British soldier describes throwing Taliban hand grenade back toward enemy in Afghanistan
By APTuesday, March 9, 2010
UK soldier “lobs Taliban grenade back at enemy”
LONDON — A soldier in the British army in Afghanistan has described how he saved the lives of two comrades by picking up a live Taliban grenade and throwing it back toward the enemy.
Rifleman James McKie says he scooped up the hand grenade — which landed at his feet while he was on a rooftop in Sangin, southern Afghanistan on March 3 — and threw it straight back at insurgents.
McKie says the device exploded in mid air just meters away from where they were standing. Shrapnel hit him in his face and arm.
The 29-year-old soldier, originally from New Zealand, said Tuesday he decided to pick up the grenade to preserve the lives of two other soldiers on the roof.
He said: “My platoon has taken a lot of casualties. I really didn’t want to see anyone else get hurt.”
