members of the Armed Forces and one MOD civilian received honours and awards.