RAF HERO Medic In London Bombing
RAF medic Wing Commander Craig Staniforth was awarded the prestigious Australian Bravery Medal for his actions in helping victims of the terrorist attacks in London on 7 July 2005.
Wg Cdr Staniforth was travelling on a tube train heading for Edgware Road when a bomb exploded on the train travelling in the opposite direction. Without a thought for his own safety he immediately broke a window and jumped across to the train to come to the aid of the injured passengers inside:
“When I got to the carriage it was carnage,” he recalled. “There was a huge crater in the floor and there were bodies everywhere. The man nearest to the crater was dead and it was completely dark, full of smoke and dust. There were people all around screaming for help.”
One of the men he helped was an Australian professor, John Tulloch, who was sitting near to the bomb when it went off causing him severe head injuries.
Wg Cdr Staniforth stayed with him for nearly an hour keeping him awake, warm and comfortable before the emergency services arrived on the scene. He remained with him in a makeshift medical centre that had been set up in a nearby store until he was moved to hospital.
Wg Cdr Staniforth remembers the relief on reaching the surface:
“It was a feeling of total relief to see the sunlight once again. I made sure that the professor was in good hands and helped him contact his partner as we finally had a signal on our phones.”
Professor Tulloch nominated his rescuer for the award which is the third highest Australian decoration for bravery. On receiving the award, Wing Commander Staniforth said:
“This has been a fantastic day for me and my family and also a great honour. I used my training and I just feel that I did what anyone would in that situation with the limited resources that were available.”
Wg Cdr Staniforth has previously been awarded the Royal Humane Society’s bronze medal for his actions during this incident.
