SOLDIERS from Worcestershire were among those to receive medals from the Prince of Wales.

The servicemen from the 2nd Battalion Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) were fighting the Taliban a few months ago in Helmand Province but yesterday were presented with their Afghan campaign medal by Prince Charles, their colonel-in-chief.

The Prince presented 44 soldiers with Operation Herrick medals in the grounds of his London home Clarence House, watched from a balcony by the Duchess of Cornwall.

Two other soldiers who are still recovering from injuries inflicted by the Taliban received the honour privately inside the Royal residence.

Among those to line up in the garden and receive a medal was Private Gareth James, 19, from Worcester.

He said: "This is my first operational medal and it's amazing. It's the accumulation of everything I've trained for over the last few years.

"The prince asked about my arm as I was injured in a rocket attack and took a piece of shrapnel to the arm but I was all right after a few days."

"The first time I got mortared was scary. You don't know where they're going to land. You find a corner, put your helmet on and hope it's not going to land near you."

During the ceremony, he said his thoughts had turned to a fallen comrade - Lance Corporal Paul "Sandy" Sandford, 23, from Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, who was shot in the neck during an operation in June last year.

"It really brought it down to earth," he said.

The battalion's commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Simon Banton described the ceremony as a morale boost for his troops.

He said: "Before the men came here they were hugely excited, they were very proud to be getting their medals from the prince."

The battalion took part in heavy fighting during its six-month tour in Afghanistan which ended in October last year. Nine soldiers were killed and 20 more seriously injured.

After the ceremony, the Prince of Wales hosted a reception in Clarence House for the soldiers.

  • Your Worcester News campaigned for our troops to receive a combat medal for their services in Afghanistan to reflect the intensity of the fighting that took place in the Helmand province, but the Government has so far declined to do so.