Former Rainford High pupil tells Prince William about the moment he survived a buffalo attack

Guardsman Bogg, 19, was deployed in Kenya with the Irish Guards for a training exercise in October when a buffalo charged at him during an early morning patrol.

He credits his “day sack” and “playing dead” as the reasons he survived the incident.
 

Guardsman John Bogg

And there have been plenty of people who have wanted to hear his story, including the Duke of Cambridge.

Prince William asked to speak to former Rainford High pupil John during a visit to the Irish Guards’ barracks in Hounslow, London, after a St Patrick’s Day parade.

John’s mum Lisa Bogg, said: “When John and his battalion were in Kenya on morning patrol they went off course and after a while this buffalo came charging out of nowhere. Everyone went left but he ran to the right.

“Apparently it flipped him over with its horns sending him around 10 metres away and kept butting him with its head and horns but he said his day sack saved him.

“He said his life flashed before his eyes but he remembered to play dead and the buffalo eventually left him alone and he got up and just carried on.

“He even got an award for just getting on with the section attack they were doing, because he was injured from it all and had to have treatment.

"It’s just not what you expect to happen when your son joins the army, but we are so glad he’s OK.”

Guardsman Bogg's family have been filled with proud after Prince William signalled him out of the crowd by asking “Where’s Guardsman Bogg” to talk about the ordeal.

Lisa, 54, added: “He called me afterwards to say what shock he was in and what he said to the Duke of Cambridge.

"Apparently William asked where his comrades where when it took place, but he answered 'They all ran off sir'. 

“When I heard that I was so impressed because it not only got noted but it went right up the chain of command to Prince William, so for him to talk to John about it is very special.

“It is something that John will never, ever forget.”