A WARMINSTER-based marine who led the mission which saw the youngest ever recipient of the Military Cross has himself been honoured for bravery.

Colour Sergeant Paul Ryan, 34, was troop commander of 45 Commando's Zulu Company in Afghanistan last June when they captured an al-Qaeda compound containing 45 tons of ammunition. He has now been awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service.

Sgt Ryan commanded the 18-man company, which included the then 22-year-old Marine Liam Armstrong, from Carlisle, whose bravery earned him the Military Cross.

Sgt Ryan said: "I have only just come back from Iraq so I did not know about the award until I came home. I was very pleased that we have had some recognition."

The company took on nine militiamen wielding AK47 rifles and successfully secured the ammunition until back-up arrived. Among the 45-ton cache the troops found mortar rounds, rockets and 65,000 rounds of small arms ammunition. Sgt Ryan, who works at Warminster's Land Warfare Centre and lives in Taunton, said modestly: "I was made troop commander because there were no officers there at the time."

At the time British troops were trying to get information about al-Qaeda and Taliban activity.

Sgt Ryan said: "An Afghan man gave us directions. A local took us to a compound, pointed, and said 'al-Qaeda'." Zulu Company found the compound guarded and forced their way in.

Sgt Ryan said: "There were about 300 people running around us. We managed to hold the compound for three-and-a-half hours before support arrived."

The marines later discovered that the compound was booby-trapped. The arms were later flown out by helicopter in what was seen as one of the most successful missions of the Afghan conflict.