A Tribute to a British Hero

On Friday it was announced that Sergeant Major Gary O'Donnell would be posthumously awarded a second George Medal for his bravery in Afghanistan.

Sgt Maj O'Donnell, 40, was in the Royal Logistics Corps, and was personally credited with saving dozens of lives among British soldiers and Afghan civilians by defusing more than 50 IEDs and other roadside bombs.

Born in Edinburgh, Sgt Maj O'Donnell was a well liked and respected soldier. His citation for the second medal attributed 'repeated and sustained acts of immense bravery' to him.

He was killed in September 2008 whilst approaching a Taliban booby trap with the intention of defusing it.

He is survived by a widow and four children.

Men like this make me proud to be British. Most people spend their lives running away from danger, but he spent his putting himself in harm's way to protect others.

God bless you, Sergeant Major, and rest in peace.