Award for soldier who broke neck stopping runaway gun carriage
A SOLDIER from the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery who risked her life to stop a gun carriage and a unit of runaway horses has been commended for her bravery.
Lance Bombardier Grace Gostelow broke her neck “in a series of unfortunate events” which could have ended fatally for her and her team in February last year in Charlton Park, south-east London.
During a routine practice for the musical drive with two other soldiers – each controlling a pair of horses – the 30-year-old found herself in charge of a runaway carriage after one of the horses bucked and unseated her fellow troops.
Instead of jumping clear of the ton-and-a-half 1903 gun, the gunner managed to regain control and steer the carriage and horses to safety.
LBDR Gostelow told The Sunday Telegraph: “It would have been more dangerous for me to fall off and if I fell off there would have been a runaway horse carriage with no one controlling it. If you had six horses completely out of control, they could have run into the public or crashed into the rest of the gun team, it could have been carnage.”
She broke her neck in the freak accident and has had to undergo an extensive recovery. The horses were relatively unscathed.
LBDR Gostelow was taken to hospital by the emergency services, but was said to be more anxious to be reunited with her gun team than about her injuries.
The soldier was later sent to Headley Court, the Ministry of Defence rehabilitation centre in Epsom, Surrey.
“The biggest thing that got me through and made me recover was being with the other patients,” she added.
“Some had catastrophic injuries from being in Afghanistan which makes you appreciate what you do have.”
Accidents are rare among soldiers in the King’s Troop, who undergo four to five years of training.
A talented horsewoman who is also a qualified riding instructor, LBDR Gostelow has big plans for the future. “My ambition this year is to renew my licence and I really want to compete in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup and grand military races at Sandown next year,” she said.
LBDR Gostelow has since returned to some of her regular duties but not as a part of the gun team.