Pilot who saved 16 lives from Talibans puts medals up for sale for sons' education

A hero Chinook helicopter pilot who kept his aircraft flying despite being hit 34 times by Taliban rockets and bullets is selling his bravery medals for £50,000.

Squadron Leader Alex 'Frenchie' Duncan's brilliant flying skills and cool composure to land the badly damaged Chinook saved the lives of 16 people on board.

When he got out he found one of the rotor blades had been taken out by a rocket propelled grenade which had also passed through the fuselage. The aircraft had 34 holes in it from machine gun fire after he landed it.

Sq Ldr Duncan received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroics and was later awarded the Air Force Cross for another mission in which he flew in complete darkness to rescue an injured six-year-old child.

But the 42-year-old former serviceman has now made the difficult decision to sell his medals to fund his two sons' education.

Speaking about it, he said that he hoped the medals go to someone who see themselves as a custodian of history and he wanted his sons to use the funds from the sale to invest in their education.

The sale takes place on July 18 with the six medals expected to make around £50,000.