Chopper pilot flew into ‘ a river of tracer fire’

With bullets kicking up dust in front of him and insurgent rounds pinging off his helicopter cockpit, every fibre in Flight Lieutenant Ben Pryor’s body told him to flee

But the Royal Air Force mission depended on him. As did the crack British troops who’d already been dropped into the ‘‘ hot’’ drop- zone close to the insurgent’s fortified compound. So the Auckland father- of- two fought his internal urges and stayed firm.

After abandoning his first approach where his cockpit was hit three times, the now- Squadron Leader took his Chinook at the lead of an eight- ship air assault back into the intense enemy machinegun fire, later described by colleagues as ‘‘ a river of tracer coming at our aircraft’’.

Showing ‘‘ remarkable courage in the face of extreme danger’’, he landed and got his troops on the ground, while returning effective fire.

His exploits on April 22 last year in It’s every soldier’s greatest fear — the unseen enemy. The improvised explosive device ( IED) buried beneath the hostile Helmand province have the road, which i s detonated by won him a top war decoration. Afghanistan insurgents who lie and

‘‘ I’m incredibly honoured, proud, wait for Coalition soldiers to pass. and humbled, but any pilots put in the Staff Sergeant Dean Rennie spent same situation would’ve done the six months with a specialist US bomb same,’’ said 38- year- old Squadron unit, getting into the minds of the Leader Pryor of his New Zealand Galdeadly bomb builders to see how they lantry Medal ( NZGM) tick. awarded today.

His medal A citation also highlights s the only non- US serviceperson another mission where he flew into attached to the Combined Explosive more intense small- arms and grenade Exploitation Cell at the Forward fire to rescue a shot American soldier. Operating Base Salerno in Khost Pro

‘‘ This was the second time in as vince, he saw it as a chance to put all many months that Squadron Leader of his training and knowledge into Pryor had displayed calmness, courpractice. When a bomb went off, the age, and professionalism in a situasoldier from Royal New Zealand Army tion of intense pressure and while Logistics Regiment was sent to reunder enemy fire,’’ it reads. cover fragments and learn how the

The feats came while the 17- year device worked. Royal New Zealand Air Force veteran The 42- year- old father- of- t wo, was on a four- year secondment with whose parents had both served in the the famed RAF. RNZAF, often came under enemy fire

and also took part in treacherous

Ben Pryor: Gallantry Medal