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British soldier takes a bullet in the head from a Taliban sniper to protect child
By Daily Mail Reporter Last updated at 11:08 AM on 20th December 2010 Comments (132) Add to My Stories A British soldier who confronted a Taliban insurgent with a human shield was shot in the head after he refused to re, for fear of hurting the small child. Brave Lance Corporal Craig Murtt demonstrated nerves of steel as he watched the sniper take aim and pull the trigger before he was sent ying to the ground. Luckily Lance Corporal Murtt's saved him and his refusal to re saved the innocent child.

The 25-year-old father-of-one said: 'I knew I could take him down but being a dad myself, I didn't want to run the risk of killing a kid.'

Brave: Lance Corporal Craig Murtt was shot after he refused to re for fear of hurting the small child

The rieman and medic had been on a routine security patrol with the Tidworth-based 2nd Royal Tank Regiment when he was called to reinforce infantry colleagues in Afghanistan's Helmand province. The group had come under re from hidden insurgents and required immediate back-up, he said.

More... RAF chief warns spending cuts will mean our air force is soon little better than Belgiums 'Our arrival, with our heavy repower, seemed to bring the ght to an end fairly quickly, but we stayed alert,' he said. 'Everything was quiet but then I spotted three men with a child on a compound roof, about 300 yards (275m) to the front of the vehicles. 'Suddenly two of the men moved off, leaving one man with the child - it was a girl, no more than 10-years-old. At this point I realised something was wrong - the man picked up a rie and moved behind the child, taking aim at me.'

Caring: Murtt, pictured giving rst aid to a young Afghan girl, watched the sniper take aim

and pull the trigger before he was shot in the head The soldier, known as Murf, could either protect himself and re - which risked injuring the child - or hold off. He decided to wait. 'I knew I could take him down but, being a dad myself, I didn't want to run the risk of killing a kid and undoing all the good work we've achieved,' he said. 'So I waited, hoping that the child would drop down and give me a clear shot,' he said. But the insurgent red and struck Lance Corporal Murtt on the left hand side of his Mark 7 Combat Helmet - a piece of kit already credited with saving lives.

The evidence: The helmet which saved Murtt's life after he was shot at by a Taliban insurgent The force of the bullet sent the serviceman, from Barnstaple in Devon, crashing to the oor. 'I felt the dent in my helmet and said to the others, 'I've been shot in the head but I'm ne'. I tried to stand up but I had disco legs and just had to sit down again for a bit,' he said.

Colleagues in his Warthog armoured vehicle return re. The soldier, who was uninjured, returned to duties immediately after the attack. As a medic and rieman, his job requires him to provide rst aid to the local community and protect infantry soldiers and engineers working on a major road, viewed by insurgents as a threat to their control. He will return to his wife Erica, a soldier with 32 Regiment, Royal Artillery, and son Finlay, who is less than a year old, when his tour ends, next year.

Honorable: Murtt thinks that being a dad himself kept him from putting the life of a child at risk

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Comments (132)
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below, or debate this issue live on our message boards. The comments below have been moderated in advance. Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all A man who no matter what the provication hasn't lost his humanity! Unlike a lot of DM readers that is. They are all facing situations and choices that we will never even have to contemplate. How many who say he should have red no matter what the consequence would have been outraged and disgusted if the child had been killed? Damned if he did and damned if he didn't. - SuzanneB, Geordieland, 20/12/2010 18:07 Click to rate Rating 158 Report abuse and the worse thing is that we are not even wanted there.

R.I.P Braver SOLDIER. You are truly a hero, and to act on such instincts and to not hesitate, shows how much your heart was pure. I think it is time that our soldiers come back home or at least used somewhere where we are needed , where there are results. - s, London, 20/12/2010 18:00 Click to rate Rating 43 Report abuse if only british police were this brave! p. bloomberg old man glendale, ca

That is a stupid comment! British police do not carry rearms and risk their lives facing criminals and idiots who go on the rampage who do carry them/ I would call that bravey. American cops shoot rst and ask questions after the event. I read that an American off duty cop pulled a gun on a kid who threw a snowball at him. I guess you would call that brave? - joanna, Durham,UK, 20/12/2010 17:53 Click to rate Rating 48 Report abuse "Sadly that child will probably grow up and be a terrorist - C L WILLIAMS, somerset, 20/12/2010 12:46"

Another fool with no idea... - Tony M, Where the expats are not, 20/12/2010 17:44 Click to rate Rating 23 Report abuse Top bloke, soldiers doing things like this and extremists in the uk still calling the murderers. Bottom line is you wouldn't see an extremist risking their life to save another. - scott, reality, 20/12/2010 17:43

Click to rate Rating 137 Report abuse This is a true hero and he deserves a medal. - Diana, Edinburgh, 20/12/2010 17:42 Click to rate Rating 174 Report abuse The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reect the views of MailOnline.

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