God Bless this Manchester lad ! A soldier has been described as "the luckiest in the British Army" after a bullet went through his helmet, but missed his head by 2mm. Private Leon "Willy" Wilson, 32, a Territorial Army soldier from Manchester, was knocked over by the impact of the shot in Afghanistan. But he was left without a mark after the bullet ripped through his headgear. "The medic was looking queasy - I don't think anyone wanted to take my helmet off," Pte Wilson said. The father of three was back on duty within an hour of the near-miss. BBC NEWS | UK | England | Manchester | Soldier's 'lucky' bullet escape
Annie, Willy maintains a proud tradition for men of Manchester having near misses! "A few days after the initial advance I took my helmet to the Company QMS for renewal as it had a hole in it made by a bullet, which had caused it to roll up like the petal of a flower. “Yer wanna be more careful” said newly promoted ex-Sergt. McM (McMenemy); he had been a heroic figure in the advance on the first. “Only another rush or two” he called as we lay, much cut up, just outside the perimeter at Montauban –practically all our officers picked out by snipers. So on we went past the white flags, Jerry machine gunners and all. Anyhow, he gave me a new hat." Pt A A Bell. 17th Bttn Manchester Regiment 1st July 1916 Tim
