A soldier from Sutton Coldfield, in the West Midlands, was travelling on the M6 when a vehicle up ahead suddenly stopped. With no hazard lights on and the vehicle at a slight angle, the soldier knew something was wrong.
Sgt Richard Jennings, 32, had been on a 7-week Caving course with the Army Adventurous Training Group in Ripon and was travelling back to his base at the Joint Service Mountain Training Centre in Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, North Wales when the incident took place.
Sgt Jennings, who grew up on Gresley Close, and his colleague Sgt Bullard jumped from their vehicle to see what was going on and discovered the driver of the van slumped over the steering wheel apparently unconscious. With a basic understanding of first aid, provided by the Army, the pair sprang into action, getting the driver from the car and performing emergency CPR on him in lane 2 of the motorway.
Of the ordeal, he said: “The van was about 5 vehicles ahead and when it suddenly stopped.
“All other cars drove around it but we knew something wasn’t right: it was just instinct. We saw the man slumped over the steering wheel and knew we needed to do something.”
Having called the emergency services and now with the man in the recovery position, the Army Sgt’s focussed on keeping him warm with a sleeping bag from their vehicle.
Of the bravery exhibited by the pair, Colonel Neil Wilson, Commander of the Army Adventurous Training Group said: “Sgts Bullard and Jennings should be congratulated, not only for giving life-saving first aid to a stranded and potentially dying motorist, but for stopping in the first place to offer assistance, not knowing what the situation demanded.
“Many others would not have. In doing so they have conducted themselves in exactly the fashion expected of Army NCOs – courageous, decisive, professional and compassionate.”
The M6 was shut on arrival of the police and paramedics, and after an hour of performing a life-saving act in the rain, the brave pair were back on their way home, but not before being thanked by the police.
The Sgt recalls: “Before we left, the police thanked us and told us we had probably saved the man’s life. It would be nice to know how the man is – hopefully he is alright.”
ENDS
