Dominic wins Harding Cane (From Salisbury Journal)

Dominic wins Harding Cane

3:19pm Thursday 27th March 2008 in Forces focus

AT a parade held to mark the completion of the Junior NCOs Promotion Cadre, Rifleman (now Lance Corporal) Dominic Purcell-Lee was awarded the Harding Cane as most outstanding member of the cadre.

The six-week cadre took place on Salisbury Plain and the Brecon Beacons - teaching and testing the potential NCOs in all aspects of fitness and combat leadership management, and how to be a section commander.

The Harding Cane was commissioned on the formation of the Rifles to commemorate Major Paul Harding who was killed in Basra last year.

It replaces a former award, the Bankier Cane, which remembered the first Royal Green Jackets soldier, Corporal Bob Bankier, killed in Northern Ireland in 1971.

Both awards will hang side-by-side in the corporal's mess to symbolise the Battalions's heritage and future.

In addition, Dominic, 21, was commended by Commander 1 Mechanised Brigade, Brigadier Bashell, for his quick thinking and prompt action at the site of a serious traffic accident which happened on the M1 recently.

A Russian man had jumped off a bridge into the path of two lorries, and was terribly injured.

Dominic was first on the scene and took charge, giving immediate first aid until the arrival of an ambulance.

The first medic on the scene, himself a TA officer, said he thought the casualty was dead, but Dominic had found a pulse and kept him alive until paramedics arrived.

"I was very proud to be awarded the cane," said Dominic. "As for the accident, it was just the decent thing to do."