Pilot honoured for bravery under fire in Iraq conflict

Flight Lieutenant Steven Forster, 35, was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service, for his pioneering work testing an aircraft in battle conditions for the first time.

At the time he flew, he was thousands of miles away from his family, who were celebrating his son's first birthday.

Flt Lt Forster, from Tanfield Lea, near Stanley, County Durham, who is stationed at RAF Lyneham, in Wiltshire, said: "I am very honoured to receive this award, but I can't help but feel a little embarrassed, as I was part of a team of seven people."

The former Tanfield School pupil and student at Durham University flew the first of the J-class Hercules C-130 aircraft into Iraq at the outbreak of the war.

Stationed at Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, he was selected to drop a reconnaissance party into the heart of enemy territory, at Tallil airbase in Iraq on March 30.

Under cover of night, he had to fly the aircraft at an average of 300ft above ground level, in blackout conditions, and at one point encountered enemy anti-aircraft fire.

He said: "It was nerve-wracking because we had so little visibility, but we executed the mission as we would have any other."

His parents, Heather and David, who live in Tanfield Lea, feared their son was in danger when he did not get in touch.

Mrs Forster said: "We knew he was earning his money when he was out there and are very proud of him.

"March 30 was his son's first birthday. Because of the mission, he couldn't get in contact with the family, so we knew something was up."

His citation read: "Undeterred by the obvious danger, Flt Lt Forster inspired the crew through his coolness and presence of mind.

"And when directed enemy fire was sighted, he calmly plotted and reported the location to command and control assets, subsequently re-planning the escape route to avoid the location.

"On arrival, the crew executed a faultless blacked-out landing at Tallil within three seconds of the promulgated time on target."