A Hamsphire soldier who risked his own life to save others in the frontline in Afghanistan has been recognised with the highest honour in the military.

Lance Corporal Joshua Leakey will become the second member of his family to receive the Victoria Cross (VC) in almost 70 years.

The 27-year-old is only the 15th serviceman to receive the VC since the Second World War.

He is also the third serviceman to receive the VC for service in Afghanistan and the only one not to receive it posthumously.

Lance Corporal Leakey will receive his medal for the role he played during a combined UK/US assault on a Taliban stronghold in August 2013.

The 1 Para man was said to have shown “complete disregard” for his own safety as the group came under attack from around 20 insurgents armed with machine guns and rocket propelled grenades in Helmand province.

He ran through enemy fire to the top of a barren hill, gave first aid to a wounded US Marine Corps captain and helped casualties escape.

Then he took control of a machine gun that had been surrounded by enemy fighters as bullets ricocheted off of it, and helped allied teams to regain the initiative.

During the battle 11 insurgents were killed and four wounded.

Lance Corporal Leakey, who joined 1 Para in 2007, said that he was “deeply honoured” but insisted that the award was for everyone in his regiment and battalion.

He said: “This award is brilliant, but it's also something I'm accepting on behalf of my regiment and my battalion, of which I'm so proud.

“You don't really think what could happen to yourself, you think 'how is what I'm doing now going to improve the situation?'

Daily Echo:

“It's part of the very nature of being in the Army, and especially the Parachute Regiment, that we have to adapt to situations you don't expect to happen.

“I'm lucky - I'm here, I've got all my limbs, my health, I've got my friends and my family.

“In my mind the biggest fear is letting the side down, letting your regiment down and not doing your cap badge proud.”

His second cousin twice removed Sergeant Nigel Gray Leakey was awarded the VC in November 1945 after fighting in Africa with the King's African Rifles during the Second World War.

He was awarded it posthumously for ''magnificent fighting spirit facing almost certain death'' during a battle against Italian opposition at Kolito in Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) on May 19 1941.

The confusion and loss of armour that Sgt Leakey caused was described as ''critical'' to the Italian defeat in the battle.

Although the Kenyan soldier has no known grave, he is commemorated on the East Africa Memorial, near Nairobi.

  • The VC was first introduced in January 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War.

It has now been awarded 1,363 times, according to the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association.

Lance Corporal Leakey will receive his medal at a later date during an investiture ceremony.

He is the first British serviceman to receive the honour while still alive since Lance Sergeant Johnson Beharry, of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, was decorated in 2005 for saving the lives of comrades during two ambushes in Iraq.