Michael Lyddiard was 12 years into a planned 20-year career with the Australian Army in early November 2007 when his world was shattered by two kilograms of insurgent explosives in Afghanistan.
The former Sergeant and bomb disposal expert with the Townsville based 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment was “quartering” (gently uncovering an improvised explosive device on a grid pattern) in the Chora Valley.
Fortunately only about a third of the six kilogram main charge deflagrated (subsonic explosion), but that was enough to blow off the brave sapper’s lower right arm, remove half of his left hand, take out his right eye and inflict severe lacerations to the rest of his head.
“I remember the incident clearly, but I never understood the extent of my injuries,” the former soldier said.
“I wanted to get back up to help but my mate told me to stay down.”
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news.com.au
