My jump for war hero brother
Lorraine Tinney • Published 9 Jan 2010 14:00
A BRAVE Port Glasgow soldier was shot in a horror attack by Taliban rebels in Afghanistan.
John Duncan, 23, suffered a thighbone injury after he and his colleagues were caught in a hail of bullets outside their army camp.
Hero squaddies dragged him into a ditch to safety but even then the enemy continued to fire at them.
He was flown back to the UK to a Birmingham hospital for treatment and his distraught family, mum Marie, dad James and sister Terri, rushed to his bedside.
Now, John's ordeal has inspired Terri to take the plunge with a 10,000ft skydive to raise cash for a war veterans' charity.
Speaking to the Tele about her brother's ordeal, student Terri, 19, said: "We found out what had happened the next day. It was scary to hear he was still under fire as his colleagues dragged him to safety.
"He was taking a lot of painkillers and for the first few days he didn't make much sense but he was able to talk about it within a week."
John, who is in the 5th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, based in Canterbury, stayed in hospital for two weeks before he was allowed home and his terrifying ordeal has left him with a permanent limp.
Terri, of Dougliehill Place, said: "The bullet shattered his femur. He lost a piece of bone and had to get a rod inserted, so he has a limp and he has to put a wedge in his shoe to keep him balanced.
"He was quite brave about it - he said 'it's happened and there's nothing you can do about it'."
The experience has inspired fearless Terri to sign up for the skydive to raise funds for the charity Help for Heroes, which supports wounded soldiers.
She said: "I've never done anything like this before but I feel very strongly about the charity and I feel the soldiers should be supported.
"You hear on the news they are not treated well but they get the best medical treatment using state-of-the-art equipment. John's really chuffed about me doing the skydive. I think he was quite surprised."
John was injured more than a year ago and has undergone strenuous physiotherapy to get him back to fitness.
Despite this, he is determined to carry on with his army career and expects to be back in Afghanistan by the end of the year.
The event is being held at St Andrew's airfield in Fife on 24 February. Anyone who wants to sponsor Terri should log on to www.justgiving.com/terriduncan
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 09 Jan 10
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