FOUR medals awarded to a Manchester combat medic who amputated a soldier's leg with a penknife while under heavy fire have fetched more than £30,000 at auction.

Martin Bentley, now 52, was awarded four medals, including the Military Medal for bravery and the South Atlantic 1982 Medal with Rosette.

Lance-Corporal Bentley joined the Army in 1970 and was also awarded medals for duty in Cyprus and Northern Ireland before joining 2 Para in the South Atlantic.

He took part in the battle to take Goose Green and Darwin against strong Argentine resistance.

A combat medic is a vital link between the front line and the company medical officer, working extensively on and around the battlefield.

Goose Green

The Parachute Regiment came under heavy mortar and artillery fire in a gulley at Goose Green on May 28, 1982.

One soldier came into the first aid station saying his mate was pinned down on a forward slope.

With his leg half-blown off, he would die without assistance. When L/Cpl Bentley and a stretcher party found the soldier, he amputated the almost-severed lower leg with his Swiss army knife.

The heavy loss of blood was stemmed and he took the soldier, Private `Chopsey' Gray, back to the regimental aid post. He survived.A citation to L/Cpl Bentley's Military Medal in the London Gazette said later: "It was of tremendous credit to the regimental aid post that none of the battalion's 34 wounded died.

"This credit belongs to none more than Lance Corporal Bentley. His courage and presence of mind in carrying out his job acted as an inspiration, not only to other medical orderlies, but to all those who came into contact with him.

"He was to be found wherever the casualties were thickest."

Mark Quale, an expert at Spink, the firm of specialist auctioneers which sold the awards, said: "There is considerable interest among collectors in medals from the Falklands campaign."

L/Cpl Bentley was later in action again, working with a helicopter pilot at dusk that night to ferry the wounded back for treatment.

He reported the pilot's bravery and flying skills to superiors, and the officer was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The Argentines surrendered the next day.

L/Cpl Bentley left the army in 1983 and worked in America.

He rejoined the colours with the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry in 1985.

He served with the regiment for five years before leaving the Army after 17 years' service.

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