A soldier who rescued nine colleagues while under heavy fire in Iraq has been given one of the British army's most prestigious medals.

Terrence Thomson has received the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross - outranked only by the Victoria Cross - for his heroism.

The 28-year-old from Littlehampton was decorated by the Prince of Wales at an investiture in Buckingham Palace yesterday.

Sergeant Thomson, then a corporal of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, rescued the colleagues pinned down in a former Ba'ath Party headquarters.

He received his medal with modesty, saying: "There are a lot of people who aren't here who should be recognised for what they did. It wasn't just me - it was the whole team.

"I was there to get a job done and did it. We were taking heavy incoming fire and we had to get our people out.

"It wasn't until later that we found out that one of our men had been shot dead outside the headquarters and that brings it all home to you - it was very hairy."

Last month Lieutenant Colonel Matt Maer received a Distinguished Service Order for his leadership of the First Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. The 40-year-old, who grew up in Sussex, and a handful of comrades made a three-hour stand after being ambushed by dozens of insurgents.