Ex-soldier from Dumfries selling rare medal to buy family home

Shaun Garry Jardine from Dumfries was awarded the medal for his actions in Iraq

A former soldier is raising money to buy a family home by selling a bravery medal he won for storming an enemy gun position in Iraq.

Shaun Garry Jardine, 39, from Dumfries, was part of a quick reaction force which came under attack in August 2003.

His actions let his men move forward and forced the enemy to withdraw.

He was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) which is expected to fetch £120,000 to £140,000 at auction on 21 July.

Mr Jardine served as a corporal in the King's Own Scottish Borderers and later the Royal Regiment of Scotland, rising to the rank of warrant officer class 2.

Mr Jardine was part of a team which came under attack in August 2003

On 9 August 2003, while serving in Maysan Province during the Iraq War, his team found themselves under attack from two positions near a security base.

Facing heavy machine-gun fire, he ordered his team to provide covering fire and then assaulted the enemy positions in succession.

He was praised for his quick-thinking, courage and inspirational leadership.

Auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb said it was the only CGC to have been awarded to a Scottish regiment.

'Started running'

Mr Jardine, who has recently left the Army having joined at 16, said he was selling the CGC along with six other medals as he would like to buy a house for his family.

Describing his actions in Iraq, he said: "I started running across the bridge and they had seen me immediately.

"They were lying down, prone position, and firing at me as I ran; I saw their fingers on the triggers, then the muzzle flashes and then I could hear the rounds zipping past.

"I remember thinking, why are they not hitting me?"

The medal is going up for auction later this month

The soldier killed two of his attackers before calling his team forward and attacking a third enemy position.

Christopher Mellor-Hill, head of client liaison at Dix Noonan Webb, said that, to date, only 60 CGCs have been awarded, of which 15 were for the Iraq War.

"The award to Jardine is unique to the King's Own Scottish Borderers and is the only CGC to have been awarded to any Scottish regiment," he added.

The medals are being auctioned alongside a print of David Rowland's painting of the recipient winning his CGC and a file containing 15 letters of congratulation.