A BRISTOL soldier who risked death to save the life of an injured comrade has been awarded one of the highest military honours.

Rifleman Harry Lanceley raced to the side of his colleague despite coming under constant fire from rocket propelled grenades and bullets.

His fellow soldier had been critically wounded by a burst of gun shots from the Taliban.

Rifleman Lanceley fired at them and then went out across ground littered with makeshift bombs.

Despite being under continual fire, the brave soldier gave life-saving first aid and radioed details of the man's injuries back to his platoon commander.

He stayed with his injured colleague until he was sure they could both be evacuated to safety.

Rifleman Lanceley, who has since left the Army, has been awarded the Military Cross for his bravery during the incident, which happened on the 3rd Battalion The Rifles' tour of Afghanistan between October 2009 and April this year.

The Military Cross is awarded for "exemplary gallantry" during combat operations against the enemy

on land. It is the third highest award for bravery behind the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross and the Victoria Cross.

The 22-year-old, from Bedminster Down, said: "I am deeply honoured to be awarded the MC and I will receive this honour for myself and also for all lads who I served with in Afghanistan.

"In a situation like that you just do what you have to do and your training kicks in."

Thanks to his bravery the injured soldier survived the attack, although it has left him with lifelong injuries.

Rifleman Lanceley's company was in a rural area of Sangin in Afghanistan when they came under attack.

He was providing cover for a team looking for homemade bombs, known as improvised explosive devices, when they were ambushed ten hours into an operation.

Two groups of Taliban from separate positions – one just 15 metres away – pinned them down with sustained rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire.

It was then that Rifleman Lanceley's colleague was hit.

Rifleman Lanceley's citation states: "Lanceley's exemplary and utterly selfless actions consciously put the increasingly urgent needs of the casualty above his own safety.

"He could easily have elected to wait in cover for the incoming fire to subside or for reinforcements.

"Instead, fully aware of the immediacy of the danger to himself and knowing fully the proximity of the enemy, he unhesitatingly went forward to treat and rescue his critically wounded team-mate."

Rifleman Lanceley, who attended St Katherine's School in Pill before joining the Army four years ago, will be presented with his MC by the Queen at a later date.

His actions have earned him praise from Jamie Cooper, who at 18 was the youngest soldier to have been injured in Iraq.

Mr Cooper, from Kingswood, was hit by two mortar bombs in Basra, which ripped open his stomach and paralysed one of his legs.

He said: "It was incredibly brave – hats off to him.

"I think the training must have just kicked in and he did what he had to do.

"But it's not something you could do without the training or without being brave. If it was not for people like him then I wouldn't be here today.

"He is a hero in my eyes. It took a lot of courage to do what he did and he thoroughly deserves this recognition – in fact he deserves more than that."

Rifleman Lanceley said he enjoyed his time in the Army and made many good friends.