A Royal Marine from Keighley has been awarded the Military Cross for his heroism under fire in Afghanistan.

Despite being shot, Lewis Lockwood continued to clear buried bombs so his platoon could fight its way to safety.

Former Oakbank School student Lewis was shot in the hand and back in the incident last May.

He was nominated for the medal for saving his comrades under “the most testing and stressful of conditions”. The commendation said: “With complete disregard for his own injuries and safety he courageously executed his duties”.

Lewis was among 136 servicemen and women awarded honours at a ceremony last Friday, including 93 medals for bravery. At the ceremony Lewis recalled the incident in Helmand Province, during a tour of duty that involved the fiercest fighting in the decade-long conflict.

He said: “A round hit my rifle and just clipped my thumb. At first it was a bit like ‘have I been hit here or what?’ Then, before I knew what was happening, I got hit in the back.

“I took my body armour off and had a look at my back and thumb and the round had gone straight through the body armour.”

Lewis completed his Marine training in 2006, at the age of 20, and was posted to join the 40 Commando Royal Marines in Somerset.

During last year’s incident Lewis was “lead man” on patrol, clearing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) with a metal detector, when his patrol was ambushed.

He was hit and knocked to the ground, the bullet passing through the side of his body armour and ricocheting off his weapon into his left hand.

The medal citation states that rather than seeking cover, Lewis returned fire, fighting to regain the initiative.

It stated: “He refused to forsake his responsibility as lead man and, despite the significant pain and shock of having been shot, calmly led his patrol out of danger.”

The patrol then came under fire from the direction in which it was escaping.

The citation continued: “Lockwood, with tremendous composure and gallantry under fire, pressed on, as this was the patrol’s only route to safety.

“With only one hand, he calmly cleared and marked the route around seven suspected devices, only allowing evacuation to hospital when he was assured of the patrol’s safety.”