Special Operations.Com

6:47 pm AEST October 7 1999


	Soldier misses death by millimetres in E Timor

	AAP -- An Australian soldier escaped death by millimetres when a militia bullet hit the base of his neck in an ambush in East Timor last night. He was one of two Australians wounded in the first combat engagement of the peacekeeping mission, near Suai in the south-west of the province. Doctors who operated on the two men said they were amazed at the level of control they showed considering the extent of their injuries. Lieutenant Colonel John Crozier operated on a 34-year-old soldier who suffered a gunshot wound on the right side at the base of his neck while he was driving a truck. "If the bullet had travelled any further to the rear he may well have finished unable to move his arms or legs," Colonel Crozier said. "If it had come any lower through a major artery he may not have survived to be transported here (to the military hospital in Dili), so (he came) within millimetres of his life." Major Charles New operated on the other soldier, a 26-year-old, who had gunshot wounds to his leg and wrist. The leg injury was a compound fracture to the tibia, the worst of three grades, and there was major nerve and vascular damage to the wrist which would take weeks to heal, Major New said. Both were in a satisfactory condition after being flown to Dili from Suai, near where they had been ambushed. Two militiamen were killed in the ambush and 115 were subsequently captured. Nine were taken to Dili for questioning. The two doctors said both Australians were conscious throughout the trip back and when they were brought in for x-rays. "It was an unusual thing to see that level of control. Many of the civilians we normally treat would be much more emotional," Colonel Crozier said. He said the man he operated on had been driving a vehicle when he was shot, but had managed to return fire. "He was able to describe exactly what happened, that he had been shot from 45 feet (14 metres) away by a military assault rifle," he said. "He felt the pain and quickly examined his neck and was then able to continue to return effective fire. "Even with a wound of that severity he was still able to do exactly what his training required him to do." Interfet would not relase the names of the two soldiers recovering in the makeshift military hospital in Dili, but they are believed to be Special Air Service (SAS) troops. Colonel Mark Kelly told reporters both men were expected to make a full recovery and their families had been advised.