Royal Marine decorated for saving shot comrade

A ROYAL Marine who ran unarmed into a battlefield to save an injured comrade was yesterday presented with the second highest bravery award in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Lance Corporal Steven Nethery, 23, from Edinburgh, a general purpose machine gunner, received the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, second only to the Victoria Cross, for battlefield bravery in Afghanistan.

The Marine, based at 45 Commando in Arbroath, was part of a troop ambushed by Taliban fighters. When fellow Marine Mark Hendry was shot in the leg he ran unarmed under heavy fire to drag him out of the firing line. He then braved the open ground a second time to prevent vital equipment falling into enemy hands.

At the time the award was made, the Ministry of Defence said L-Cpl Nethery went above and beyond the call of duty and his repeated bravery undoubtedly saved lives.

But the ceremony yesterday was a muted affair with L-Cpl Nethery declining to comment on his honour which he received from the Prince of Wales. In March he avoided prison after punching a fellow commando outside a nightclub in Exmouth, Devon, after a night drinking.

Judge Graham Cottle said had the incident not been marine on marine, he would have been jailed - and his career would be in tatters.