Soldier survives shot to the head

Fri Oct 16 2009 20:21:25

A British soldier who was shot in the head by the Taliban in Afghanistan had a lucky escape when the bullet became lodged in his helmet.

Lance Corporal Iain Maynard, 24, was sent flying 6ft by the force of the blast but was left with nothing more serious than whiplash, according to a military statement.

The incident happened while Lance Corporal Maynard, of 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, was on a routine patrol to look for improvised explosive devices in Nad-e-Ali, Helmand Province, on Tuesday.

While under fire from insurgents, he was hit in the head and thrown to the ground. But when his fellow soldiers came to help him they were amazed to see the bullet had embedded itself in his helmet, with just the tip sticking through into the inside.

L/Cpl Maynard, from Lincoln, said: "Literally out of nowhere I got shot in the helmet. I wasn't knocked out by the initial force of it but it knocked me straight onto my back. I was completely disorientated on the floor.

"I took my helmet off and looked at it and thought, 'that was close'. I tried to stand up but couldn't so I was taken out of there."

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