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Corporal Bainbridge鈥檚 troop had been ordered to move into position to watch over 2 Brigade Reconnaissance Force units as they began to move towards a patrol base.

As they moved into position, the lead vehicle, of which Corporal Bainbridge was the commander, struck an improvised explosive device (IED), disabling the vehicle and engulfing it in debris and dust:

It really threw us about,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t blew the whole vehicle forward.

Corporal Bainbridge鈥檚 driver, who had a suspected broken femur, was semi-conscious and in shock. Quickly seizing control, Corporal Bainbridge conducted effective first aid before reassuring his gunner, who had been blown from the vehicle and was disorientated, and ordering him to safety.

As a medic moved forward to assist, their position came under heavy machine gun fire. Corporal Bainbridge grabbed his injured driver, dragging him to a crater caused by the blast while simultaneously instructing the (IED detector) team and medic to seek cover.

Corporal Bainbridge lay on the driver, shielding him with his own body while exposing himself to the incoming fire for several minutes. He said:

I just wanted to protect him because he was vulnerable and couldn鈥檛 protect himself, so I had to help him.

He then took up a rifle, his own had been broken by the blast, to suppress the firing point before personally co-ordinating the extraction of his driver to the relative safety of a Warthog armoured vehicle:

At the time I just had my mind set on one thing and that was making sure there were no more casualties.

With his crew safe, and with the light fading, Corporal Bainbridge returned to his vehicle to remove all mission-essential equipment, a task that took 2 hours to complete as everything hand been bent and mangled by the blast:

I said I鈥檇 do it because the fire was so accurate and I didn鈥檛 want people standing there making a bigger target,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I鈥檇 stripped enough equipment off to make a load I鈥檇 call guys forward to get it then they鈥檇 drag it back and wait until I鈥檇 stripped another load.

Corporal Bainbridge then moved with his troop to a defensive position 100 metres north of the stricken vehicle and, at first light, he led a 3-man team back to oversee its recovery by a , under small arms fire.

Despite the risk to his own safety, Corporal Bainbridge returned for a third time to ensure nothing could be exploited by insurgents in a display of personal courage, selfless commitment and inspired leadership:

I鈥檝e been asked why I went back, but it was my vehicle, so it was my responsibility. How can you ask somebody else to go in your place?

This action typifies Corporal Bainbridge鈥檚 character; during his military career he has been struck by IEDs on no less than 3 occasions. He said:

Seeing the damage an IED can do, it鈥檚 always in my mind. I wouldn鈥檛 say it makes you more cautious, but it means you don鈥檛 take unnecessary risks.

Corporal Bainbridge was enjoying a break at Bovington Camp when he was called in to see the Colonel:

I thought, oh no, am I in trouble?鈥� admitted Corporal Bainbridge. 鈥淎nd then, when the Colonel told me I was getting an award, I was speechless for ages and then I must admit I swore, and the Colonel said 鈥榶eah, that would probably have been my first word too!鈥�