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British soldier who saved life of pizza delivery driver being considered for bravery award
A British soldier Marc Fitzpatrick who saved the life of a pizza delivery driver during the attack by a dissident republican gang that killed two other British soldiers in northern Ireland is being considered for a bravery award.
Sapper Marc Fitzpatrick, 21, was one of five members of 38 Engineer Regiment who were ambushed while waiting for the pizza delivery.
As the gunmen sprayed the area with automatic weapons fire, Spr Fitzpatrick dived into one of the pizza delivery cars and pulled the driver down into the footwell. He almost certainly saved the life of the Polish driver.
One of the two pizza delivery men caught up in the ambush revealed last week that he was saved by one of the soldiers who dived upon him. It is understood that soldier was Spr Patrick Azimkar who died.
Spr Fitzpatrick's bravery has not been revealed until now.
A military source said: "Spr Fitzpatrick displayed remarkable courage. His actions saved the life of the delivery driver who was frozen with fear. But while saving the life of the civilian he almost lost his own.
"He is a very brave man and his bravery will be officially acknowledged."
The injured soldier's parents, Roy and Pauline Fitzpatrick, flew from their home in Caerphilly, Wales, to Northern Ireland to keep a vigil at their son's bedside and recounted how he asked for floral tributes to be left in honour of his dead comrades before he underwent the operation.
Speaking for the first time about the incident, Mrs Fitzpatrick said she was "totally shell shocked" by the news of the attack.
"We were informed in the early hours of Sunday morning. We had expected him to be up in the air flying to Afghanistan, so it came as a big shock. You kind of prepare yourself for something happening in Afghanistan, not on a Saturday night," she said.
The wounded soldier's mother said had she spoken to her son at 5pm earlier on the day of the attack and that since he was not allowed his mobile phone during his Afghanistan tour, she did not expect to hear from him again for two weeks.
"We knew that the situation in Northern Ireland was peaceful and we knew Marc and the boys often sent out for pizzas and Chinese food, and to us it was normality for them," she said.
"The barracks is in fact their home and there was no reason for them to have thought any different until it happened – it came as a very big surprise to us and to everybody else."
Mrs Fitzpatrick said her family had been heartened by the support they had received from across the country.
She said: "I genuinely know because I have had people come up to me and say they can't believe what's happened.
"The normal Irish person is not like this, they don't want this, they want peace and we know that. We know the elements that did this are just criminals, nothing more."
Her husband added: "The only ones I blame for it are the people that did it. I don't blame the Irish people. Hopefully the Troubles won't come back here and you can live in peace.
"It's a minority and they haven't got support – so flush them out and you'll be back on the right road again. We feel extremely sorry for the families of the two boys that didn't make it."
The family said they had visited Massereene barracks to meet staff and pay their respects.
Mrs Fitzpatrick added: "Marc asked us to lay two lots of flowers for Mark and Pat, and I asked him the night before what he wanted written on the cards, so a personal message from Marc has gone with them – Marc is dealing with his injuries and the loss of two close friends."
She said friends had visited Marc in hospital but he was deeply traumatised by his experience and by the loss of his colleagues.
"All I can say is that waves of emotion come over him, just saying 'Mam I can't believe what's happened. It's quite a trauma to have gone through, it's just so unexpected. The police have been in contact with us as well.
"They have been looking after Marc. We've had guards 24/7 just to let him know that he is being looked after. It's just to keep Marc's confidence because he has been very traumatised by it all."
The two young soldiers were the first to be murdered in Northern Ireland in 12 years. Lance Bombardier Stephen Restorick was killed by an IRA sniper in 1997.
Mrs Fitzpatrick continued: "He had been looking forward to going to Afghanistan. He was apprehensive like everybody but it's what they had been training to do for quite some time.
She added that her son had had great support from friends and fellow troops.
"We went on Facebook on Marc's [profile] and he's got loads of messages from well wishers," she said.
"On Tuesday some of the boys from the barracks come around and he was able to have a laugh with them and started being cheeky to the nurses so he was back to his old self, but obviously he still has this major operation.
"As the night-time comes around he starts thinking of Pat and Mark and remembering what happened so that's going to be there for a while."
A British soldier Marc Fitzpatrick who saved the life of a pizza delivery driver during the attack by a dissident republican gang that killed two other British soldiers in northern Ireland is being considered for a bravery award.
Sapper Marc Fitzpatrick, 21, was one of five members of 38 Engineer Regiment who were ambushed while waiting for the pizza delivery.
As the gunmen sprayed the area with automatic weapons fire, Spr Fitzpatrick dived into one of the pizza delivery cars and pulled the driver down into the footwell. He almost certainly saved the life of the Polish driver.
One of the two pizza delivery men caught up in the ambush revealed last week that he was saved by one of the soldiers who dived upon him. It is understood that soldier was Spr Patrick Azimkar who died.
Spr Fitzpatrick's bravery has not been revealed until now.
A military source said: "Spr Fitzpatrick displayed remarkable courage. His actions saved the life of the delivery driver who was frozen with fear. But while saving the life of the civilian he almost lost his own.
"He is a very brave man and his bravery will be officially acknowledged."
The injured soldier's parents, Roy and Pauline Fitzpatrick, flew from their home in Caerphilly, Wales, to Northern Ireland to keep a vigil at their son's bedside and recounted how he asked for floral tributes to be left in honour of his dead comrades before he underwent the operation.
Speaking for the first time about the incident, Mrs Fitzpatrick said she was "totally shell shocked" by the news of the attack.
"We were informed in the early hours of Sunday morning. We had expected him to be up in the air flying to Afghanistan, so it came as a big shock. You kind of prepare yourself for something happening in Afghanistan, not on a Saturday night," she said.
The wounded soldier's mother said had she spoken to her son at 5pm earlier on the day of the attack and that since he was not allowed his mobile phone during his Afghanistan tour, she did not expect to hear from him again for two weeks.
"We knew that the situation in Northern Ireland was peaceful and we knew Marc and the boys often sent out for pizzas and Chinese food, and to us it was normality for them," she said.
"The barracks is in fact their home and there was no reason for them to have thought any different until it happened – it came as a very big surprise to us and to everybody else."
Mrs Fitzpatrick said her family had been heartened by the support they had received from across the country.
She said: "I genuinely know because I have had people come up to me and say they can't believe what's happened.
"The normal Irish person is not like this, they don't want this, they want peace and we know that. We know the elements that did this are just criminals, nothing more."
Her husband added: "The only ones I blame for it are the people that did it. I don't blame the Irish people. Hopefully the Troubles won't come back here and you can live in peace.
"It's a minority and they haven't got support – so flush them out and you'll be back on the right road again. We feel extremely sorry for the families of the two boys that didn't make it."
The family said they had visited Massereene barracks to meet staff and pay their respects.
Mrs Fitzpatrick added: "Marc asked us to lay two lots of flowers for Mark and Pat, and I asked him the night before what he wanted written on the cards, so a personal message from Marc has gone with them – Marc is dealing with his injuries and the loss of two close friends."
She said friends had visited Marc in hospital but he was deeply traumatised by his experience and by the loss of his colleagues.
"All I can say is that waves of emotion come over him, just saying 'Mam I can't believe what's happened. It's quite a trauma to have gone through, it's just so unexpected. The police have been in contact with us as well.
"They have been looking after Marc. We've had guards 24/7 just to let him know that he is being looked after. It's just to keep Marc's confidence because he has been very traumatised by it all."
The two young soldiers were the first to be murdered in Northern Ireland in 12 years. Lance Bombardier Stephen Restorick was killed by an IRA sniper in 1997.
Mrs Fitzpatrick continued: "He had been looking forward to going to Afghanistan. He was apprehensive like everybody but it's what they had been training to do for quite some time.
She added that her son had had great support from friends and fellow troops.
"We went on Facebook on Marc's [profile] and he's got loads of messages from well wishers," she said.
"On Tuesday some of the boys from the barracks come around and he was able to have a laugh with them and started being cheeky to the nurses so he was back to his old self, but obviously he still has this major operation.
"As the night-time comes around he starts thinking of Pat and Mark and remembering what happened so that's going to be there for a while."
