Royal Marine saved by body armour - and colleagues

By Phil Hill, Somerset County Gazette

A ROYAL Marine shot in Afghanistan was back on the frontline within five weeks. Jason Nash, 21, of Norton Manor Camp-based 40 Commando, was hit by an insurgent in the Sangin area of Helmand Province.

Royal Marine Jason Nash on patrol

During the ensuing fierce gun battle, Jason was tended by comrades before being rushed to Camp Bastion hospital.

He said: “I was working in my Patrol Base near the 611 highway, building up defences on the roof. Just as I was about to climb down to get some water, a single round hit me in the left arm. It went through and into the side plate of my body armour and knocked me off the roof.

"It felt like a car had hit me. I looked down at my arm and could see the blood, but the other lads instantly got an emergency care bandage on me to stop the bleeding.”

During a 20-minute gun battle afterwards, fellow Commandos simultaneously dealt with a furious Taliban onslaught, treated Jason’s injury and arranged for his evacuation for treatment.

An armoured vehicle transported him to Base Jackson, where a helicopter flew him to Camp Bastion.

Marine Nash’s body armour after he was shot

Jason said: “The whole process from the first shot to waking up after surgery was about four hours.”

He was in hospital for two days and returned five days later for 20 stitches to close the wound.

He worked in stores for a month before getting the all-clear to rejoin his colleagues.

Jason said: “It’s great being back with the lads – they were amazing when I got shot.”