TRUE HERO: Ex-soldier who saved 200 in terror attack awarded George Cross medal
A HERO who helped rescue around 200 people in the Kenya shopping centre massacre has become the first civilian in 41 years to be awarded the George Cross.
Dominic Troulan helped rescue 200 people in the Kenya shopping centre attack
British-born Dominic Troulan, an ex-special forces soldier, was called for help by a friend whose wife and daughter were caught up in an armed robbery.
Mr Troulan raced across Nairobi, armed with a 9mm pistol, to the scene of one of Kenya’s worst terrorist attacks.
Four heavily armed militants had walked into the crowded Westgate shopping centre and opened fire.
The attack by Islamist militant group al-Shabaab in 2013 turned into a four-day siege which left 67 people dead.
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The ex-special forces soldier has been awarded the George Cross medal for his actions
It was horrendous. It was absolute carnage
Mr Troulan, 54, told The Times: “It was horrendous. It was absolute carnage.”
The former soldier spent six hours going in and out of shopping centre, rescuing around 200 people trapped inside the building.
He has now been awarded the George Cross, Britain’s highest civilian gallantry medal, for his actions.
The medal is handed out to people who carry out “acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger.”
Mr Troulan said he was “tremendously honoured” to be handed the medal, but said it brought back memories of the devastating attack.
He said: “Militarily, you go on operations, you have a plan and you divorce yourself from everything and you are focused on that plan.
“Nobody was mentally prepared for Westgate.
“This was in a shopping mall, a place you use to get your everyday groceries.
The terrorist attack on Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi in 2013 left 67 people dead
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“I remember seeing the absolute carnage and thinking, ‘I have got to do something about this’.”
Mr Troulan has lived in Kenya for more than a decade and was in the military for 30 years.
The dad-of two was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal in 1993, when he was in the UK special forces.
He also worked as a security consultant and helped to rescue British hostages, including Judith Tebbutt, Paul and Rachel Chandler, who were held by pirates in Somalia.