An Iraq war and Royal Navy veteran has been identified as the driver whose quick-thinking saved the lives of passengers on the train he was driving.
Peterborough man, Andrew Johnson, diverted the train heading to London to Huntingdon station within minutes of being told about the mass stabbing, The Telegraph reported.
Mr Johnson’s actions allowed a quick response from emergency services.
The man is understood to have finished his career as a Chief Petty Officer and worked as a weapons engineer.
He had served in the Royal Navy for 17 years and deployed to Iraq in 2003 during the second Gulf War.
Mr Johnson is understood to have been working as a train driver since 2018.
The veteran is believed to have served aboard a ship during the Iraq War.
He was on a team tasked with removing mines in the Tigris river.
The train parked at Huntingdon following the attack
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GETTYMr Johnson still supports former servicemen and fundraises for the Royal British Legion, even in the days before the attack on Saturday.
The LNER service left from Doncaster at 6.25pm and was on its way to King’s Cross, having left Peterborough station at 7.30pm when the knife attack started.
Witnesses recounted people fleeing as they ran out of the train as others retreated to the toilets.
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