Mayor honours Ballymena’s Military Cross winner

Lance Corporal Kylie Swanepoel, who was special guest of the Mayor of Ballymena, Cllr. Audrey Wales, during a recent reception in The Braid, is pictured with her parents Glen and Lorna Watson, sister Stephanie, and RBL members Karen Taylor (secretary), Bill Parkinson (treasurer), James Carleton, Davy Davison and Megan Davison. INBT46-220AC

A Ballymena born Army medic who won the Military Cross for her heroic actions in Afghanistan was honoured with a Mayoral reception in her home town, last week.

Lance Corporal Kylie Swanepoel (nee Watson) said she was delighted to be back in Ballymena and proud to be given such civic recognition.

She twice risked her life under heavy fire to treat two gravely wounded Afghan soldiers and received the Military Cross at a special ceremony in Buckingham Palace in 2011.

In one incident she gave medical care to a wounded Afghan soldier for 20 minutes while under heavy Taliban fire.

On another occasion the Lance Corporal, then aged just 23 and serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps, ran 100 metres in full view of the enemy under sustained fire to give life-saving first aid to an Afghan soldier who had been shot twice in the pelvis.

Her citation spoke of her “immense courage, willingness to put her own life at risk and absolute bravery”.

And on Friday afternoon, Mayor Audrey Wales commended and paid tribute to Kylie on her heroism and said she had made Ballymena very proud.

Now married and serving in England with 36 Engineer Regiment, L/Cpl Swanepoel said she had been trying to get over for the reception since being invited some two years ago.

Speaking to The Times in the Mayor’s Parlour, she said: “It’s taken a long time to get here. “I’m on exercise at the moment but I have a good boss and he told me to go and this is amazing.”

Kylie was accompanied by her proud parents, Glen and Lorna, sister Stephanie and representatives of Ballymena Royal British Legion.

Her mum Lorna said: “We are really proud of Kylie and it’s not often she’s home so it’s great to have her with us for a couple of days.”

During her visit, L/Cpl Swanepoel also took part in Sunday’s Service of Remembrance and laid a wreath at the cenotaph on behalf of Ballymena Royal British Legion branch.