Servicemen honoured for brave rescues

Jul 24 2009

THEY’VE risked their own lives to save others and now they’ve been honoured by the Queen.

Martin Lanni battled through a blizzard in pitch darkness to rescue three climbers stranded on the edge of a mountain.

The brave Navy flyer refused to let the horrendous weather conditions stop him from plucking the terrified men to safety.

And this week his heroic effort earned him the Air Force Cross.

Lieutenant commander Lanni, who lives in Prestwick, was not alone in receiving a top honour.

For his crewmate lieutenant commander Martin ‘Florry’ Ford was given the Queen’s commendation for bravery for his part in the same rescue.

The team from the Royal Navy’s search and rescue unit at HMS Gannet in Prestwick even returned to the notorious Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis twice more to pick up the 12 members of the mountain rescue unit.

Martin said: “It was a tough rescue, the stakes couldn’t have been higher.

“I had a superb crew with me and we all pulled together to make sure that those climbers were taken to safety.”

Martin travelled to Holyrood Palace to collect the award from the Queen.

He added: “It is a true high point in my career with the Royal Navy.

“It was a superb surprise to hear that I had been awarded the Air Force Cross and it makes me feel humble to be recognised in such a way for simply doing my job.”

Petty officer aircrewman Kevin Regan’s actions in two dramatic rescues also earned him a royal award.

He travelled to Buckingham Palace to collect the Queen’s Gallantry Medal after plucking an angry drug fuelled man to safety from a loch in June 2007.

Just seven months later, Kevin was also among the Gannet crew who helped rescue 23 people stranded aboard the stricken ferry the MV Riverdance near Blackpool.

With the vessel listing at 45 degrees, he was set down on the deck and unclipped to shepherd them to safety.

He said: “Growing up I never expected that I’d end up meeting the Queen.

“Obviously it’s nice to be honoured, but both rescues involved a four-man crew, so this is for all of us.

“At the end of the day we were just doing our job, and given the circumstances I’d do exactly the same again.”