Two former Adams’ Grammar School pupils had an incredible reunion on an Afghan battlefield this week.
Captain Anthony Harris was left severly injured after driving over a roadside bomb, and was treated by old school pal Mat Boylan - now working as a doctor.
Captain Harris, who turned 28 on Tuesday, was serving for The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers when he drove over the bomb.
The blast threw him from the vehicle and left him with shattered heels and a broken left elbow.
And while lying on the stretcher, to his astonishment, the doctor who stepped to his aid was old school friend and past Adams’ Grammar pupil, Mat Boylan.
The incident happened last Thursday and Anthony was flown home on Saturday first to the Oxford RAF base Brize Norton and then by ambulance to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham.
On his return he was able to meet his three week old baby daughter, Emily, for the first time.
Although still in his hospital bed, where he is now recovering, Anthony spoke exclusively to the Advertiser.
He said: “When I was in the helicopter I had been given morphine and I was a bit happier. And when I first saw Mat his face was looking down the opposite way to mine.
“I looked up and said to him: ‘I think I know who you are, you’re Mat Boylan. We were at school together.’
“I think he was a few years ahead of me but I knew him well.
“You have to place a lot of trust in someone in that position and it was a comfort to have known who he was.
“Coming home it was wonderful to see Emily who was born on May 8, she is beautiful and obviously things were running through my head during the incident. It is perfect to be around my family for my birthday but it is the most painful one I have ever had.”
Anthony is now based in Kingston, London and his wife Elizabeth is staying with him at the hospital along with two-year-old son Felix and newborn Emily.
He is likely to make a full recovery and hopes to be out of hospital in a couple of months.
He added: “I have had wonderful support from friends and family and the care has been phenomenal, the people here are very dedicated, they have been fantastic and encouraging.
“My elbow is being operated on and I will have to wait a couple of weeks for the swelling on my feet to go down before my heels can be treated.
“The treatment will be ongoing but I hope to be out of hospital soon.
“But my thoughts are with the lads back in Afghanistan, the day after my incident we lost Fusilier Petero Suesue, who was in the 2nd battalion, so it has been a tough time.”
By Sam Pinnington
