"The only thing to do is put our foot down and try to drive out of the killing area."

On a spring day in Basra in 2004, nine men from the Royal Horse Artillery found themselves surrounded by 200 Iraqis, all shooting to kill. The man who saved them is Sgt Terry Bryan, a modest 37-year-old father of three, who joined the Army at 16. In this Daily Mail story Sgt Bryan tells their story, and describes how he won the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for his astonishing bravery.

How Nine British Soldiers Fought Off Gun-Blazing 200 Iraqis in a Life-or-Death Siege
By SERGEANT TERRY BRYAN

Usually, the streets of Basra were teeming with life - workers, people looking for a job, street vendors, food stalls, taxis, buses, donkey carts. But not today: the place seemed deserted. So, already, our internal alarm bells were ringing.

Then we heard that one of our patrols was holed up in a small camp a bit further into town, with a hostile crowd building up outside. It was clear the guys needed extracting fast.

My unit's task would be to cover a dangerous junction, a minute or so from their position, and protect them from any ambushes as they got out. All reasonably straightforward. I'd rounded the boys up before I went to the briefing and by the time I got back, they were in the armoured Land Rovers, ready to go.

There were four guys in mine and five in the other, which was commanded by my good mate Olly - Sgt Matt Oliver.

I'd known Olly for years and years. He wasn't actually scheduled to come out with us, but he'd been lying around getting bored and decided to come along for something to do.

We headed out on a wide dual carriageway, which had an 18-inch concrete barrier dividing the lanes. We always kept an eye out for breaks in the concrete, so we could
whip round and escape if we were attacked.

Our plan was to get to the junction then dive through one of these gaps. But just as we got there, and slowed for the turn, we realised it had been closed off with big oil barrels.

Simultaneously, the firing started - as though someone had turned on a switch. It was literally like a hail of bullets hitting the vehicle. I'd never experienced anything like it. (READ MORE)

Orwell said it best: "We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." May their service be remembered on Rememberance Day and never forgotten.

H/T: Theospark