Father proud of heroic Kiwi soldier

The father of a New Zealand hero in Afghanistan says he hopes his son, British Army rifleman James McKie, can stay safe for his last few weeks in the country.

"I just hope he keeps his head down for the next three weeks, because that's how long he's got to go in Afghanistan," Andrew McKie said.

He was apprehensive about his 29-year-old son fighting in "an extremely dangerous place".

"You don't get immune to it and always worry."

Mr McKie said his son performed a "brilliant and courageous act" when he picked up a live grenade that had hit platoon commander Captain Graeme Kerr, and threw it back at the enemy.

Rfn McKie suffered injuries to his face and right arm, and Capt Kerr was evacuated to a Birmingham hospital with leg wounds.

"Bearing in mind you only have three seconds when it lands by your feet and half a second to make a decision and another three seconds to throw it, that's pretty heroic in my book," Capt Kerr later said.

"He's one of those very brave people that has a complete disregard for his own life and a high regard for other people's."

Mr McKie -- himself a former Warrant Officer in the New Zealand Army -- heard from his son on Friday last week and was only told he was fine, despite injuries to his face and arm.

It was not until yesterday that the family found out details of his heroism.

Mr McKie said he was looking forward to seeing his son again.

"I'm obviously extremely proud, and hopefully when he gets back to New Zealand in May on holiday we'll have a good catch-up."

Rfn McKie joined the New Zealand Army straight after leaving Tawa College, and served as a medic for seven years before moving on to pursue a career in the British Army in 2006.

He and two other soldiers were under fire on a compound roof in the Sangin area of Helmand when the Taliban hand grenade landed.

"I knew that I had to get it away from us," he told Sky News.

He was desperate to avoid his platoon suffering further casualties but had no time to consider his own safety in the incident in Helmand Province last Wednesday.

He went on: "I threw it quite deliberately."

Rfn McKie then threw a smoke grenade to cover the trio's withdrawal, firing and manoeuvring until they reached the safety of another compound.

"I love soldiering. I love being here in Afghanistan. Obviously bad things happen and I can't go back and change it, but what I can do is try and stop things happening around me.

"As far as the military experience goes, this is the ultimate for a career soldier."