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An inch away from death
A BRAVE South Yorkshire soldier came within inches of death in a shoot-out with the Taliban after a bullet struck his chin and passed through his throat and shoulder.
David Atherton, from Moorends, Doncaster, was yesterday having surgery on his wounds - sustained as he tried to help two wounded colleagues from the Coldstream Guards.
The 20-year-old former Trinity Academy pupil is today in Selly Oaks Hospital, Birmingham, where he has been treated since the incident less than two weeks ago. A campaign has started in his home village to help fund his mum and stepdad's visits.
His stepdad Melvin Douglas told The Star he is hoping David will make a full recovery, despite injuries which have left him unable to speak since he was shot, prompting fears he may need to use a voice box.
It is understood one of the wounded colleagues he was trying to protect when he was injured was from Mexborough. He was described as injured in the chest and also recovering in Selly Oaks.
Seven days before he was shot, David had escaped injury when a Taliban bomb detonated near him and blew him off his feet. Another soldier lost a leg in the blast. He had been on patrol on the day he was wounded in Helmand province.
His unit had been out for around six hours and was preparing to return back to Camp Bastion when they took fire at 6am from a nearby compound occupied by three Taliban fighters.
An unmanned aircraft, known as a Hellfire, was nearby, and bombed the compound, killing one Taliban and wounding another.
But more Taliban fighters joined the gunfight in which David's patrol sergeant was wounded in the arm along with the soldier believed to be from Mexborough. David was wounded while the two injured soldiers were being evacuated, as he provided covering fire.
The area was cleared of Taliban and declared safe 20 minutes later for helicopters to land to carry the three wounded men back to Camp Bastion after they had been stabilised. They were in Birmingham within 24 hours of the incident.
Yesterday's operation was David's third, and he is expected to have at least two more. He has now been in the hospital nine days and is expected to remain there for the next month.
Mr Douglas said: "He's been very lucky in that another inch, and the bullet could have killed him, but he's said another inch the other way and it would have missed him.
"David can't talk at the moment because he has had to have a tracheotomy, but he should be able to talk again eventually, and they are saying he should make a full recovery.
"He is a soldier and he is aware of the risks you take with the job."
David is married with two young children, and the Government is paying for his wife to stay close to him in Birmingham.
But Melvin and David's mum, Linda, are having to pay their own travel and accommodation expenses for visits.
The community in Moorends is rallying to help them, and the Moorends-Thorne Marauders rugby league club plans to raise 1,000 towards their costs.
It is to hold a race night and karaoke evening on Saturday, November 21, in the Moorends Social Club, Moorends, at 7pm. The club is appealing for people to sponsor the event.
Call Jim Welbourn on 07798 783428.
Donations can be sent as a cheque payable to Thorne Moorends Marauders RLFC, 7 South End, Thorne, Doncaster, DN8 5QN.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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