Hero's welcome after tour of 'Death Valley' (From Ledbury Reporter)

Hero's welcome after tour of 'Death Valley'

10:30am Friday 21st September 2012 in News By Robert Hale

tour of ‘Death Valley’ A SOLDIER from Ledbury who has been serving in one of the most dangerous areas of Afghanistan has been receiving a hero’s welcome back at home.

Christopher Scott, who went to Ledbury Primary School and John Masefield High School, joined the Mercian Regiment in February 2011 after a tough six-month training course.

In September of that year he deployed with 2 Mercian C Company to Afghanistan for seven months.

The soldiers were sent to the Upper Geresk Valley, nicknamed Death Valley, which US forces had just pulled out from.

Their orders were to keep route 611, a main road, clear of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and Chris’s main role was to be out in the front of the patrols searching for the bombs. After one soldier was seriously injured, Chris cleared a path for a Chinook helicopter to land, ensuring that the injured man was evacuated within 12 minutes.

His brave actions were featured in the BBC’s Our War documentary series, and he has since been getting stopped on the street back home in Ledbury by people wanting to shake his hand.

Since returning from Afghanistan he has also been in London assisting with security at the Olympic Games, where he and fellow troops were given a hero’s welcome by celebrities including London mayor Boris Johnson and football star Ashley Cole.

Pvt Scott is currently home in Ledbury for twoweeks before starting a course to prepare him to become a non-commissioned officer.

He has volunteered to go back to Afghanistan in February 2013.