There is quite a difference between leading nobly from the front, sacrificing yourself for the sake of others and by doing so setting a good example, but you have (to use your firing line metaphor) pretty much leapt butt nekked out of the trench with a target on your arse here*
*Apologies for any traumatic mental imagery this post has triggered
Some of the comments on FB/Stuff were pretty average/unnecessary I thought. The wonders of the internet.