A SOLDIER from Westcliff has been awarded the prestigious Military Cross for bravery while serving in Afghanistan.

Corporal Robert Moore, nicknamed Billy, from the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, was yesterday awarded the cross.

It is the third highest honour a soldier can be given for bravery, behind the Victoria Cross and the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

Cpl Moore, 31, a former Belfairs High School pupil, was honoured for single-handedly battling up to ten Taleban fighters in the wartorn country's Helmand province in April last year.

He was shot in the arm and another soldier was killed before he received back-up. Despite his injury, Cpl Moore kept fighting to protect other soldiers.

He recalled how the events of the dramatic day unfolded on Friday the 13th.

He said: "I and fellow soldier, Chris Gray, were walking through someone's garden as we had been clearing out buildings all morning.

"We suddenly walked straight into the Taleban.

"To sum it up, all hell broke loose.

"There was a lot of firepower coming our way and it was two against ten.

"Chris was shot and fatally wounded and, as that happened, I remember just standing there fighting on my own. I couldn't tell you how long for because it felt like a lifetime.

"I was trying to get him out and then the other guys arrived to help. As I was doing that, I got shot in the arm."

After he was shot, Cpl Moore said he remembered a higher-ranking soldier telling him he had to get out of the battle area.

Cpl Moore added: "I just told him where to go and got back in there to help out the troops.

"After about 45 minutes, the rest of us got out. When I got to the hospital, I was told I had lost about two-and-a-half pints of blood.

Cpl Moore's bravery extended further than simply his toughness in battle.

He was flown home to recover and told he would not see frontline action again, but four months later he was back in Helmand because he didn't want to let his fellow soldiers down.

He told the Echo at the time: "I have been biting at the bit to get back. I wanted to get back to prove I could still do it, and it proves the system works. It means if you do get injured you can still get back to fight with your unit."

Cpl Moore said he was delighted to have won the award.

He said: "It did bring everything back, especially as I had lost a really good friend there.

"But it was amazing when they read out his name as well, because he had been given another honour."

Medal is 3rd highest honour

THE Military Cross is awarded in recognition of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land.

It was first issued in 1914 to warrant and junior officers of the Army, who were ineligible for the Distinguished Service Order because of their rank.

It is one level below the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross and is at the equivalent level to the Distinguished Service Cross (for exemplary gallantry at sea) and the Distinguished Flying Cross (for exemplary gallantry in the air).

Cpl Moore was one of 28 people named as receipients of the Military Cross at a ceremony in Pirbright, Surrey.