A Scottish soldier has been awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, and two others the Military Cross, for their bravery fighting in Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Donald Campbell, from 26 Regt Royal Engineers, was commended for "his incredible act of premeditated bravery" when he drove a civilian tractor while under intense fire from the Taliban. With no thought for his own safety, the 26-year-old, from South Uist, leapt off the vehicle to release the bindings on his load and then ran to get back under cover.

The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is the military's second highest award, outranked only by the Victoria Cross.

Two soldiers from the same Scottish regiment have also been awarded the Military Cross for their bravery in separate incidents in Afghanistan.

They are among 10 Scots on a 184-strong list of British military personnel to be given awards for gallantry or outstanding service announced today.

The two men honoured with the MC are Lance Bombardier Michael Frew and Bombardier Paul Greenwood, both from 19 Artillery Regiment (Highland Gunners). Three others from the same unit and a sergeant from the Black Watch are mentioned in dispatches for courage under fire against insurgents in Iraq and Helmand.

One officer is to be awarded the MBE for benevolent work with former soldiers and their families, and two others receive a Queens Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS) for services in Afghanistan. Last night L/Cpl Campbell said: "I was very shocked and very surprised at the award and still am.

" I come from South Uist and when I phoned my mum, I don't thing she really knew what it was about.

"I was driving a front loader, a big civilian tractor with a load of fascines bundles of plastic pipes used to help tanks cross trenches in the bucket and I drove forward under fire to the ditch, but before I could unload, I had to jump out and cut the bindings, the Taliban were shooting, then I had to get back under cover. At the time I knew that it was something that had to be done and I just thought that it was a good idea.

"I am surprised and happy about the award, I feel good about it."

As second in command of a fire support team, Lance Bombardier Michael Frew, following orders to seize a bridge, co-ordinated an overwhelming fire plan. As his platoon fell back across the bridge it was engaged by a new enemy position and pinned down.

Frew, from Dundee, took control and sprinted across the bridge to draw fire and keep enemy fighters occupied to allow the rest to cross. He is awarded the MC for his "extraordinary bravery, application of firepower and tenacity to succeed in the face of perilous danger".

Bombardier Paul Greenwood, originally from England, is awarded his MC for his extraordinary courage and dedication to duty as an indirect fire observer in a forward observer team supporting the Afghan National Army (ANA).

After taking cover in an irrigation ditch, one ANA soldier was killed, three wounded and all but three others fled during the evacuation of their wounded comrades.

Down to less than a rifle magazine of ammunition each and under heavy fire, two more ANA soldiers were wounded and intelligence indicated that the enemy were preparing to mount a final assault on the survivors. Greenwood volunteered to run through a torrent of fire to collect essential ammunition.

He gathered as much as he could, and despite knowing that if hit his recovery would be impossible, he left his position of relative safety to return to the ditch.

The ammunition proved essential to allowing a fighting withdrawal.