Less than 18 months after he was critically injured in an Afghan bomb blast, a brave Black Watch squaddie has vowed to return to the front line.
Lance Corporal Glynn Davidson from Perth was carrying out a reconnaissance mission in battle-scared Helmand province when an improvised explosive device ripped apart his vehicle last May.
The 23-year-old was lucky to escape alive but his back was broken in three places.
A number of Glynn’s ribs were also shattered and his face was severely lacerated.
Despite the trauma, the former Perth Academy pupil yesterday spoke of his determination to return to Afghanistan with his regiment next year.
Speaking exclusively to The Courier, he described how the forthcoming tour had given him “something to aim at” during months of agonising rehabilitation.
Despite almost losing his life at the hands of brutal insurgents, it seems nothing will stop Glynn from chasing his dreams.
“Being in the army is all I have ever wanted to do and I desperately want to go back to Afghanistan with The Black Watch next year,” he said.Determined”Obviously what happened was terrible but it has only made me even more determined.”
In the immediate aftermath of the blast, Glynn was battered, bruised and barely conscious.
“You think you are prepared for things like this but nothing can prepare you for the reality of it,” he recalled.
“I was part of the brigade reconnaissance force in Helmand at the time.
“While on recce we drove over what we later discovered was an improvised explosive device which was activated by a pressure pad.”
Initially blacking out, Glynn came to just moments later.
“Obviously it was pretty terrifying and I did not know the exact extent of my injuries,” he said.
“Medics were quickly on the scene and I was then airlifted by helicopter to a field hospital.”
Glynn was back in Britain within 48 hours much to the relief of his horrified parents.Worst nightmare”It was my parents’ worst nightmare,” he said.
“They were just glad when I came home but they now accept and understand what happened.
“They know I was doing what I love and they also appreciate my desire to go back to Afghanistan.
“I am still in rehabilitation now but the 2011 tour has given me something to aim at,” Glynn continued.
“I have been in The Black Watch for seven years and the regiment has looked after me well.”
Glynn was not the only one affected by the blast that day.
One fellow soldier also broke his back while another lost a leg following the incident.
“What happened can play on my mind at times but I still want to be in the army,” Glynn said.
“The work being done in Afghanistan is extremely important and I want to be part of it.”
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser last night heaped praise on Glynn, paying tribute to his bravery and dedication.
“Lance Corporal Glynn Davidson is a symbol of the courage and strength of The Black Watch,” he said.
“I salute the hard work and dedication of this young man, who has set his sights on serving on the front line when the regiment returns to Afghanistan next year.
“I wish him and all his comrades well. His determination once again proves that Black Watch soldiers are among the best in the world.
“I am proud to live in Perthshire as the home of the famous Black Watch,” Mr Fraser added.