‘BROTHER’S KEEPER’

Commissioned by The Royal Army Medical Corps.

Lance Corporal Paul ‘Tug’ Hartley uses his medic pack to clear a path through a minefield to treat severely wounded members of the Parachute Regiment.

George Medal citation:

‘Since July 2006, a Fire Support Group consisting of 3 PARA mortars, snipers, heavy machine guns and anti-tank weapons held a high ridge feature to the south of the Kajaki Dam in the northern centre of Helmand Province. Lance Corporal Hartley was part of this group who were tasked with defending the dam area from regular Taliban attack.
On 6 September Lance Corporal Hartley’s section commander was tasked with leading a sniper patrol down the southern side of the ridge in an attempt to engage a group of Taliban fighters that had been reported to be operating on the principal highway to the east of the ridge. 300 metres from this main position Lance Corporal Hale stepped on a mine and sustained a serious leg injury. Seeing the mine strike from the top of the ridge, Lance Corporal Hartley immediately joined a rescue party that rushed down the slope to enter into the minefield and give assistance. On arriving at the scene, he immediately took charge of treating Lance Corporal Hale and stopped the significant blood flow from his seriously injured leg. Lance Corporal Hartley continued to treat Lance Corporal Hale during a subsequent mine blast. However, a further mine blast injured the only other medic and Lance Corporal Hartley was forced to leave Lance Corporal Hale in the care of others so that he could treat these additional casualties. Using his medical pack, he cleared an emergency path through the minefield to reach them. However, as he did so, another soldier stepped on a mine causing more casualties and also injuring Lance Corporal Hartley in the process. Despite receiving significant blast injuries to his chest, Lance Corporal Hartley decided to walk the final distance to the casualties. He focused on the most badly injured soldier and began to apply life-saving first aid. Whilst doing so he threw first aid kit to the other 3 wounded soldiers and shouted medical instructions to them.
Running desperately short of needed medical supplies, Lance Corporal Hartley improvised with clothing and weapon slings. Although wounded, he was the only JNCO and remaining medic not completely incapacitated by wounds. Consequently, he assumed command responsibility, triaged the wounded for subsequent evacuation and ensured that ZAP number and blood groups were passed back to higher headquarters. He continued to exercise this function until all casualties were eventually winched out of the minefield by an American helicopter.
There is absolutely no doubt that Lance Corporal Hartley entered the minefield to assist Lance Corporal Hale in the full knowledge of the dangerous situation he was placing himself in. He declined the opportunity to leave the minefield when he had the chance to do so and undertook the dangerous task of continuing to move about the minefield when further casualties were incurred. Eventually becoming a casualty himself, he continued to treat those more badly injured than himself. His example of professional dedication and courage in the most adverse of situations were fundamental to saving the lives of those wounded around him.’