Watt a hero

AN electrician who joined the Army reserves to earn extra cash saved four shot soldiers in a fierce firefight with the Taliban. 

Hero ... George Moffitt on duty in Afghanistan

 

Brave ... sparky George Moffitt

Self-employed sparky George Moffitt, 35, who is attached to 2 Para, was on patrol when his unit came under heavy attack in Afghanistan.
George ended up not only rescuing four fellow troops, but also civilian cameraman John Conroy who was filming him for a TV documentary on the Territorial Army.
George said: "There was a compound 200 metres away with massive rusting metal gates and all of a sudden we saw women, children and cattle leaving. We knew something was up.

Action ... how George fought the Taliban

Injured ... telly cameraman John

"There was a burst of fire. It was constant. I was in a ditch and there were another five there too. All got hit - one in the arm, one had a bullet ricochet through both legs, one in his armour, and another straight in and out of the helmet. The cameraman was hit twice in the leg."
George desperately wanted to help his pals at Dactran, Gereshk, but had to deal with the Taliban first.
He went on: "I realised there was a hole in the gates and they'd stuck a machine gun there.
"The rounds were still coming in so I just got up, fired a few rounds and grenades back into the compound which quietened them down.
"There were still pot-shots coming, then the OC called in some mortars. Then we had support from an Apache helicopter firing hellfire missiles."
A lull in fighting gave George, from The Wirral, Merseyside, a chance to help his mates. He said: "I put two field dressings and a tourniquet on John.
"But the whole time we were still getting fired at.
"As soon as there was a break in the firing I broke my cover, got back up and fired UGLs, they're 40mm grenade launch and just chaos.

Map ... where fighting took place

"I was just firing and it sort of neutralised it."
The injured were then airlifted out. George added: "I don't class myself as a hero. I was doing what we're all trained to do."
Of the 9,500 UK troops in Afghanistan, 500 are from the TA.
Defence Secretary Liam Fox has announced a greater role in war zones for the reservists and more training.
George is featured in The TA And The Taliban, on Watch, Thursday, at 9pm.