Soldier is wounded in Taliban firefight

A SOLDIER from a Derbyshire regiment has been wounded following a firefight with the Taliban in Afghanistan

He was shot in the arm when troops from the 2nd Mercian Battalion came under attack while escorting a convoy of lorries taking supplies to British soldiers in remote outposts of Helmand Province.

Major Jez Jerome, who is co-ordinating information from the battalion's headquarters in Belfast, said: "We have only had one soldier suffer minor injuries so far after receiving a gunshot wound to the arm.

"But he rallied his men around and continued fighting using his weapon with one arm.

"He is the only member of the battalion to have suffered any injury at all, which is great news."

Meanwhile, the last wave of Derbyshire soldiers to be deployed to Afghanistan will fly out on Saturday.

About 100 members of B Company of the 2nd Mercian Battalion will head to Helmand Province to join about 300 comrades already stationed there.

B Company will provide infantry support to the Light Dragoons in Southern Helmand, along with soldiers from A Company.

The remaining soldiers will be working in operational, Mentoring and Liaison Teams.

This will see small teams of British soldiers working with and alongside the Afghan National Army for the duration of the six-month tour.

Major Jerome said: "B Company fly out on Saturday and, apart from the rear party, that's the whole battalion deployed."