Major Dominic Troulan is the first civilian recipient of the George Cross in more than 40 years
A retired SAS hero who risked his life to save hundreds of people held hostage by Islamic terrorists has received the UK’s highest civilian honour for bravery.
Major Dominic Troulan, who served for two decades in the special forces, today became the first civilian recipient of the George Cross in more than 40 years.
Armed with just a pistol, Major Troulan returned a dozen times to the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi in 2013 to search for survivors and lead them to safety after al-Shabab extremists stormed the centre armed with machine guns and grenades.
He was asked by a friend to find his wife and daughter who were trapped inside the building – but selflessly went back inside to save dozens of other men, women and children.
But as he was given his medal by the Queen, he said he was merely the ‘custodian’ and dedicated it to the countless other victims of similar atrocities around the world.
Some 67 people lost their lives during the four-day siege.
Major Troulan, who moved to Kenya 12 years ago with his family and works as a security risk manager, said his familiarity with the mall where he regularly shopped and relaxed with his family, put a different slant on events.
He said: ‘The horrific carnage that the terrorists managed to conduct in pretty short order really will live with all of us that were involved there, both the hostages, the victims’ families and extended friends who were actually in there and saw it first-hand.’
Major Troulan was asked by a friend to find his wife and daughter who were trapped inside the building – but selflessly went back inside to save dozens of other. He is pictured rescuing the women as the horrifying event unfolded
Some 67 people lost their lives during the four-day siege. Pictured, The Kenyan Defence Force storm the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi
Al-Shabab extremists stormed the centre armed with machine guns and grenades. Pictured, all four gunmen in the furniture store room of Nakumatt supermarket on the evening of the first day of the attack
Armed with just a pistol, Major Troulan returned a dozen times to the mall to search for survivors and lead them to safety, despite being repeatedly shot at
He added: ‘In this instance there were some other courageous people with me and around me and when you go into somewhere, where you’ve taken your family for a few years to do weekly shopping, see the cinema, use the cafes, it puts a different context on the situation developing in front of you.
‘And the situation developing is quite graphic and horrific in what is a sterile shopping centre with clean floors, clean walls and you’ve got young children and families killed.’
His George Cross citation was read out to the investiture guests, who were told: ‘He managed to bring two women to safety and decided to stay to help others.
‘Over the course of several hours, despite getting increasingly exhausted, dehydrated and being fired at, he went into the building at least a dozen times and managed to bring many innocent civilians to safety.’
Major Troulan, who moved to Kenya 12 years ago with his family and works as a security risk manager, said his familiarity with the mall (pictured here in the aftermath), put a different slant on events
Major Troulan said: ‘The horrific carnage that the terrorists managed to conduct in pretty short order really will live with all of us that were involved’ Pictured, Kenyan forces hunt for the gunmen
The collapsed upper car park of the Westgate Mall. Vast parts of the mall were badly damaged by fire
Speaking after the ceremony Major Troulan said: ‘Whilst I take this award – and very humbled and honoured I am to receive it from Her Majesty – it is definitively (from) a position of custodian for all the victims not only of Westgate but of terrorism generally.
‘The world over the last few years has got worse, arguably.
‘And when you see all the incidents in the UK and in Kenya on that very day, and in other parts of the world, it is the good human beings that amaze people how they stand up and help – medically, logistically – and stand up for the right and good of democracy.’