AN APACHE helicopter pilot who flew for more than 300 hours in Afghanistan has been recognised with an award.

AN APACHE helicopter pilot who flew for more than 300 hours in Afghanistan has been recognised with an award.

Captain Adam Hare, of 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, based at Wattisham Airfield, has been awarded the Queens' Commendation for Valuable Service.

The 30-year-old pilot received the award for his “energy, enthusiasm and commitment whilst employed as the commander of a flight of Apache helicopters completing nearly 300 operational flying hours.”

Capt Hare, who is now Adjutant of 3 Regt AAC, said: “I'm obviously very proud for the personal recognition but it must never be forgotten that everybody was working as hard as each other and it mustn't be underestimated the effort everybody put in to make the tour and the aircraft operationally successful.”

He flew in Afghanistan between August and November 2006 and February to May 2007. In that time he was commander of a flight of two Apache working together, but at times when other aircraft were called in, he found himself commander of a mission of up to seven aircraft: two Apache, plus three Chinook and up to two Lynx.

Capt Hare, originally from Surrey, added: “It gives you a great boost to morale at the end of the day when you hear that an incident that you've just supported could have had a significantly more serious consequence if air support hadn't been made available.”