by Beth Robson

brobson@thekmgroup.co.uk

A soldier from Deal has earned the nickname 'Bullet Magnet’ during his third tour of Afghanistan.

Lance Bombardier Carl Jordan, 26, from the Colchester based 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, has twice been shot in the line of duty in Helmand Province.

He says he would almost certainly have been killed had he not been wearing the British Forces’ latest issue OSPREY body armour.

Carl, who received gun shots to his front and side, said: “I’m beginning to get a bit of a reputation. Some of the lads call me The Cat, but say I’ve only seven lives left now.”
Others have called him James Bond, saying 'you only live twice’.

Carl, who will be in Afghanistan until April, said: “I’m just happy no one was more seriously injured in these incidents. OSPREY is a great piece of kit and it’s very likely that I owe my life to it.”

The first incident happened while Carl was manning the defensive sangars (observation posts) protecting his patrol base.
While monitoring a fire-fight, he felt a kick to his front as part of his body armour was ripped off.

Audio: Lance Bombardier Carl Jordan, speaking from Afghanistan

He remembers using his radio to tell the operations room: “I think I’ve been shot”, but after being checked out by the medic and having his damaged body armour replaced, he was passed fit and carried on the rest of his shift.

The second shot happened while Carl was deployed on the ground in support of the opening of a new police station.

He noticed suspicious figures in the distance and moved away from his support vehicle so he could take a bearing and send a report back. It was at this point that a large gun battle began, with the enemy firing at Carl and his colleagues.

In the ensuing battle, he felt a kick to his side, which he took to be his driver trying to get his attention.

Again, he had been shot. The COYOTE vehicle Carl was travelling in was riddled with bullet holes but he was unscathed.

Carl joined the Army in 2001 and has gone on to complete operational tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, he works as part of a fire support team with the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland battle group in the Lashkar Gah region of southern Helmand.