‘I just did what any medic would have done’ - Kylie

AN army medic from Ballymena who defied heavy Taliban fire twice to treat two seriously wounded Afghan soldiers says she is “still in shock” after being awarded the prestigious Military Cross.

Lance Corporal Kylie Watson tried to resuscitate one casualty as bullets smashed into the dust around her in exposed open ground for 20 minutes.

The 23-year-old heroine – from the Royal Army Medical Corps – described her actions as “purely instinctive” and said the Military Cross should be shared by every medic serving on the front line.

Speaking on Sunday night, she said “I am still in shock to be honest. I had no idea that I was getting this award and I am absolutely delighted”.

On another occasion she made a 100m [328ft] dash in full view of the enemy under sustained accurate fire to deliver life-saving first aid to an Afghan soldier who had been shot twice in the pelvis.

She stemmed his bleeding despite being hampered by other Afghan troops – who did not approve that a woman should be treating the wounded man – and got the casualty to a helicopter.

“You don’t have time to think about these dangers. My job is to treat the injured and time is everything in these situations”.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph at the weekend, Kylie confirmed that other Afghan soldiers tried to stop her treating their comrade.

“I told them straight (through an interpreter), ‘If I don’t treat him, he dies. There is no argument, he is getting treated,” she told the newspaper.

“I just got on with it. There was no option. He had been shot through the pelvis and was bleeding heavily.

“We exposed the wound and I managed to stop the bleeding by applying several first field dressings. I got the stretcher ready and two guys from 1 LANCS (1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment) and an ANA warrior helped me get him back into cover.”

The incident happened as Kylie went on patrol from a checkpoint near Nad E Ali in Helmand Province in June last year.

Speaking about the other occasion when she ran into exposed ground to treat an Afghan National Army soldier who had been shot in the chest, she told The Daily Telegraph: “I ran forward to treat him. There was a tiny entry wound where the bullet had gone into his chest and no exit wound.

“There was very little blood but he was not breathing. I tried to resuscitate him for about 20 minutes but nothing could be done.

“I think he had died before I got to him, bless him. I looked up at last and saw bullets hitting the dust around me.

“I realised for the first time how exposed I was, I was just kneeling in a field with no cover. It was time to go.”

Speaking to local press on Sunday, Kylie said: “What I did is what every other combat medic would have done, so I think this award is something which the medical corps can share in. I am really thrilled. It is a real honour and it will take a while for this to sink in.

“I have served in Afghanistan and Iraq and I have been humbled by the many, many sacrifices which our troops have made.

“It is these same soldiers who help me and other medics with these rescues – it is a team effort,” she added.

Her citation said: “Watson’s immense courage, willingness to put her own life at risk and absolute bravery saved the life of one warrior and acted as an inspiration to her platoon and their Afghan National Army partners.”

The lance corporal, who is a former pupil of Harryville Primary and Ballee High School, is currently engaged to a medic with 16 Medical Regiment currently serving in Afghanistan.

Speaking to the Ballymena Times on Sunday, her family in Harryville said they too were still coming to terms with the honour.

Her father Glen said Kylie had kept her award under wraps, as she didn’t want to deflect attention away from her sister’s wedding.

“She is such a humble girl and we are all really delighted for her,” Mr Watson told the Ballymena Times.

“Kylie told us on the night before the wedding but she didn’t want us making a fuss because it was Stephanie’s [her sister’s] big day. She wanted to join the army and she wanted to help people and we are so proud.

“It really has been a great weekend for the family.”

Her grandfather, Maurice Watson, added: “Kylie really deserves this award. She has always been a go-getter and has always helped people.”

Extending warm congratulations to Kylie and the Watson family from the staff, pupils and Board of Governors of Harryville Primary, principal Mrs Lesley Meikle said the former pupil demonstrated a caring nature at a young age.

“Kylie’s caring attitude towards others came across very early on,” she said.

“And, in P6 and P7 she was selected to look after the younger ones at lunchtime - she was one of the girls sensible enough to do that and she relished it.

“She was a quiet girl with the most beautiful smile and she took an active role in the school community - she appeared in four musicals, she was in the choir, she was in our Education For Mutual Understanding group with St Joseph’s Dunloy and she had a piece of work about her granny’s schooldays featured in an NEELB publication, to name but a few of her achievements. She was, and still is, a pupil to be proud of,” smiled Mrs Meikle.

Principal of Ballee Community High School, Mrs Gillian McCartney said that the school had a long tradition of pupils joining the Armed Services, particularly when the Royal Irish Rangers were based in Ballymena,

She said: “As a school we are tremendously proud of the immense courage Kylie has demonstrated in order to help her fellow man.

“I have read the news coverage describing her bravery and she is most deserving of being awarded the Military Cross.

“As a pupil she was a quiet, modest and sincere girl who has clearly matured into an amazing and astounding young woman. What an inspiration! What a role model! What a real life heroin!

“The Governors, staff and pupils both past and present send their congratulations to Kylie and her family,” she said.

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