Danish bravery award for Scots soldier WO1 Andy Peat
Andy Peat was presented with his honour by Danish Crown Prince Frederik
A Scots soldier who risked his life trying to save an injured Danish comrade in Afghanistan has been honoured by Denmark for his courage.
Explosives expert Andy Peat went to the aid of Oversergeant Rene Brink Jakobsen after his patrol was blasted by an improvised explosive device (IED).
The warrant officer class One (WO1), from Edinburgh, disarmed a second IED and lay across the path of another.
He is the first soldier outside Denmark to receive the Anders Lassen Award.
He was presented with the honour by Crown Prince Frederik at a ceremony at the Royal Danish Military College in Copenhagen.
Human shieldWO1 Peat, of 33 EOD Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, was supporting a Danish patrol in January when the group was hit.
They were moving into a compound used for manufacturing IEDs in the Upper Gereshk Valley when one of the bombs triggered on the roof, severely injuring Sgt Brink Jakobsen.
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End Quote WO1 Andy PeatAll the guys would have done the same thing”
As he went to his aid, WO1 Peat noticed another IED lying underneath the Danish soldier and worked to disarm the device by locating and cutting its wires.
While colleagues struggled to stretcher the Dane off the roof, he lay across the path of another IED, using himself and his body armour as a shield to protect the rescuers.
Sgt Brink Jakobsen later died of his wounds, leaving behind a wife and three children.
WO1 Peat is credited with saving the lives of several other Danish soldiers and members of the Afghan police that day.
The Anders Lassen Foundation was established in memory of a highly-decorated soldier who was awarded three Military Crosses and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his exploits in World War II.
Sgt Rene Brink Jakobsen died later from his wounds
Each year the foundation chooses a single recipient for its honour and cash award, and this year selected WO1 Peat for his "extraordinary courage and determined actions".
At the ceremony in Copenhagen, he received the framed award and donated the 25,000 Krone (about £3,000) to his late colleague's wife, Camilla Brink Jakobsen, and children, Sara, Maja and Thor.
He said of the honour: "I was slightly taken aback when I had the phone call to say I'd been awarded it - it's slightly surreal.
"Meeting the Crown Prince has been a great experience."
The serviceman paid tribute to his own wife following the ceremony and said of his attempt to save Sgt Brink Jakobsen that "all the guys would have done the same thing".
He said: "To bring my wife and daughter along has been fantastic. I knew when my wife heard about what I'd done I'd be mostly in trouble.
"She deserves the rewards as she has to stay up at home at night worrying all the time.
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End Quote Camilla Brink Jakobsen Victim's widowI really appreciate what he did in Afghanistan and I'm very grateful that he would think of us in this way”
"I'd probably say that wives and girlfriends have the worst jobs because they always think we're doing stuff when sometimes we're just sitting around drinking coffee.
"To be honest, it's just about doing your job and thinking about what you've got in front of you and trying your best to get out of that predicament as quickly as possible."
Mrs Brink Jakobsen said: "I was quite overwhelmed that he wanted to give the money to our family.
"I really appreciate what he did in Afghanistan and I'm very grateful that he would think of us in this way.
"Rene was a guy who spread joy everywhere he went and he wanted everyone to be comfortable. He was a very good soldier and good at his work."
Lt Col Claus Wannen, head of the Danish Special Forces, said: "Warrant Officer One Andy Peat made an extraordinary contribution.
"On that tragic day he proved his worth and it's most likely he saved a number of lives that evening."
WO1 Peat, along with the Danish colleagues he served with in Afghanistan, laid a wreath for Sgt Brink Jakobsen in a public area where other fallen Danish soldiers are remembered.