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Table of Contents
Medals of Senior Military Officers (King's College London Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives)
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Victoria
Cross to be Auctioned (Cpl Samuel Meekosha received the VC for gallantry in the face of the enemy
near the River Yser in France on November 19, 1915) (Apr 01)
VC is
sold for £101,200 - Photo
- More
(Corporal Samuel Meekosha Nov 1915 serving with a
West Yorkshire Regiment platoon in France)
The Victoria Cross (Hancocks & Co - Manufacturer of the VC - Describes how the VC is made)
VCs & Awards (1st Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment)
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Strange
journey of a Victoria Cross Victoria Cross No. 324 can be
found today in a vault at the Royal Green Jackets Museum in Winchester,
England. Like other specimens of the world's most famous military
decoration, the front of it bears just two words: "For
Valour." But if this one could talk, says Elizabeth Reid, its tale
would fill volumes. Ms. Reid, in a sense, is its voice. The B.C. woman
has spent 30 years researching the life and death of Timothy O'Hea, the
young Irish-born soldier who earned the award on June 9, 1866, for
extinguishing a fire that threatened to ignite a munitions car at a
train station in Danville, Que. It was the only Victoria Cross ever
given for a brave deed performed on Canadian soil and one of only
six bestowed for gallantry other than in direct battle with an enemy. O'Hea
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Edward Chapman, VC, has died aged 82 More (Awarded a VC as a corporal in the final stages of the North West Campaign in Germany
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Victorious Cross The passing of the last surviving Indian Victoria Cross winner, Umrao Singh, marked the end of an era. Vijay Mohan reports the heroic deeds of other Indian recipients of the award, cherished as an epitome of heroism and bravery. tribuneindia.com 12 Dec 05 |
An appeal to honour Victoria Cross heroes will be launched ... An appeal to honour Victoria Cross heroes is being launched. Cash is being raised for a paving slab in their memory at Westminster Abbey. The stone will lie below the tomb of the unknown soldier. Only 16 of the 1,354 heroes awarded the medal for extreme bravery in battle are still alive. The youngest is 69-year-old Australian Keith Payne. The last VCs to be awarded were posthumous to two Falklands heroes. The memorial will also honour the 400 holders of the George Cross, the highest bravery award in peacetime. A benevolent fund will be created to care for the graves of VC holders, whose medal was first awarded in the 1850s. Send cheques to: Victoria Cross & George Cross Memorial Appeal, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX. (Nov 02)
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Captain Richard Annand, VC On May 15 1940 during the Wehrmacht's lightning advance in Belgium on the River Dyle, Dick Annand, who has died aged 90, won the British army's first second world war Victoria Cross while a second lieutenant with 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Image copyright John Attle who has informed us that Mrs Shirley Annand passed away on the 18th of January, 2006, aged 91. modoracle.com 17 Jan 05 |
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Queen honours heroes The Queen has paid special tribute to the civilian and military heroes who hold Britain's highest awards for bravery. She unveiled the first national memorial to holders of the Victoria and George Crosses at a service at Westminster Abbey in London. BBC News May 03 |
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Man receives medal on behalf of distant kin Relatives of deceased Victoria Cross recipients and the 21 living awardees were invited to Westminster Abbey for the unveiling of the special memorial. It honors the 1,354 recipients who were heroes during battle. James Munro, earned the medal in 1857 for his bravery and heroism during the Indian Mutiny to overthrow British rule in northern India. A color-sergeant in the British Army, Munro rescued his wounded captain in Lucknow, India. Munro was also badly wounded in the rescue. San Diego Union Tribune, CA - 16 May 2003 |
Old boys gather to honour VC hero Captain Archibald Bisset Smith was posthumously awarded Britain’s highest award for heroism for his conspicuous gallantry as the commander of an armed merchant ship in a First World War battle with a German warship in the mid-Atlantic in March, 1917. The Scotsman, UK - 14 Aug 2003
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Bell's bravery in attack earned VC Donald Bell, a mild-mannered but wonderfully gifted all-round sportsman, is the only professional footballer to have been awarded the Victoria Cross. Just five days after his outstanding act of bravery, at Horseshoe Trench near Contalmaison during the first week of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916, he died leading another recklessly brave assault on a key machine-gun post. Pictured here, alongside his Victoria Cross (No 478), is his helmet. Note the gaping holes - a mortar shell exploded nearby and his helmet took the full force. Although protecting his head, a jagged segment of the helmet splintered off and severed an artery in his shoulder causing him to die almost immediately. sport.telegraph.co.uk 30 Jul 04 |
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Gurkha Medal in London Auction A Victoria Cross has been auctioned for £132,250 ($243,711) by the family of a Nepalese Gurkha. The money, raised in an auction in London, will be given by the family of Honorary Captain Agansing Rai to help underprivileged children in Nepal. It is believed to be the first Victoria Cross awarded to a Gurkha to be sold. Mr Rai, who died four years ago, won the medal for his action against the Japanese in 1944. news.bbc.co.uk 22 Jul 04 |
Not Worth a VC? An SAS hero who killed 36 Iraqis to save the life of a stricken comrade could be denied a Victoria Cross - because he survived. The 36-year-old British soldier was recommended for the gallantry medal by his commanding officers after he single-handedly held off enemy attackers in a two-hour gun battle when his unit was ambushed. Despite being hit by shrapnel he then carried his shot and badly wounded colleague three miles to safety. But special forces officers fear the brave corporal will be snubbed for the highest military honour because they say senior officials usually do not not give it to survivors. THE CITATION: Whilst serving in Iraq as part of a joint special forces patrol with members of the Australian Special Air Service Regiment and US Rangers, Corporal ******* was dispatched with a number of the Australian SAS to carry out reconnaissance in an area of Baghdad occupied by large numbers of foreign enemy fighters involved in acts of terrorism within Iraq. During the reconnaissance, Corporal ******* and the Australian SAS soldier came under enemy engagement consisting of heavy gunfire, involving close quarters battle, over a period of two hours. During this time the Australian SAS soldier sustained life-threatening gunshot injuries and trauma. Corporal ****** gave immediate medical assistance. Whilst still under heavy attack from RPG and machine gun fire at close quarters, Corporal ****** engaged the enemy and continued to give medical assistance to the Australian SAS soldier. Corporal *******, whilst administering medical assistance, returned fire on the enemy and called in air strike. Corporal *******, killed some 36 enemy. Whilst fighting his way out of the area, he carried the injured Australian SAS soldier on his back for three miles, before being airlifted out of the area by helicopter. Corporal ****** during the engagement sustained shrapnel injuries requiring a period of medical treatment back in UK. Corporal *********'s actions showed the highest level of valour and gallantry in the face of overwhelming number of enemy and in the rescue of the Australian SAS soldier. It is recommended to her Majesty that Corporal ********* be awarded the Victoria Cross. mirror.co.uk 9 Sep 04
Victoria Cross for bravery in Afghanistan because of the strict rules governing the medal's award. One is believed to be under consideration for the award because of his leadership under fire as a complete Sabre squadron first pulled back and then overcame the al-Qa'eda terrorists. The second was at the other end of the complex, manning an observation post and waiting to bring down aerial strikes on escaping al-Qa'eda terrorists. He is under consideration because he waited so long before ordering in the air attack that he risked being killed himself. More - 18 VCs - (Feb 02)
SAS war heroes may be denied Victoria Cross - TWO members of the SAS may be denied the
SAS fights naming of heroes (A dispute has developed between the Government and the SAS over the award of gallantry medals to soldiers who fought in Afghanistan, and whether the recipients should be publicly identified) (Jan 02)
Bravery is kept secret (The courageous exploits of the SAS and the Royal Marines’ Special Boat Service in Afghanistan will remain a secret even if individuals are awarded gallantry medals. There have been exceptional examples of bravery under fire in Operation Veritas, the British codename for the counter-terror mission in Afghanistan.) (Jan 02)
Private honour (It says a great deal about the SAS that two of its members should even be considered for the Victoria Cross for gallantry in Afghanistan. The VC remains the highest military decoration in the world. Behind every simple little cross with its maroon ribbon lies a tale of extraordinary bravery. It is heartening to think that our Armed Forces are still capable of producing men of the same calibre as past VC winners. Whatever medal is eventually deemed appropriate, the reports of how these two men conducted themselves make humbling reading) (Jan 02)
Family is reunited with 'lost' grave of VC hero The descendants of Sheffield's first-ever recipient of the Victoria Cross have been reunited with his 'lost' grave. Alan Johnson, a Barnsley market trader, did not even know he was related to Sgt James Firth, a hero of the Boer War, until he found a letter among his late father's personal effects. It said Sgt Firth was Alan's great uncle, had fought in South Africa in the 1st Battalion Duke of Wellington's Regiment, and had been awarded the VC in June 1901 for gallantry. He died aged 47 in 1921, was buried with military honours at Burngreave Cemetery off Scott Road. His wife Mary Florence and two of their sons were later buried alongside him. In the 85 years that followed, his grave, in the north eastern section of the cemetery close to the War Memorial, became lost and forgotten and the inscriptions on the ornate stone headstone were eaten away by years of pollution. But Mr Johnson was helped to find the grave by local historian Albert Jackson and Christine Stevens of the Friends of Burngreave Cemetery. Sheffieldtoday.net 16 Mar 04
Tribute to the bravery of regiment in First World War People living in a small French town have said "thank you" to the British Army. And in a moving tribute, they granted the Freedom of the Town to soldiers from the West Yorkshire-based Duke of Wellington's Regiment. It was to thank the regiment for their bravery 87 years earlier, as the First World War was drawing to a close. Soldiers from the Dukes - which recruits extensively in Huddersfield - were based in the small north-eastern town of Erquinghem-Lys, near Lille, where it fought during the war. The regiment lost 15 officers and 391 soldiers in fierce fighting. But they also produced a hero. Pte Arthur Poulter, a stretcher bearer, was awarded the Victoria Cross - Britain's highest gallantry medal - for venturing out alone 10 times into the German firing lines to save wounded colleagues. His bravery was also recognised by the French people. The memorial to Pte Poulter they erected in 1998 was only the second by a French town in honour of a British soldier. chuddersfield.icnetwork.co.uk 16 Nov 05
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Anniversary of Bravery that won pair VC Private Abraham Acton and Private James Smith, both of the 2nd Battalion, The Border Regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross on December 21, 1914 for "conspicuous bravery". newsandstar.co.uk 24 Dec 04 |
War Hero's Daughter Views Medal for First Time Frances Clarkson didn't find out her World War Two hero father was awarded the Victoria Cross until after he had died, 31 years ago. And up until Friday, she had never laid eyes on the medal itself. But that changed when the medal awarded to Major Robert Cain for his exploits at the battle of Arnhem in September 1944 went on show at the Manx Museum for two days. Frances Clarkson, wife of BBC TV presenter Jeremy, said: 'My father donated it to the Staffordshire Regimental Museum shortly after the war and the medal they exhibit is a replica, so I have only ever seen the replica. So for the first time today, I have seen the actual medal. iomonline.co.im 8 Aug 05
Britain - New homes named after hero jack One of the very few First World War servicemen from the Redhill area to be awarded a Victoria Cross medal is to be immortalised in the name of a new housing estate. Private Jack Harvey - later a sergeant - was awarded the VC by King George V at Buckingham Palace in March 1919. He received the country's highest military honour for single-handedly charging a German trench, forcing 37 soldiers to surrender. On August 19, at noon, Harvey Court is to be officially be opened in Tilers Close, Merstham, off Nutfield Road. icsurreyonline.icnetwork.co.uk 11 Aug 05
Hero who gave his life to save his comrades When he realised his men were about to be cut to pieces by enemy machine guns, Corporal Thomas Hunter decided there was only one thing to do - charge. In an act of supreme heroism, the 21-year-old ran full pelt across 200 yards of open ground into the teeth of intense machine gun fire and single-handedly captured a group of houses full of German troops. Six enemy soldiers surrendered to him while the others fled. Cpl Hunter had achieved an almost impossible feat. But, just as the last of his men scrambled to safety while he provided covering fire, he was hit in the head by a burst from a machine gun and killed. It was just a few months before the end of the Second World War and at home in Edinburgh the family of Cpl Hunter had begun to look forward to his return. Instead, they were informed of the heroism which took his life - and were told that as a result of his actions he was to be awarded the Victoria Cross: the only Royal Marine to receive the VC during the conflict. news.scotsman.com 26 Mar 04
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China - The Dagu Bell is back where it started, in Tianjin The marauders scurried ashore in 1900 and beached their landing craft on the muddy flats of the Pei Ho River near the treaty port of Tientsin. Sentries stationed at the southern Dagu Fort ran for the bell tower and began sounding out foreboding peals to warn locals and soldiers that, the barbarians had invaded. This time they had some warning, unlike in the 1850s, when the British came amid the shock, awe and hail of artillery shells and gunfire in the second opium war. The Dagu Bell continued to ring its urgency; the suppression of the Boxer rebellion had begun. These unforgiving armies of empire would eventually push their way to Peking, force further contracts and concessions from a yielding dynasty and humiliate the Chinese once more. And the bell, cast 16 years before as an early warning system, was carried off by jubilant British sailors from the battle cruiser HMS Orlando. The 105kg brown bell was off on an adventure that would span more than a century of turbulent history, on both sides of the globe. Private Thomas Pane was awarded the Victoria Cross - for his part in the attack on Dagu Fort in 1859, in which he was severely wounded. He swam a ditch and attempted to enlarge a hole in the wall of the fort, through which the British eventually entered and forced General Yue Wei Yi's troops to surrender. en.chinabroadcast.cn 6 Dec 05 |
How Armagh won a place in sea history Exactly 150 years ago today [21 June 2004], in an act of bravery a young seaman from Armagh saved the lives of his shipmates during a sea battle in the Crimean War. He also won for himself a place in history. For, as Richard Doherty explains, Charles Davis Lucas was to be the first recipient of a brand new medal - the Victoria Cross. belfasttelegraph.co.uk 21 Jun 04
VC sergeant's bravery is recognised at last The family of a Victoria Cross holder who served alongside Laurence of Arabia and is buried in a West Wirral cemetery have paid tribute to him after a ceremony to lay a plaque on his grave. Former soldiers stood alongside serving members of the armed forces to remember the bravery of Sgt John O'Neill who was decorated with the Victoria Cross for his bravery during World War I when he led the charge of an enemy battery. His remarkable courage and powers of leadership led to him also to being awarded the military medal and the French equivalent during the war. He served with both the Leinster Regiment and the Royal Air Force and was a sergeant in both. iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk 1 Nov 04
Honour War Hero A British soldier killed on a daring rescue mission in Iraq may receive a top bravery medal. Private Lee O'Callaghan died battling his way to save a group of stricken troops who were surrounded by rebels and faced certain death. But as his squad came under intense fire from rocket-propelled grenades and AK47s he was fatally injured. MPs and former military top brass called on military chiefs to give the 20-year-old from Walworth, South London, and his comrades awards for their courage. The calls came as the Sunday Mirror obtained details of the heroic life or death battle for the first time. We can reveal on August 9 in Basra a patrol from the 1st Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery was ambushed and forced to abandon their Land Rovers. sundaymirror.co.uk 22 Aug 04
Staring fear in the face The clinical technology of modern warfare inevitably means fewer eligible candidates for the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry. theherald.co.uk 6 Oct 04
Final honour for forgotten hero A Victoria Cross hero of the Charge of the Light Brigade is to be honoured in the town of his birth. A memorial will be unveiled in Tamworth to Trooper Samuel Parkes, who was only the second British soldier to receive the newly instituted highest award for bravery from Queen Victoria. He survived the Crimean War, but died in 1864, aged 49, and was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in London's Great Brompton Cemetery. Now his great-greatgreat nephew, Peter Elkin, has written a book called Tamworth's Forgotten Hero and a copy will go into the archives of his regiment, the Queen's Royal Hussars, which has the medal at its museum in Eastbourne. icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk 7 Oct 04
How
Lothian troops led the charge to glory at the Battle of Balaclava
Edinburgh-born Henry Ramage - just one of the many soldiers from the Capital
and the Lothians who were involved in the Battle of Balaclava, where the
infamous Charge of the Light Brigade took place. Awarded a Victoria Cross
for his gallantry in battle, Sergeant Ramage’s story is one of many that
emerged from the conflict, which was fought during the Crimean War. Many
English, Irish and Scottish troops were awarded medals for their role in the
battle, but it was two soldiers from Edinburgh who were among the first
recipients of the prestigious Victoria Cross for their valour and gallantry
in the conflict. Sergeant Ramage, who was born in Morningside in 1827 and
served in the 2nd Dragoons, was rewarded with the medal for his bravery, but
he was not the only soldier from the Lothians to have been decorated for his
performance at Balaclava.
Sergeant-Major John Grieve, from Musselburgh, was also awarded the Victoria
Cross. He, too, was a member of the 2nd Dragoons and was one of the
cavalry troops who took part in the Charge of the Heavy Brigade against the
Russian cavalry. He saved the life of one of his commanding officers who had
been thrown from his horse and left to fend off eight Russian soldiers
single-handedly. Spotting the officer in danger, Grieve rode through the
thickest part of the battle and straight up to the Russian cavalry men -
decapitating one and dispersing the others before leading the officer to
safety. news.scotsman.com 22 Oct 04
Honour for forgotten hero A forgotten hero of the Charge of the Light Brigade was finally honoured in his Staffordshire birthplace when his descendants unveiled a memorial plaque in the church where he was baptised in 1815. Private Samuel Parkes, of the 4th Light Dragoons, from Tamworth, was awarded one of the first Victoria Crosses for saving the life of a comrade while being attacked by Cossacks during the fateful cavalry action at Balaclava 150 years ago. Private Parkes, orderly to Lord George Paget, commanding the 4th Light Dragoons, who described him as “a fine specimen of an Englishman”, had his horse shot from under him by Russian cannon during the retreat. He went to the aid of a trumpet-major whose horse had also fallen, causing him to lose his sword, and who was being attacked by two mounted Cossacks. The 6ft 2in private leapt forward and drove the Cossacks off. He and the trumpet-major, Hugh Crawford, were then intercepted by six more Cossacks. Private Parkes kept them at bay until his sword was shot out of his hand and he was taken prisoner. He was released a year later. timesonline.co.uk 25 Oct 04
Yorkshire hero's Victoria Cross goes under hammer A Yorkshireman's Victoria Cross, awarded for bravery in India, along with other medals, was sold at an auction for almost £90,000 to a private British collector. The VC was awarded to Private John Pearson, of the 8th Hussars, for gallantry under fire during an assault on a rebel position at Gwalior during the Indian Mutiny. Private Pearson, together with three other soldiers, charged into an enemy camp in June 1858 and captured two guns while under heavy fire. The 33-year-old, who was born at Seacroft, Leeds, and later lived with his wife and children in Melville Place, Halifax, served 24 years in the Army, 12 of them abroad, and also fought in the Crimean War. He spent nine years in India, retiring as sergeant. In the 1880s he and his family settled in Canada. He died in Ontario in 1892, aged 67. yorkshiretoday.co.uk 24 Nov 04
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Glasgow's ultimate war hero Private James "Jimmy" Stokes, circa 1944, who died a hero for his selfless acts of bravery.. He was hewn from the mean streets of pre-war Glasgow Gorbals, an area famed and feared for its toughness. James "Jimmy" Stokes was a typical product of the area, a young man who - to say the least - knew how to handle himself. It was that no-nonsense fighting quality that turned Jimmy Stokes into a national war hero. An incredible act of selfless bravery on the battlefield only months before the end of the Second World War cost Stokes his life but saved many men in his platoon. It also won him the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest wartime bravery honour. heritage.scotsman.com 18 Jul 05 |
A British Army private awarded the country's highest bravery medal for saving the lives of dozens of comrades in Iraq has received a more lucrative reward for his heroism, a report said on Sunday - a massive deal to publish his autobiography. Johnson Beharry, a 25-year-old Grenada-born serviceman, will receive an advance of 1 million pounds Sterling (€1.5 million, $1.8 million) for the book after a bidding war between publishers, The Sunday Times said. Beharry was presented with the Victoria Cross by Queen Elizabeth in April, the first soldier to receive the medal since two were given posthumously during the 1982 Falklands War with Argentina. He is the first living soldier since 1965. According to the report, Beharry's book, Bare Foot Soldier, will also chronicle his poverty-stricken upbringing on the Caribbean island as one of eight children, the title referring to his long walk to school as a youngster. The advance will provide a financial cushion for the private, whose future in the military is uncertain due to his injuries, the paper added. metimes.com 19 Sep 05
Highly prized Norfolk VC to be sold A Victoria Cross awarded to a Norfolk stretcher bearer hero of the Boer War is among medals set to fetch up to £120,000 at auction next month. At the Battle of Magersfontein in December 1899, King's Lynn-born Corporal John Shaul risked death to dress men's wounds under heavy fire - “as cooly and quietly as if there had been no enemy near”, according to a report in the London Gazette. Apart from the VC, Shaul's other medals - consigned for sale at specialist auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb in London on April 5 from an anonymous source - include the Queen's South Africa Medal 1899-1902 with three clasps, the King's South Africa Medal 1901-02 with two clasps, and Great War campaign medals.The lot, which is estimated to realise £100,000-£120, 000, includes his father's Crimea (1854-55) and China (1857-60) medals. advertiser-online.co.uk 20 Mar 06
Sir Tasker Watkins VC becomes Freeman of Cardiff Sir Tasker Watkins is to be given the Freedom of Cardiff. The 87-year-old former President of the Welsh Rugby Union will be admitted as Honorary Freeman of the City and County of Cardiff, which is the highest distinction that the Council can bestow. He will join a select list of individuals and organisations who have been awarded the accolade since its foundation in 1886, including David Lloyd George, Winston Churchill, Pope John Paul II and Nelson Mandela. Cardiff Council only grants the honour to people who are felt to have contributed eminent services to the city and county. At age 25, while serving with the Welch Regiment in Normandy in 1944, Lieutenant Watkins was awarded the Victoria Cross. newswales.co.uk 10 Apr 06
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Private Johnson Gideon Beharry - Victoria Cross Private Johnson Gideon Beharry from 1st Battalion the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment is the first person to receive the Victoria Cross since 1982 and the first living recipient since 1965. His citation reads in full: "Private Beharry carried out two individual acts of great heroism by which he saved the lives of his comrades. Both were in direct face of the enemy, under intense fire, at great personal risk to himself (one leading to him sustaining very serious injuries). His valour is worthy of the highest recognition. "In the early hours of the 1st May 2004 Beharry’s company was ordered to replenish an isolated Coalition Forces outpost located in the centre of the troubled city of Al Amarah. He was the driver of a platoon commander’s Warrior armoured fighting vehicle. His platoon was the company’s reserve force and was placed on immediate notice to move. As the main elements of his company were moving into the city to carry out the replenishment, they were re-tasked to fight through a series of enemy ambushes in order to extract a foot patrol that had become pinned down under sustained small arms and heavy machine gun fire and improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenade attack. "Beharry’s platoon was tasked over the radio to come to the assistance of the remainder of the company, who were attempting to extract the isolated foot patrol. As his platoon passed a roundabout, en route to the pinned-down patrol, they became aware that the road to the front was empty of all civilians and traffic – an indicator of a potential ambush ahead. The platoon commander ordered the vehicle to halt, so that he could assess the situation. The vehicle was then immediately hit by multiple rocket-propelled grenades. Eyewitnesses report that the vehicle was engulfed in a number of violent explosions, which physically rocked the 30-tonne Warrior. "As a result of this ferocious initial volley of fire, both the platoon commander and the vehicle’s gunner were incapacitated by concussion and other wounds, and a number of the soldiers in the rear of the vehicle were also wounded. Due to damage sustained in the blast to the vehicle’s radio systems, Beharry had no means of communication with either his turret crew or any of the other Warrior vehicles deployed around him. He did not know if his commander or crewmen were still alive, or how serious their injuries may be. In this confusing and dangerous situation, on his own initiative, he closed his driver’s hatch and moved forward through the ambush position to try to establish some form of communications, halting just short of a barricade placed across the road. "The vehicle was hit again by sustained rocket-propelled grenade attack from insurgent fighters in the alleyways and on rooftops around his vehicle. Further damage to the Warrior from these explosions caused it to catch fire and fill rapidly with thick, noxious smoke. Beharry opened up his armoured hatch cover to clear his view and orientate himself to the situation. He still had no radio communications and was now acting on his own initiative, as the lead vehicle of a six Warrior convoy in an enemy-controlled area of the city at night. He assessed that his best course of action to save the lives of his crew was to push through, out of the ambush. He drove his Warrior directly through the barricade, not knowing if there were mines or improvised explosive devices placed there to destroy his vehicle. By doing this he was able to lead the remaining five Warriors behind him towards safety. "As the smoke in his driver’s tunnel cleared, he was just able to make out the shape of another rocket- propelled grenade in flight heading directly towards him. He pulled the heavy armoured hatch down with one hand, whilst still controlling his vehicle with the other. However, the overpressure from the explosion of the rocket wrenched the hatch out of his grip, and the flames and force of the blast passed directly over him, down the driver’s tunnel, further wounding the semi-conscious gunner in the turret. The impact of this rocket destroyed Beharry’s armoured periscope, so he was forced to drive the vehicle through the remainder of the ambushed route, some 1500 metres long, with his hatch opened up and his head exposed to enemy fire, all the time with no communications with any other vehicle. During this long surge through the ambushes the vehicle was again struck by rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. While his head remained out of the hatch, to enable him to see the route ahead, he was directly exposed to much of this fire, and was himself hit by a 7.62mm bullet, which penetrated his helmet and remained lodged on its inner surface. "Despite this harrowing weight of incoming fire Beharry continued to push through the extended ambush, still leading his platoon until he broke clean. He then visually identified another Warrior from his company and followed it through the streets of Al Amarah to the outside of the Cimic House outpost, which was receiving small arms fire from the surrounding area. Once he had brought his vehicle to a halt outside, without thought for his own personal safety, he climbed onto the turret of the still-burning vehicle and, seemingly oblivious to the incoming enemy small arms fire, manhandled his wounded platoon commander out of the turret, off the vehicle and to the safety of a nearby Warrior. He then returned once again to his vehicle and again mounted the exposed turret to lift out the vehicle’s gunner and move him to a position of safety. Exposing himself yet again to enemy fire he returned to the rear of the burning vehicle to lead the disorientated and shocked dismounts and casualties to safety. Remounting his burning vehicle for the third time, he drove it through a complex chicane and into the security of the defended perimeter of the outpost, thus denying it to the enemy. Only at this stage did Beharry pull the fire extinguisher handles, immobilising the engine of the vehicle, dismounted and then moved himself into the relative safety of the back of another Warrior. Once inside Beharry collapsed from the sheer physical and mental exhaustion of his efforts and was subsequently himself evacuated. "Having returned to duty following medical treatment, on the 11th June 2004 Beharry’s Warrior was part of a quick reaction force tasked to attempt to cut off a mortar team that had attacked a Coalition Force base in Al Amarah. As the lead vehicle of the platoon he was moving rapidly through the dark city streets towards the suspected firing point, when his vehicle was ambushed by the enemy from a series of rooftop positions. During this initial heavy weight of enemy fire, a rocket-propelled grenade detonated on the vehicle’s frontal armour, just six inches from Beharry’s head, resulting in a serious head injury. Other rockets struck the turret and sides of the vehicle, incapacitating his commander and injuring several of the crew. "With the blood from his head injury obscuring his vision, Beharry managed to continue to control his vehicle, and forcefully reversed the Warrior out of the ambush area. The vehicle continued to move until it struck the wall of a nearby building and came to rest. Beharry then lost consciousness as a result of his wounds. By moving the vehicle out of the enemy’s chosen killing area he enabled other Warrior crews to be able to extract his crew from his vehicle, with a greatly reduced risk from incoming fire. Despite receiving a serious head injury, which later saw him being listed as very seriously injured and in a coma for some time, his level-headed actions in the face of heavy and accurate enemy fire at short range again almost certainly saved the lives of his crew and provided the conditions for their safe evacuation to medical treatment. "Beharry displayed repeated extreme gallantry and unquestioned valour, despite intense direct attacks, personal injury and damage to his vehicle in the face of relentless enemy action." operations.mod.uk 18 Mar 05
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Piper George Findlater, VC The story of Piper George Findlater, VC winner of the Gordon Highlanders. scotshistoryonline.co.uk
D-Day bravery brought back to life Even the most ardent battlefield tourist might not spare it a second glance. But to the Green Howards, the tumbledown tram shelter on the Normandy coast is a monument to the bravery of one of the Yorkshire regiment's greatest heroes. Only a close inspection of the boarded-up tiny hut would reveal the bullet holes which mark it as a piece of D-Day history – the first thing to end up in the sights of Victoria Cross winner Stan Hollis. But the property market is no respecter of regimental pride and when a party of Green Howards returned to the beaches recently they were stunned to see the tram shelter was up for sale, and facing demolition. Fearing a poignant reminder of the Longest Day would be lost for good, senior officers clubbed together to buy it for £3,000 to help commemorate Sgt Major Hollis, D-Day's only VC winner. yorkshiretoday.co.uk 17 Jun 05
Flying hero's last letter goes under hammer A letter written by a First World War British flying ace the day before he was reportedly shot down by the Red Baron sold today for nearly £7,000. Captain Albert Ball, 20, was the first British pilot to be idolised. He shot down 43 German planes before being killed on May 7, 1917, at Annoeullin, France. A month later he was awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery. The Germans said he was shot down by their ace, Lothar von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron, although this is not accepted by British sources. The letter, which has been in the Ball family for 88 years, was sold to a private collector from New Zealand for £6,822, including buyer's premium". manchesteronline.co.uk 18 May 05
Memorial in honour of Ypres hero A memorial to a Worcester soldier who won the Victoria Cross during World War I is to be put up where he committed his heroic act. Private Frederick George Dancox, 38, won the decoration for single-handedly taking a German gun position in Ypres, Belgium, in 1917 but never came home. All leave was cancelled before he was due to return to England to receive the Victoria Cross and he died in action. news.bbc.co.uk 29 Jun 05
Recognition at Last for Town's VC Hero Forgotten First War Victoria Cross winner Arthur Knight is to be remembered by his home town of Haywards Heath nearly 90 years after he died in battle. Royal British Legion bosses are delighted that the town's first and only VC is to be honoured by the community. Brave Sergeant Knight won a posthumous Victoria Cross at 32 for his incredible courage under murderous gunfire in a battle at Villers-les-Cagnicourt, France in 1918. He had survived three years of fighting before the battle but died from wounds only hours after his heroic action. When the town's memorial at Muster Green was prepared a few years after the war his name was left off, probably because he was no longer living in the area. Sgt Knight spent the first 25 years of his life in Haywards Heath before moving to Canada in 1911. His daring exploits on the battlefield with the Calgary Highlanders led to two streets, Knight and Sussex Crescents, being named after him in Regina, Canada. midsussextimes.co.uk 9 Mar 06
The Boer War Hero Scot, his Medal for Bravery and the Mystery of his Brutal Murder A medal won by a Scottish war hero, who became the victim of a mystery murder, is to go under the hammer.The Distinguished Conduct Medal, which was awarded to Corporal John Rogers for bravery in the Boer War, is expected to fetch up to £4000. The 26-year-old got the DCM in 1901 after capturing a Boer gunnery post alongside his commanding officer, Captain WE Gordon. The captain got the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest military honour, for his part in the action. Despite receiving the bigger award, Captain Gordon was so indebted to John, he paid him and his family £10 a year from 1902 until he died in 1941. But in 1918, after four years of combat in World War I, the then Guardsman Rogers had his throat cut in Carnoustie while on holiday. He was given a full military funeral in Glasgow, which is believed to have been attended by then minister for war Winston Churchill, who had previously written to the hero. John's family believe he was killed by a professional hitman in a bid to silence him over the truth that he was the real hero of the Boer War and should, in fact, have received a VC. Now they are auctioning his medal alongside letters from Captain Gordon to his trusted corporal, which show his debt to the young soldier. In one of the letters, to be auctioned at McTear's in Glasgow, Captain Gordon wrote: "Today is the anniversary of the day you won your VC twenty times over. "I hope that your VC will yet come and I ask you to accept £10 as a small offering of my warmest admiration for you in every way. "As long as I can afford it, I want you to accept this annual offering." John's grandson Graeme Rogers, 43, of Arbroath, said: "There are a number of mysteries surrounding my grandfather's life and death. "It makes me very proud that a member of my family served his country so bravely, even if he maybe never got the medal he really deserved. "The DCM is still a very prestigious award and, once I have sold it along with the letters, it will be the end of my hunt for the truth." McTear's valuer, John White, said he expected the medal, the letters and the murder mystery to have collectors in a frenzy when the lot goes under the hammer in Glasgow on June 27. dailyrecord.co.uk 20 May 06
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150 Years Of The Victorian Cross The 150th anniversary of Victoria Cross, instituted by Royal Warrant on 29 January 1856 as an award for servicemen who had performed an act of valour. To celebrate the creation of the Victoria Cross (VC), The National Archives, Kew, has made the VC registers available online at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/victoriacross.asp. Four War Office documents have been digitised and placed on The National Archives website to mark the 150th anniversary of this prestigious award. The documents include the original royal warrant as signed by HM Queen Victoria on 29 January 1856 and three registers of recipients of the awards from 1856-1944. A fifth document, a Cabinet file, listing recipients from the institution of the award in 1856-1946, has been included in the project and is also now available online. The digitisation of the files means that people can now log onto the website and search the registers for people who received the Victoria Cross by their name, rank, regiment, date of act of bravery and campaign. In some instances the registers contain detailed notes on when the award was presented and by whom. 50connect.co.uk 29 Jan 06 |
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Plan to honour Rorke's Drift hero This weekend marks the 127th anniversary of the battle - re-enacted in the 1964 film Zulu - in which 145 British soldiers held off a Zulu army. And a campaign is under way in Pembrokeshire to remember one of the Rorke's Drift defenders - Private Thomas Collins, from Haverfordwest. The defenders of Rorke's Drift were awarded 11 Victoria Crosses - with seven to a single regiment, although Private Collins was not among those honoured. news.bbc.co.uk 22 Jan 06 |
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Author explodes myth of the gunmetal VC The belief that every Victoria Cross, Britain's highest military honour, is made from cannon captured during the Crimean War is nothing more than a myth, says a book marking the 150th anniversary of the medal. John Glanfield, a historian and author of Bravest of the Brave, to be published next month, claims to have exposed the truth about the metal used to make the awards. It has long been believed that all 1,351 Victoria Crosses awarded have been made of bronze taken from two Russian cannon captured at the siege of Sebastopol and kept in the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. The priceless lump of metal, of which there remains enough for a further 85 crosses, is kept in a vault at the Royal Logistic Corps in Donnington, Shropshire. It can be removed only under guard. By studying historical documents and scientific analysis, Glanfield claims that the Woolwich cannon were not used until 1914, 58 years after the first Victoria Crosses had been produced. He also says that the precious ingot disappeared during the Second World War, so a different metal was used for five crosses awarded between 1942 and 1945. In the book, he says: "No aspect of the history of the Victoria Cross has been so hotly debated or disputed as the origin of the metal from which it is made. "The truth has become fogged by time, myth and misinformation. Part of the myth is that every cross has been cast from the two [Woolwich] cannon." The cannon in Woolwich are Chinese-made, although they have often previously been cited as Russian, and Glanfield says that their origin is an "impenetrable mystery". He said there was no evidence that they had been captured at Sebastopol, the last big battle of the Crimean War, as was often stated. "The Chinese pieces were not the only, or even the first, to contribute VC metal," he said. "An earlier gun provided bronze from the start. "When the metal ran out in December 1914, the Chinese cannon took over. The football-size cascabels [knobs] were sawn off at the neck and melted down for VC production, starting not in 1856 but nearly 60 years and some 560 crosses later." telegraph.co.uk 28 Dec 05 |
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Soldier honours family hero A 17-year-old soldier went on parade carrying the Victoria Cross awarded posthumously to his courageous great great uncle 87 years ago. Junior Cpl Carl Clamp in the Scottish Borders, was graduating from the Army Foundation College, in Harrogate, which he joined a year ago. When he told the staff about the heroics in the First World War of great great uncle Cpl William Clamp from Motherwell, they arranged for him to visit the Green Howards Museum in Richmond, which now owns the medal. The museum agreed to allow Jnr Cpl Clamp to carry the medal with him on parade in Harrogate, although military protocol prevented him from wearing it while in uniform. According to an Army spokesman Cpl William Clamp was 25 years old and with the 6th Yorkshires when he won the Victoria Cross for his actions during the advance at Poelcapelle, near Passchendaele, in Belgium on October 9, 1917. icteesside.icnetwork.co.uk 20 Aug 05 |
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Soldier who was awarded Victoria Cross is to separate from childhood sweetheart Johnson Beharry, the first British soldier to win the Victoria Cross since the Falklands conflict, is to separate from his wife Lynthia, the couple announced yesterday. They blamed the stress of his experiences in Iraq and the wounds he suffered in his rescue of fellow members of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment from mortal danger, for which he won his VC. telegraph.co.uk 9 May 05 |
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Queen Awards VC to Iraq Hero Iraq war hero Private Johnson Beharry has been awarded the Victoria Cross by the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Pte Beharry, 25, who was twice injured saving colleagues under enemy fire, is the first recipient of the UK's highest valour award since the Falklands War. news.bbc.co.uk 27 Apr 05 |
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Britain
to issue first Victoria Cross in 23 years for Iraq soldier
A
British soldier who braved gunfire to rescue dozens of comrades in
southern Iraq is to receive the first Victoria Cross. Private
Johnston Beharry, an armoured vehicle driver from the Princess of Wales
Royal Regiment, has been approved for the honour by the Ministry of
Defence. The 24-year-old, who was born in Grenada in the West Indies,
was part of a British convoy attacked in Al-Amarah, southern Iraq, in
May last year. He smashed his burning vehicle through a barricade to
force an escape route and dragged free his unconscious platoon commander
before returning under heavy gunfire a number of other times to rescue
more wounded. A few days later, Beharry saved more British troops during
another ambush, suffering head injuries himself and being flown back
home. khaleejtimes.com 12
Mar 05 |
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Hero’s sister kept in dark Pt Beharry, who is being treated in a military hospital in Birmingham, awoke from a two-week coma last week amid calls for him to receive the highest military honour for gallantry, the Victoria Cross, last awarded 22 years ago. The 24-year-old is reported to have risked his own life to save 30 comrades from two terrifying ambushes in Iraq. His first heroic display is thought to have happened in May when he led a convoy of troop carriers safely through an ambush despite his vehicle being on fire and having a bullet lodged in his helmet. He then went back to the burning vehicle and pulled his commander from the flames while under heavy gunfire. It has also been reported that three weeks ago, in a second ambush, a rocket grenade exploded close to his face but Pt Beharry managed to manoeuvre the carrier to safety before passing out. His actions saved the lives of the crew and his commander for a second time. croydonguardian.co.uk 8 Jul 04 |
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VC Demand for Squaddie Comrades of a squaddie who saved the lives of up to 30 soldiers in Iraq have reportedly called for him to be given the Victoria Cross. They want troop carrier driver Private Johnston Beharry to receive Britain's highest award for bravery for his heroic actions. The Londoner saved up to 30 soldiers by leading their carriers to safety during a firefight after a bullet hit his helmet, according to The Sun. He then pulled his unconscious commanding officer from a burning vehicle while under fire from Iraqi rebels. The 22-year-old later saved more lives in a second deadly ambush despite receiving head wounds in a grenade blast. "His deeds are truly breathtaking," A military source told The Sun. "For the first time in 22 years there may be a case for the ultimate medal." A Military of Defence spokesman could not say whether Pte Beharry had been recommended for the VC. "We don't comment on individual cases until they are awarded. We look at recommendations on their merits," he said. sky.com 1 Jul 04 |
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Young soldier in line for Iraq Victoria Cross A 19-year-old soldier is to be recommended for the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest gallantry decoration, after driving his blazing vehicle through an ambush, saving the lives of its injured commander and crew in southern Iraq last month. During the battle that lasted several hours, men of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders carried out the first bayonet charge by British troops since the Falklands conflict 22 years ago. The young soldier is believed to be from the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, whose units have been supporting the Argylls around Amara in southern Iraq. No Victoria Crosses have been awarded since those won by Staff Sergeant Ian MacKay and Lt-Col Herbert Jones in the Falklands in 1982. According to sources in Iraq the young driver's performance fulfils all the criteria.The name of the young soldier is being withheld by the Army. news.independent.co.uk 13 Jun 04 |
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Red Cap Hero's VC Snub A heroic Red Cap killed in an Iraq bloodbath will not receive the VC because witnesses to his bravery were not British. RMP Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell, 41, was shot dead in cold blood a year ago with five colleagues after spurning the chance to escape a deadly firefight with 400 rioters.Iraqi police and civilians at the scene told how the brave sergeant fought hand to hand to protect his colleagues in a heroic last ditch stand.The Army has previously made it clear the six men will not receive bravery awards because the evidence from the Iraqi witnesses was thought to be unreliable. It has now emerged that Sergeant Hamilton-Jewell, of Chessington, Surrey, was in line to be recommended for the highest bravery honour of all. mirror.co.uk 21 Jun 04 |
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For Valour Royal Marines from Devon are embarking on a pilgrimage to the graves of war heroes who were awarded the highest medal of gallantry. Over the course of five weeks, they will travel thousands of miles to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Victoria Cross being awarded to a Royal Marine. thisisexeter13 Feb 04 |
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Index
of all Victoria Crosses held by regimental museums and miscellaneous
organisations, world-wide. ( If a VC recipient's name
does not appear, then the VC is not publicly held ).
Medals of Major-General Sir John McNeill VC GCVO KCB KCMG - 107th Regiment (Bengal Infantry) |
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Tribute plan for war hero after 150 years A forgotten war hero is set to be finally
remembered in his East Lothian home town nearly 150 years after his
death. Private Same (John) Shaw was awarded the Victoria Cross for an
act of gallantry during a British Army campaign against the Indian
Mutiny in 1858. news.scotscman.com 9 Oct 03 |
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The ultimate site for information on the George Cross Terry Hissey
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The George Cross (64 Baker Street)
George Cross awarded - On 23 November 1999, HM The Queen awarded the George Cross to the Royal Ulster Constabulary. This is only the 2nd time there has been a 'collective' award of this decoration, the first having been to Malta in 1942. The citation reads: - "For the past 30 years, the Royal Ulster Constabulary has been both the bulwark against, and the main target of, a sustained and brutal terrorist campaign. The Force has suffered heavily in protecting both sides of the community from danger - 302 officers have been killed in the line of duty and thousands more injured, many seriously. Many officers have been ostracised by their own community and others have been forced to leave their homes in the face of threats to them or their families. "As Northern Ireland reaches a turning point in its political development this award is made to recognise the collective courage and dedication to duty of all of those who have served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and who have accepted the danger and stress this has brought to them and their families." (Ref: Megan - My Delphi).
Eyon Hawkins, GC has died aged 81 (Telegraph) More (Guardian) - More (Independent) (Awarded the George Cross for his courageous leadership in rallying crew members in the water after they had jumped from their torpedoed ship) (Dec 01)
Vandals steal lifeboatman memorial Vandals have stolen a memorial to Cromer's legendary lifeboat coxswain Henry Blogg. Town officials and lifeboatmen expressed their shock and disappointment yesterday after a replica bust of the most honoured man in Royal National Lifeboat Institution history was taken from its granite plinth. The life-size bust of Mr Blogg, who was coxswain from 1907 to 1947 and saved the lives of 873 seafarers, was taken from its position on Cromer cliffs some time between Tuesday evening and Thursday morning. The memorial, detailing the lifeboatman's impressive 55 years of service and honours of gold and silver medals for gallantry, the George Cross and British Empire Medal, has stood in North Lodge Park for more than 40 years. EDP24 25 Oct 03
Display Honours Fireman's Bravery A new display commemorating the bravery of the only London fireman to be awarded the George Cross during the Second World War has opened at the Jewish Museum. Several members of Harry Errington’s family attended the event in Camden, 63 years after King George VI presented him with the prestigious accolade for rescuing two firemen from a bombed air raid shelter in Soho. Twenty people died after the building collapsed and despite being knocked unconscious, the Auxiliary Fire Service volunteer dragged one colleague out before, suffering from severe burns, returning to rescue another. The George Cross and four other medals were bequeathed to the museum. totallyjewish.com 19 Jan 06
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Big price expected for wartime bravery medal A George Cross awarded to an Australian after World War II is expected to fetch up to $120,000 when it is auctioned in Melbourne in May. Tim Pitcher, of Sotheby's, said the medal had been awarded to Lieutenant George Gosse, of the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve, after the disposal of mines in Bremen Harbour, Germany, in May 1945. The Age, Australia - 24 Apr 2003 |
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Signalman Kenneth Smith GC The George Cross of Signalman Kenneth Smith GC has recently been acquired by the Royal Signals Museum, Blandford. ‘On the night of 10 January 1945, on the Island of Ist in the Adriatic (off the coast of Yugoslavia), Signalman Smith was a member of a patrol of the Long Range Desert Group, which was attacked by saboteurs, who laid time-bombs in the vital houses of the Island. After hearing some shots, Signalman Smith entered the Wireless Room and found one such bomb on the table. Realising that there were a number of partisans in the room and young children elsewhere in the house, Signalman Smith immediately picked up the bomb, which was ticking. He intended to move it to a place of safety behind a nearby wall, but he had only gone a few yards outside the house when the bomb exploded and he was blown to pieces. There is no doubt that Signalman Smith’s action certainly saved the lives of many of his comrades, partisans and civilians, and that he showed superb courage and complete disregard for personal safety in lifting a time-bomb which was already ticking when he knew that it might explode at any minute’. |
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Hero's Medal withheld from sale Detectives were today due to ask the specialist auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb to withdraw the George Cross from tomorrow's sale in London. The medal was awarded posthumously to Ordinary Seaman Bennett Southwell, from Leicester, during the Second World War. He was killed defusing a German parachute mine in London during the Blitz in 1940 and is buried in Gilroes Cemetery. The medal, expected to fetch around £22,000 at auction, disappeared at a fete at Corah's factory in the city in 1945. Mr Southwell's family say that the medal was stolen, and that they want it back. A Leicester Mercury investigation found the medal had passed through several auctions before being put up for sale as part of a collection of medals. "The family say the events happened nearly 60 years ago and the medal has been through several auctions since then. It was bought in good faith and who in the eyes of the law ends up with ownership, I cannot say." Leicestershire Mail, UK - 30 Jun 2003 |
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Teenage hero gets bravery medal A 19-year-old soldier has become one of the youngest servicemen to receive The George Cross. Trooper Christopher Finney, who saved a comrade under so-called friendly fire in Iraq, said he was "overwhelmed" after being decorated by the Queen. Trooper Finney with Lance Corporal Tudball, the man he saved. BBC 25 Feb 04 |
Harry Errington, GC Harry Errington was the master cutter for a Savile Row tailor by day and a fireman by night. During a raid on London in early 1941, he and two other auxiliary firemen had taken temporary shelter in the basement of a building only for it to receive a direct hit. Errington was initially stunned but, on recovering his senses, he found the rooms above on fire and his two comrades trapped beneath the debris of the partly fallen ground floor. He had no tools beyond a fireman’s axe but set to work to dig out the two men with his bare hands. The task appeared near hopeless and he was driven back by the heat of the fire above, before he was able to free either of them. Finding and soaking a blanket, he wrapped it round his head and shoulders and returned to heaving the debris aside while the building creaked and groaned above him as the fire took a fiercer hold. Freeing his comrades at last, he turned to the stone stairway which — though filled with smoke — led to the relative safety of the street. Neither man could stand, much less walk, so Errington dragged each of them to the foot of the stairway, then carried them in turn on his back up the stairway and clear of the burning building. All three recovered, miraculously sustaining no serious burns or injury. The two trapped by the fallen debris would have been burnt or crushed to death but for Errington’s persistent and courageous determination to free them, despite the risk to his own life. One of the men saved was a solicitor who, as Sir John Terry, served as managing director of the National Film Finance Corporation 1958-78. For his gallantry in saving the lives of his two comrades, Harry Errington was awarded the George Cross in August 1941. timesonline.co.uk 17 Dec 04
Death of flood hero will help victims of tsunami A hero who tried to save people from the terrible Holmfirth Flood of 1944 has died - but his death will still help others. Geoffrey Riley, 75, of Holmbridge, was awarded the Albert Medal - later superseded by the George Cross - after diving into flood waters to bravely try to rescue a woman. Now, Mr Riley's family want people to mark his death - by giving money to the tsunami victims in Asia. ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co.uk 21 Jan 05
Battling the bombers: Paying the price It is the most decorated unit in the British Army - but 321 EOD Squadron has paid a heavy price in Northern Ireland. Twenty brave bomb disposal officers have been killed in action, since the start of the troubles. The worst year for 321 EOD was 1972, when six officers were killed. For the unit, which never had more than 100 officers on the ground, the casualty rate was simply unsustainable. The Army calculated that the chances of a bomb disposal officer being killed were one in every 23 four-month tours, compared to one in every 1,142 tours for other military operational duties. Since 1970, Ammunition Technical Officers (ATOs) from 321 EOD have answered 54,000 call-outs in Northern Ireland, an average of one every six hours. And the record of gallantry in Northern Ireland is headed by two George Crosses, 36 George Medals, 75 Queen's Gallantry Medals. sundaylife.co.uk 24 Apr 05
Murdered Policeman 'Should Get Gallantry Award' Heroic policeman Stephen Oake who was murdered by an al Qaida terrorist should be awarded the George Cross – the highest award for civilian gallantry, the Police Federation said. The Special Branch Officer was stabbed to death trying to prevent Kamel Bourgass escaping from a Manchester flat. His bravery not only saved the lives of several of his colleagues but potentially hundreds of people, who Bourgass was plotting to kill with the deadly poison ricin. news.scotsman,.com 16 Apr 05
MP condemns police award decision A Conservative MP has criticised a decision not to give a posthumous gallantry award to a policeman murdered in Manchester by a terror suspect. Det Con Stephen Oake, from Poynton in Cheshire, was stabbed to death in an anti-terrorism raid in January 2003. Sir Nicholas Winterton said he "deeply regretted" the decision by the Cabinet Office's George Cross Committee. In a Commons early day motion, Sir Nicholas (MP for Macclesfield) said on Wednesday the decision not to make the award had been received with "disappointment and sadness" by Det Con Oake's family. news.bbc.co.uk 1 Mar 06
Police slam decision to deny dead officer bravery award Pplice chiefs said they were sickened by a government decision not to give a posthumous bravery award to officer Stephen Oake. Special Branch Officer DC Oake, 40, was killed in Manchester, in January 2003, during an anti-terrorist raid on a flat after going to the aid of other officers. But he was judged not suitable for one of the top civilian bravery accolades. Greater Manchester Police nominated him for the George Cross, the highest civilian award for gallantry. However, it said the Cabinet Office's George Cross Committee, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell, rejected the application. Dc Oake was also ruled ineligible for the George Medal, the second most prestigious civilian honour, and the Queen's Police Medal for Gallantry. news.scotsman.com 16 Feb 06
Morning press briefing from 16 February 2006 DC Oake number-10.gov.uk 16 Feb 06
Oake medal refusal 'insult' claim Refusing a posthumous George Cross to murdered Special Branch officer Stephen Oake is an insult to his memory, Home Secretary John Reid has been told. It was also an affront to all officers, Police Federation chairman Jan Berry told 1,000 officers at the group's annual conference in Bournemouth. She urged Mr Reid, seated alongside her, to press for the highest civilian accolade for Dc Oake, who died aged 40. He was fatally stabbed during an anti- terrorism raid at Manchester in 2003. The George Cross is the civilian equivalent to the Victoria Cross and has not been awarded to a police officer for 30 years. Mr Reid told the conference that awarding the George Cross was not a matter for the home secretary. But he added: "I intend to familiarise myself with this at the earliest opportunity. news.bbc.co.uk 17 May 06
George Cross Honour Possibility for Murdered son of ex-Police Chief iomonline.co.im 19 Apr 05
Honour plan for RIR and UDR The British Armed Forces minister Adam Ingram has said that the service and sacrifice of the UDR and Royal Irish Regiment will be formally recognised Speaking during a vist to meet soldiers from the RIR home battalions in Drumadd Barracks in Armagh, he said the details had still to be worked out but he said the honour would be along similar lines to the George Cross awarded to the RUC. u.tv 10 Mar 06
Heroes of Basra riot among 70 honoured for bravery in Iraq Three soldiers involved in an incident in Basra in which undercover SAS men were arrested and Warrior armoured vehicles and their crew were set on fire are among 70 armed forces personnel honoured today for their bravery on operations in Iraq. They also include a bomb disposal officer awarded the George Cross - and a Royal Marine who led an assault in his river craft which, in the words of the Ministry of Defence, "unhinged the enemy". Lieutenant Colonel James Woodham of the Royal Anglian Regiment is awarded the Military Cross for his role in charge of negotiations when the two SAS soldiers were arrested by Iraqi police in Basra last September. General Sir Mike Jackson, head of the army, said yesterday Lt Col Woodham was "surrounded by 30 armed and angry men" yet remained calm. Major Andrew Hadfield of the Staffordshire Regiment is mentioned in dispatches for "leadership and restraint in the rescue of two British soldiers from the al-Jameat police station". Sergeant George Long, from the same regiment, is also mentioned in dispatches for using his Warrior to "advance on a rioting mob enabling injured soldiers to receive vital first aid". Today's highest honour - the George Cross - is awarded to Captain Peter Norton, who lost a leg while defusing an improvised explosive device in July last year after an explosion which killed four US soldiers. "Before allowing them to render first aid", his citation reads, "he instructed his team on which areas were safe. Despite grievous injuries he coolly directed the follow-up actions", preventing further injury or loss of life. Capt Norton has been in hospital ever since. "I have a clear memory of what happened," he said from his wheelchair yesterday. "My immediate thought was 'Oh, bugger'". Asked if he had felt brave, he replied: "I was just doing my job." Colour Sergeant Matthew Tomlinson of the Royal Marines, who is awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, commanded a US marine corps assault force on the Euphrates river near Falluja in November 2004. He came under fire from a superior force and well-defended enemy position. "His decision to turn his lead craft towards the attack created an element of surprise which unhinged the enemy," the MoD said. guardian.co.uk 24 Mar 06
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Medal mystery: Stolen item turns up on Australian beach A British medal stolen from a London house in 1988 is on its way back to its owners after being found on a beach in northeastern Australia. It is a George Cross, one of Britain's highest honours for bravery. It was awarded in 1940 to Flying Officer Anthony Tollemache, who risked his life to save a passenger after a plane crash. Made of silver and struck by the Royal Mint, it is worth as much as $30,000 on the open market, Reuters reported. How it became flotsam on the other side of the world is a mystery. "Try and work out how it came to Australia," marveled Const. Brendan Lavery of the Queensland state police, "unfortunately it's the result of a break and enter in London and from there it's just popped up on Maroochydore beach." cbc.ca 22 Dec 05 |
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School tribute to hero teacher John A school's new house system has been dedicated to the memory of a hero teacher. Children at Codicote Primary School will be battling for the John Clements Trophy, named after a past pupil and teacher there. Mr Clements sacrificed his own life in 1976 when, as a teacher at Sherrardswood School in Welwyn, he rescued 35 pupils after a blaze broke out at a ski resort in northern Italy. He was awarded a posthumous George Cross - the highest civilian award, given for acts of outstanding gallantry. Now his name will be remembered at the school in Meadow Way, Codicote. whtimes.co.uk 21 Sep 05 |
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Britain - George Cross hero granted Borough’s highest honour Stockport's unassuming hero soldier Chris Finney was awarded the freedom of the borough. Surrounded by family, friends, girlfriend Kerry, and his commanding officer, the 20 year old trooper picked up the highest award given by the borough, becoming the youngest person ever to receive the citation. Last year he also became the youngest person ever to be awarded the George Cross for bravery after saving a comrade from a burning tank after his platoon came under air attack in Iraq. Despite his injuries Trooper Finney, from Marple, also attempted to save the life of another colleague who died in the "friendly fire" incident. The Mayor of Stockport Coun Mike Wilson said Trooper Finney was the youngest person among 401 recipients of the esteemed medal that is awarded for gallantry. stockportexpress.co.uk 25 Nov 04 |
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Captain Frank Naughton, GC Captain Frank Naughton, who died aged 89, was awarded the George Cross for saving a comrade from drowning while serving with the Royal Tank Corps in India in 1936. On August 5 1936, one of the company's armoured cars broke down while endeavouring to cross the partly submerged Irish Bridge over the flooded River Indrayani, near Moshi. Private Frank Naughton and two other soldiers, Lance Corporal S J Temple and Private R A S Campbell, were sent to recover the vehicle, which was in danger of being swept away by the torrent of floodwater. But as Naughton's two comrades waded towards the vehicle they lost their footing and were swept off the bridge into the water below, where there were dangerous fast-running currents. Fully clothed, Naughton pulled off his boots and dived off the bridge to go to the rescue of the two men. Several times he was dragged under the water - and only with great difficulty was he able to withstand the powerful cross and underwater currents. Almost exhausted, he regained shallow water and then spotted Private Temple's unconscious figure floating about 40 yards downstream of him. Naughton ran along the bank of the river, re-entered the water and, after a desperate struggle with the currents and the rocks in mid-stream, managed to bring Temple ashore 100 yards downstream, where both were assisted by several other soldiers who had just arrived on the scene. Naughton received the Empire Gallantry Medal from the Governor of Bombay, the 5th Lord Brabourne, at a ceremony at Poona racecourse on June 9 1937. Under a Royal Warrant of June 31 1941, holders of the Gallantry Medal were authorised to exchange them for the George Cross. Naughton was the last survivor of more than 60 servicemen re-invested with the GC by King George VI, which he received at Buckingham Palace on July 29 1947. telegraph.co.uk 22 Jun 04 |
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George Medals Quietly Awarded - Officers win medal for averting Atomic Energy blast - Two army officers have been quietly awarded the George Medal for helping to avert an explosion at one of Britain's biggest nuclear and chemical research facilities. Managers at the Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) plant at Harwell, Oxfordshire, are now facing charges under health and safety legislation over the incident, which required the two bomb disposal experts to risk their lives. Local schoolchildren were removed from the area and a blast perimeter was set up after an experiment went wrong inside a laboratory codenamed Building 220 at the secure plant in September 1999. Unstable "silver compounds" built up in the lab, which is close to partially decommissioned nuclear reactors, radiochemical laboratories and waste stores. Senior managers at the government-owned AEA called in army bomb experts. Captains Justin Priestley and Richard Baker, of the Royal Logistic Corps, spent 36 hours making the building safe. Their citation in December reveals that the explosive material was "an unstable explosive compound, liable to spontaneously detonate or explode if subjected to movement of any kind". To reduce the risk of explosion, nitric acid was introduced "very gradually" into the tank where silver compounds had formed. The citation notes the men's "great nerve, courage and total professionalism". The AEA called in the army because safety experts on the site advised bosses that the building could not "certainly" be made safe using the facilities provided at Harwell. After a detailed 18-month investigation, the Health and Safety Executive issued a prosecution against Atomic Energy Authority Technology, part of the AEA, which is also in court as the safety authority for the Harwell site. Last night a spokesman for the AEA expressed its "disappointment" that charges had been brought after 18 months. "We are still looking at the large bundles of evidence they have sent us and will proceed from there," she said. There was no nuclear material inside Building 220 at the time. At the time the AEA said little about the dangers of the explosion, other than to apologise to local people who were evacuated. In a brief statement, it promised: "For the moment, we will still retain prudent control over the facility, which has been of concern. The events of the past two days will be studied carefully and any lessons learnt will be fed into future plans." One Royal Logistic Corps officer said yesterday: "Everyone is very proud of what Justin and Richard did. They were working in a difficult place and would have been in deep trouble had there been an explosion. We understand there's a court case, which we don't know too much about, but clearly it's our job to make these things safe regardless." Harwell occupies about 500 acres behind a perimeter fence guarded by the site's own police force. About 2,000 people work on what are described as "science and engineering" experiments for customers around the world. (Ref: James Clark, The Sunday Times 4 Feb 2001)
Battling the bombers: Paying the price It is the most decorated unit in the British Army - but 321 EOD Squadron has paid a heavy price in Northern Ireland. Twenty brave bomb disposal officers have been killed in action, since the start of the troubles. The worst year for 321 EOD was 1972, when six officers were killed. For the unit, which never had more than 100 officers on the ground, the casualty rate was simply unsustainable. The Army calculated that the chances of a bomb disposal officer being killed were one in every 23 four-month tours, compared to one in every 1,142 tours for other military operational duties. Since 1970, Ammunition Technical Officers (ATOs) from 321 EOD have answered 54,000 call-outs in Northern Ireland, an average of one every six hours. And the record of gallantry in Northern Ireland is headed by two George Crosses, 36 George Medals, 75 Queen's Gallantry Medals. sundaylife.co.uk 24 Apr 05
John Lees, GM, BEM has died aged 74 - His reputation and record as a climber with the RAF Mountaineering Association brought Sergeant Lees an invitation to help to organise the first training course for rescue team members. In 1952, aged 24, he was posted to RAF Valley on Anglesey, as team leader. For ten years he was a key figure in military and civilian rescue operations, mainly from Valley but also from the RAF base at Kinloss in northwest Scotland. In January 1958, Lees was awarded the George Medal for a daring rescue. In 1962 his services to mountain rescue were acknowledged with the award of the British Empire Medal. (Aug 02)
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Resistance heroine's last stand Nancy Wake became the most decorated woman of the Second World War. France awarded her two Croix de Guerre and the resistance medal. The Americans gave her the Medal of Freedom and the British the George Medal. More (Feb 03) |
George Medal Lisa: I'm having a baby Heroine Lisa Potts, horrifically injured saving children from a machete maniac, is expecting a baby. She was awarded the George Medal and received £68,000 compensation for her injuries. The Mirror, UK - 10 Sep 03
Innocents Murdered by Criminals Caretaker Evon Berry was shot dead pleading for peace during a street robbery in Bristol on New Year’s Day in 1996. He was posthumously awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal. Grandfather Davie Dunn, 63, was shot dead as he tackled bank robbers after a £185,000 raid in Bonnyrigg, Scotland in 1994. He was posthumously given the Queen’s Gallantry Medal. Britain’s ‘First’ so-called have-a-go hero was ex-Grenadier Guardsman, Anthony Fletcher, who tackled a bank robber in London in 1967 after the man had already shot two members of the public. He was shot at point blank range. He died instantly and was posthumously awarded the George Medal – the highest civilian award bravery. news.scotsman.com 10 Feb 04
Lieutenant-Commander Martin Johnson, GM Officer who defused four torpedoes from a captured U-boat and later taught seamanship at Portishead. When, in August 1941, the German submarine U570 was captured after surrendering, uniquely, to an aircraft of Coastal Command, and brought in to the Vickers shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness for examination, the naval authorities anticipated with relish the chance to examine such a highly prized enemy. There was only one snag. The damage U570 had sustained from the Lockheed Hudson’s depth charges had buckled her bow plates, trapping beneath them four 500lb torpedoes and their armed warheads. Johnson was subsequently awarded the George Medal, the citation acknowledging his “gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty” timesonline.co.uk 28 Jul 04
Captain Ian Harvey, GM DFC Captain Ian Harvey, who has died aged 83, was awarded a George Medal for saving the lives of 27 passengers when he made a masterly landing after a bomb had exploded in the rear of his airliner. Harvey was the pilot of a British European Airways (BEA) Vickers Viking airliner which took off from Northolt for a flight to Paris on April 13 1950. Over the English Channel, there was a loud explosion in the rear of the aircraft, which the flight crew initially thought had been caused by a lightning strike. On investigation, the second pilot, Frank Miller, found the stewardess seriously injured; large holes had been torn in the rear fuselage of the aircraft A WWII pilot who was awarded a DFC for "his skill, courage and determination, which have been outstanding". telegraph.co.uk 27 Jul 04
End your rift, SAS and SBS are told The Director of Special Forces, an Army brigadier, is said to have been infuriated by a newspaper report in which a former member of the Special Air Service suggested that Special Boat Service troops were incompetent and lacked courage. He went on: "It is galling to read that we are a bunch of incompetent cowards who have never been in action before. The SBS has spent more time on operations in Afghanistan than the SAS. An SBS trooper was awarded the George Medal for rescuing a US crewman from a Hercules transport aircraft which had crashed after refuelling, and two others were awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for rescuing a CIA agent from Taliban. "We have been involved in operations around the world including East Timor in 1999 and in Sierra Leone where they made up a third of the Special Forces unit which rescued British hostages in 2000." The SBS was awarded 24 awards and commendations for its involvement in the Afghanistan war and has so far been awarded 16 for service in Iraq. telegraph.co.uk 01 Aug 04
Kerr slams speculation over killer's jail release Northern Ireland's Lord Chief Justice slammed reports suggesting that a man who murdered a teenager as she was saving the life of her boss, could soon be released from jail. A tribunal of judges at Belfast High Court are set to rule on a minimum release date for Gerard Stewart (27) who stabbed Eliza Ward (18) in the chest at a Belfast city centre restaurant in July 1997. Eliza was posthumously awarded the George Medal, the second highest civilian award for gallantry. Eliza, from Madrid Street, tackled the porter after he had stabbed her boss in the back during a violent confrontation in the Cafe Society restaurant. belfasttelegraph.co.uk 15 Nov 04
Eliza's killer gets 17 years A psychopath who murdered a Belfast teenager in a city centre restaurant was today told he must serve at least 17 years in jail. But the family of waitress Eliza Ward, who was stabbed to death by Gerard Stewart, insisted that 17 years behind bars in not enough and that he should never be released from prison. Stewart (27) murdered Eliza and seriously injured her boss Renee Lea in Cafe Society near Belfast City Hall in July 1997. Eliza was posthumously awarded the George Medal, the second highest civilian award for gallantry, because she had intervened when Stewart stabbed her boss. belfasttelegraph.co.uk 2 Dec 04
Tracing the last WWII heroines A search has begun to find Britain's surviving World War II heroines before a monument to them is unveiled in July. While no female George Cross holders are still alive, there were nearly 40 women who won the George Medal. Former Special Operations Executive (SOE) agents who were parachuted into occupied France are also being sought. news.bbc.co.uk 25 Jan 05
Queen is joined by medal heroines No fewer than seven women holders of the George Medal have accepted invitations to attend thes unveiling by the Queen of the memorial in London's Whitehall to honour the heroines of the Second World War. They include New Zealand-born Nancy Wake, 92, the war's most decorated woman, who now lives at the Royal Star & Garter Home in Richmond, Surrey. Known to the Gestapo as the "White Mouse" for her underground activities in France, Miss Wake was awarded the George Medal; the 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; British War Medal 1939-45; the Croix de Guerre, with Star and two Palms; the American Medal for Freedom with Palm; and the French Medaille de la Resistance. She was also made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Another GM heroine is Gillian Wilton-Clarke, of Lampeter, Dyfedd, who was known as Bobby Tanner during the war. Time and again she drove through intense air raids delivering fuel to front-line pumps. Asked if she was frightened, Mrs Wilton-Clarke said: "If you were going to get killed you were going to get killed." Ruby Ashdown, now 86, was awarded the GM for rescuing people from the bombed Grove Park Hospital in London, while Rose Taylor, now of Burgess Hill, West Sussex, was honoured for rescuing people from a bombed farmhouse at Wadhurst on the Kent-Sussex border. Sonia Howard, of Ferndown, Dorset, received her George Medal for treating civilians, including women and children, the victims of a German attack on the town of Caterham, where she was a part-time air-raid warden. Betty Popkiss, of Capetown, South Africa, was honoured for rescuing people from a bombed Anderson shelter in a garden in her own street in Coventry. It will be her first return to Britain since she left for South Africa with her husband in the 1940s. The seventh GM heroine is Johanna Folmer, of Shiermonnikoog, Netherlands. Six of the 40 women who received the George Medal came from Coventry. yorkshiretofday.co.uk 9 Jul 05
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Medal heroine's blitz memories Gillian "Bobbie" Walton Clarke, from Lampeter, is one of only six surviving women given the George Medal. Mrs Clarke - who was born in London - signed up to the fire service in 1939 at the age of only 20, initially just as a driver. "I was with the fire brigade in London - I was stationed at Dockhead in Bermondsey," said the 86-year-old. From then on, she had to drive a petrol lorry around the fire-hit streets, sometimes during attacks. "She was awarded the George Medal for her bravery in a ceremony with King George VI in 1941. news.bbc.co.uk 9 Jul 05 |
History of murders and medals The Royal Ulster Constabulary was founded in 1922 following partition and the disbandment of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The IRA was responsible for 277 of a total of 300 RUC deaths during the Troubles. Two dissident republican groups accounted for 12. Loyalists killed eight and three were murdered by unknown groups. Four officers were killed by the security forces by mistake. Over 9,000 were injured. Almost 70 officers have committed suicide. Apart from the Maltese, RUC officers are the only people to have been awarded a collective George Cross. Sixteen officers have won the George Medal, the highest award for civilian bravery. There have also been 103 Queen's Gallantry Medals, 111 Queen's Commendations for Brave Conduct and 69 Queen's Police Medals. telegraph.co.uk 2 Nov 05
Mystery disappearance of rare medals Police officers are investigating the disappearance of two George Medals - including the first ever to be awarded to a woman - in a Suffolk town. Suffolk police were called in when the medals, which are the responsibility of Aldeburgh Town Council, were reported missing. The honours were supposed to be kept under lock and key for insurance purposes but they cannot be found and the force was asked to investigate just before Easter. Officers do not believe the medals have been stolen, however. “In order to show them in the museum they were taken away from the safe to be copied - but nobody knows where they are now.” The value of the medals has not been revealed but one medal in particular is believed to be worth a lot of money. It was awarded in 1941 to Dorothy Clarke, a housewife from Aldeburgh, who was the first woman to receive such an honour. Mrs Clarke was with the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) when she was called out to rescue two Royal Engineers at Thorpeness. She drove an ambulance and she was assisted by first-aid attendant Bessie Knight-Hepburn, from Aldeburgh, who also received the George Medal. They made their way through a minefield to try to save the dying soldiers who had trod on a mine. One of the soldiers died and the other was badly injured. Mrs Clarke and Mrs Knight-Hepburn, who both died some years ago, were in the first group of people to receive the George Medal from the British monarch at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. eadt.co.uk 17 Apr 06
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Peace and goodwill in Bosnia A squadron from the Household Cavalry Regiment, based at Combermere Barracks, Windsor, are spending the festive season in the somewhat unglamorous setting of the Metal Factory in Banja Luka. Scoring highly in the drive to win over locals were Lt Nicholas Bacon and Corporal of Horse Michael Flynn, who was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for helping to save an elderly woman from drowning during the war in Iraq. ICBerkshires 18 Dec 03 |
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Soldier honoured for Bravery Lance Corporal Justin Thomas, of 40 Commando, Royal Marines has been awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. L-Cpl Thomas received the cross following an incident during a firefight near the southern Iraq city of Basra. BBC News 31 Oct 03 |
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War Hero Honoured by Queen A hero of the Iraq war received Britain's second highest military award for bravery from the Queen. Former platoon sergeant Gordon Robertson was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross - second only to the Victoria Cross - at the Buckingham Palace investiture. It was only the 12th time it has been awarded since the honour was created in 1993. Brave Sgt Robertson led his patrol to safety from a mob after a three-hour gun battle with more than 100 heavily-armed men in the town of Majar al Kabir. At one stage, the soldiers' ammunition ran so low that Robertson ordered his troops from the 1st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment to fix bayonets. He has since left the army to become a highly paid civilian bodyguard in the strife-torn country. mirror.co.uk 17 Oct 04 |
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Britain - Drugs arrest soldier gets medal A soldier who faces being thrown out of the army after being arrested over drugs offences has been awarded a medal for his bravery during battle in Iraq. Cpl Shaun Jardine, of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, based in Northern Ireland, received the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross from the Queen. The 22-year-old from Dumfries was arrested outside a club in Kent on suspicion of possessing a Class A drug. If the class A substance he is suspected of carrying is found to be cocaine, police could either charge or caution him. He could then be sacked or face a court martial. But on Friday he was at Buckingham Palace to receive his medal - the UK's second highest award for bravery after the Victoria Cross. Cpl Jardine was praised in the citation for his "courage and inspirational leadership" for single-handedly charging down two gunmen and killing them in southern Iraq. news.bbc.co.uk 29 Oct 04 |
Top Bravery Award for Drugs Arrest Soldier Also at the Palace today was former bomb disposal expert and Regimental Sergeant Major Nicholas Pettit, who was based at Saffron Walden, Essex with the Royal Engineers. The former soldier, who now works as a plumber and lives in Spilsby, Lincs, collected the George Medal for his actions on March 21 last year. He successfully rescued four RAF personnel from a Land Rover, which was badly damaged when it drove into a hidden minefield in southern Iraq, by clearing a path to the vehicle in the darkness and carrying the injured men to safety. His courage was praised as “of the very highest order” in his citation. But Pettit, who also received the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for his services in Bosnia in 1992. The final honour for services in Iraq presented went to Corporal of Horse Glynn Bell, of the Blues and Royals, who was presented with the Military Cross by the Queen. news.scotsman.com 29 Oct 04
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Michael Rizzello Sculpture Exhibition Opens At Mall Galleries A fascinating sculpture exhibition will open at the Mall Galleries in London on April 12th 2005 and run for 10 days until April 20th. It features the work of sculptor Michael Rizzello O.B.E. The Royal Mint is providing rarely seen archive material of Rizzello‘s key numismatic works, including the current Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. creativematch.co.uk 8 Mar 05 |
Queen to honour hero An SAS hero who faced a barrage of enemy fire to rescue a wounded comrade will receive the nation’s second highest bravery medal from the Queen. In a closed-doors ceremony at Buckingham Palace to protect his identity, he will be awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, rated just under the VC. The sergeant and an Australian SAS pal were ambushed during an undercover reconnaissance mission in a Baghdad suburb notorious as a stronghold for foreign fighters. The Aussie was left bleeding heavily after being shot during a two-hour fire-fight. But despite his own shrapnel wounds, the Brit fought through heavy AK47 and rocket-propelled-grenade fire to get to him. He then carried the Aussie on his back for three miles before a chopper could land and pick them up. Around 36 rebels died in the action. thesun.co.uk 2 Nov 05
Heroes of Basra riot among 70 honoured for bravery in Iraq Three soldiers involved in an incident in Basra in which undercover SAS men were arrested and Warrior armoured vehicles and their crew were set on fire are among 70 armed forces personnel honoured today for their bravery on operations in Iraq. They also include a bomb disposal officer awarded the George Cross - and a Royal Marine who led an assault in his river craft which, in the words of the Ministry of Defence, "unhinged the enemy". Lieutenant Colonel James Woodham of the Royal Anglian Regiment is awarded the Military Cross for his role in charge of negotiations when the two SAS soldiers were arrested by Iraqi police in Basra last September. General Sir Mike Jackson, head of the army, said yesterday Lt Col Woodham was "surrounded by 30 armed and angry men" yet remained calm. Major Andrew Hadfield of the Staffordshire Regiment is mentioned in dispatches for "leadership and restraint in the rescue of two British soldiers from the al-Jameat police station". Sergeant George Long, from the same regiment, is also mentioned in dispatches for using his Warrior to "advance on a rioting mob enabling injured soldiers to receive vital first aid". Today's highest honour - the George Cross - is awarded to Captain Peter Norton, who lost a leg while defusing an improvised explosive device in July last year after an explosion which killed four US soldiers. "Before allowing them to render first aid", his citation reads, "he instructed his team on which areas were safe. Despite grievous injuries he coolly directed the follow-up actions", preventing further injury or loss of life. Capt Norton has been in hospital ever since. "I have a clear memory of what happened," he said from his wheelchair yesterday. "My immediate thought was 'Oh, bugger'". Asked if he had felt brave, he replied: "I was just doing my job." Colour Sergeant Matthew Tomlinson of the Royal Marines, who is awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, commanded a US marine corps assault force on the Euphrates river near Falluja in November 2004. He came under fire from a superior force and well-defended enemy position. "His decision to turn his lead craft towards the attack created an element of surprise which unhinged the enemy," the MoD said. guardian.co.uk 24 Mar 06
Iraq hero is accused of assaulting new recruit A soldier awarded one of the highest gallantry honours for action under enemy fire in Iraq has been charged with assaulting a young recruit at an army training barracks. Sergeant Christopher Broome, an instructor at the Army Training Regiment at Winchester, won the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for leading a bayonet charge against Iraqi Shia militia in the summer of 2004. The Ministry of Defence said that Sergeant Broome had been charged with assault causing actual bodily harm. The alleged victim was one of the trainee soldiers at the Hampshire barracks. Any conviction for a violent offence would normally lead to automatic dismissal from the Army. If Sergeant Broome were to be found guilty of the charge of assault, he would be allowed to keep his gallantry medal. Only soldiers convicted of treason, sedition, mutiny or cowardice and desertion during hostilities are obliged to hand back medals. timesonline.co.uk 29 Mar 06
Soldier admits assaulting recruit A soldier who hit an army recruit and made others eat dust, grass and string and lick wax has pleaded guilty to ill treatment and assault. Colour Sergeant Christopher Broome, 37, of Dover, Kent, admitted eight counts of ill treating a soldier and one count of battery at a court martial. The offences took place at Sir John Moore Barracks in Winchester, Hampshire, on 25 July last year. Colour Sgt Broome won the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross in Iraq in 2004. He was given the award, which is second only to the Victoria Cross, when he bayonet charged Iraqi insurgents at Al Majar Al Kabir. Christopher Hill, defending, said Colour Sgt Broome admitted with hindsight that he had ill treated the recruits and that he had been reckless when he "tapped" Pte Eikins over the head with the pace stick, causing him to need hospital treatment. The case was adjourned for a sentencing hearing. news.bbc.co.uk 8 May 06
Sergeant Hilton - Awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for his bravery when the bomber he was piloting was shot down over Germany in 1942; as a decoration for gallantry, the CGM is considered to be only just below a VC, and was rarely awarded to members of RAF Bomber Command. In a remarkable act of bravery, Hilton surrendered his own parachute to the flight engineer, "although he knew", as the citation for his CGM later noted, that "it meant almost certain death". Hilton then had to attempt a forced landing. As his aircraft crashed and burst into flames, he was thrown clear; he was captured and sent to a prisoner of war camp. The citation concluded: "Sergeant Hilton displayed outstanding courage and coolness in the face of great danger. His complete disregard for his own safety in order to save the life of one of his crew showed a devotion to duty worthy of the highest praise." (Oct 02)
Knighthood for Olympic Rowing Champion Pinsent The Queen knighted Olympic rower Sir Matthew Pinsent today and spoke of her hope that London wins the race to stage the 2012 Games. Sir Matthew, four-times Olympic gold medalist, who is involved in the 2012 British Olympic bid, said: “She said it would be fantastic if London wins and how very exciting the contest with Paris now was. British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, from London, received an OBE for services to the magazine industry. Olympic champion cyclist Bradley Wiggins, from Rufford, Ormskirk, also collected an OBE. Iraq hero Sergeant Terry Bryan, of the Royal Artillery, was decorated with the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for his part in a dramatic firefight. One of just nine British soldiers, the troop commander, from Tidworth, helped hold off 90 rebels who ambushed his unit with rocket-propelled grenades. Royal Navy search-and-rescue helicopter commander and observer Lieutenant Commander Martin Ford, from Redruth, Cornwall, received the Air Force Cross for rescuing 23 people during the Boscastle flooding disaster. Navy aircrewman Warrant Officer 1st Class Robert Yeomans, from Stithey, received the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for his actions during the same incident. news.scotsman.com 7 Jun 05
Lieutenant-Commander Dicky Kendall Lieutenant-Commander Dicky Kendall, who has died aged 82, placed a two-ton mine under the German battleship Tirpitz in the Kaa Fjord of northern Norway. On the evening of September 20 1942, after being towed 1,200 miles from Scotland in an attack submarine, Kendall boarded the miniature sub X-6. While his captain, Lt Don Cameron, navigated through a minefield on the surface, Kendall had to trim the craft to counterbalance a leak in one of the two-ton explosive charges fixed to its sides. Cameron was awarded the VC; Lt John Lorimer and Kendall received the DSO; and Engine Room Artificer Edmund Goddard the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. The Germans billeted Kendall and Lorimer in a prison camp outside Bremen with the survivors of Operation Principal, the human torpedo attack in the Mediterranean; and for several months all the most highly decorated officers in the RNVR shared the same hut. Afterwards Kendall rarely talked about Operation Source (the Tirpitz attack) or his captivity, except to boast of bribing a guard for a bottle of Champagne to celebrate his 21st birthday. He was released after 18 months, and left the Navy in 1946..telegraph.co.uk 8 Apr 06
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of recipients
Hero's story resurfaces as medals sold He was the hero of a long-forgotten brickworks accident – a man who plunged into a red-hot kiln to rescue a fellow-worker after a roof collapsed. Now the poignant story of George Henry Smith, from Farcet, near Peterborough, has resurfaced with the sale of his bravery medals. His Albert Medal for Gallantry in Saving Life on Land; Royal Humane Society Stanhope Gold Medal; and another RHS medal fetched £5,295 at an auction at Dix Noonan Webb, in London, after emerging from an anonymous source. Mr Smith (23) suffered severe burns to his hands and feet in the accident at the Woburn Sands Brick Works in Bedfordshire on October 24, 1908, but despite his brave efforts the man he rescued, Charles Griffin, died a few days later. According to a report in the London Gazette, Griffin "was precipitated to the bottom of one of the kilns owing to the roof collapsing and was imprisoned by hot ballast and bricks, the upper part of his body alone being free. Brian Simpkin, valuer for Dix Noonan Webb said Mr Smith's Stanhope Gold Medal combination was unique – the only other five were for services at sea. peterboroughtoday.co.uk 8 Apr 06
Full list of recipients (For Mining Acts)
Full list of recipients (For Mining Acts)
Tributes to twinning organiser Tributes have been paid to the man credited for helping Bath forge strong goodwill links with cities in Europe, who has died at the age of 80. Phil Garner, who lived in Box, had made a career out of establishing European friendships as Bath City Council's international officer. His work saw him awarded the British Empire Medal in 1988. He was also awarded the Silver Medal of Alkmaar and the Official Honorary Deed of the City from Brunswick. It was the first time a foreigner had been awarded the Dutch medal. Bath Chronicle, UK - 10 Sep 03
Tribute to hero's bravery The daughter of a hero who helped airmen from a burning plane has just met one of the men whose life her father dramatically saved. Beryl Wagg and her husband, Bill, met 84-year-old Lawrence Collins, from Staines, in Middlesex, who was badly burned after his Lancaster bomber plane crashed into High Acre House in Harpley in November 1943. Thanks to the quick-thinking efforts by her late father, Reginald Tipple, known as Reggie, an airman trapped in the burning nose of the plane and another stuck under the wing, were helped out. He also helped a third member of the crew who had been flung from the plane and the rear-gunner trapped in the broken tail of the machine. He was awarded the British Empire Medal in the following year for his bravery. lynnews.co.uk 12 Apr 05
Has historian solved King's letter puzzle? A local historian believes he has unravelled part of the mystery about a letter signed by King George VI and discovered at Stanley Technical High School. The note, with a British Empire Medal, was found in the summer and addressed to Albert R Paxton Esq. Staff found the 60-year-old letter while clearing out the school in South Norwood Hill in preparation for its demolition, the Advertiser revealed last month. Now researcher Francis Short, from Thornton Heath, says he has found a copy of the London Gazette which announces the award for Albert Roger Paxton. Mr Short explained: "He was employed in a department in the Foreign Office and I believe the award was made for his long service. The announcement was made in the London Gazette on June 15 1945 and the King's letter was dated a year later. Do you have any extra information on the medal found at Stanley Tech from King George VI? If so, call the Advertiser newsdesk on 020 8763 6666. icsouthlondon.icnetwork.co.uk 14 Oct 05
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Ashes of the ‘human torpedo’ flown home The ashes of a decorated Second World War hero have been brought home 40 years after his death. The “human torpedo” James Freel was awarded a medal for Conspicuous Gallantry by King George VI in 1946. He also received the oak leaf award for rescuing two men from a burning tanker. Sister Loreto Dwyer, 74, flew to Australia to collect James Freel’s remains. nwemail.co.uk 5 Nov 05 |
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Royal Honour for PC Who Tackled Knifeman A brave policeman, who was stabbed twice by a crazed knifeman, received the Queen’s Gallantry Medal. Inspector Michael Tanner was decorated by the Queen at a Buckingham Palace investiture. The British Transport Police officer won the award when, despite severe wounds, he risked his life to save people at a London bus station. news.scotsman.com 23 Feb 05 |
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Dead hero nominated for top bravery medal A father-of-two shot dead as he tried to stop armed robbers has been nominated by police for a second posthumous bravery award. Have-a-go hero Tasawar Hussain, who worked in Brighouse, has been put forward for the Queen's Gallantry Medal by West Yorkshire Chief Constable Colin Cramphorn. An official nomination for one of the highest civilian bravery awards has now been sent to the Government's Cabinet Office, who will make the decision. The Huddersfield Daily Examiner 2 Apr 04 More |
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Air
disaster heroine runs to aid of cancer patients An air
hostess who dragged passengers to safety from a blazing aircraft is to
return to Manchester to raise money for cancer sufferers. Joanna Toff
was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal for her bravery after
crawling on her hands and knees to reach choking passengers and drag
them to the escape chute of a Boeing 737 after it caught fire on the
tarmac at Manchester Airport, killing 55 people in 1985. The former
stewardess - who has since married and is now Joanna Caston - saved many
passengers, including a young girl who was trampled underfoot in the
stampede to escape. manchesteronline.co.uk 13 May 04 |
Becks former bodyguard gunned down in Iraq British soccer captain David Beckham's former bodyguard, Brian Tilley, 47, has been shot dead in Iraq. According to The Sun, Tilley, an ex-Royal Marine, was hired by the Real Madrid star after his wife Victoria and he were the target of a kidnapping plot in 2002. He was gunned down by rebels near Baghdad where he was believed to have worked for an Egyptian firm on a communications project. Brian had been a part of the action in Northern Ireland, the Falklands and The Gulf and was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal for bravery in 1997, adds the report. newkerala.com 22 May 04
Assault Case Soldier 'Unlikely to Lose Bravery Medal' A soldier awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for bravery in Iraq is “highly unlikely” to be stripped of the honour after being convicted of assaulting a man in a city centre brawl, the Army said. Lee Wheeler, of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, was prosecuted after a man was taken to hospital following an attack in Birmingham. An Army spokesman said he could not comment on the case while it was ongoing. Asked if the medal would be taken from the soldier, he said: “It would be highly unlikely. It would have to be exceptional. “I cannot think of any case where it has happened.” news.scotsman.com 16 Sep 04
Soldier in Assault Case Given Bravery Medal An Iraq War hero convicted of assault in a Birmingham nightclub was decorated with the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for his courage under fire. Guardsman Lee Wheeler braved a hail of bullets to rescue a critically wounded comrade in Basra, southern Iraq, in April last year. Back home, a year later, the young soldier was involved in an attack on a man in Birmingham’s Arcadian Centre and convicted, with two others, of two counts of actual bodily harm and one count of violent disorder. He is awaiting sentence at Birmingham Crown Court. news.scotsman.com 25 Nov 04
Queen's Medal Guardsman Spared Prison after Drunken Attack A soldier awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for bravery in Iraq was handed a 240-hour community service order today following a drunken brawl outside a city centre bar. Lee Wheeler, of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, was sentenced for his part in an attack which left two men unconscious in the road outside a Birmingham night-spot on May 1 last year. news.scotsman.com 25 Jan 05
Flood heroes' bravery recognised Six members of South West helicopter crews who helped rescue more than 100 people from last year's Boscastle floods are to be given bravery awards. Culdrose helicopter captain, Florry Floyd, receives the Air Force Cross for directing the helicopter through the wind and rain. He said when the downpour flooded in it shorted the electrics which meant he had to guide the pilots Mike Scott and Pete McClelland by hand signals. The pilots are given the Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air, as are Sergeant Mario Alessandro Testa and Sergeant Martin Peter Thompson from RMB Chivenor. Culdrose Winchman Bob Yeomans gets the Queen's Gallantry Medal after smashing roof tiles with his feet to enable him to pull people to safety. news.bbc.co.uk 18 Mar 05
Bravery awards for flood heroes Two pilots from RNAS Culdrose are the latest to be recognised for their bravery during the Boscastle floods. The men from 771 Squadron received the Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air. Captain Pete McLelland and Lieutenant Michael Scott flew the first search and rescue Sea King helicopter to reach the Cornish village last August. They airlifted stranded men, women and children from the roofs of flooded buildings in the village. More than 100 people were rescued on the 16 August when a 3m (10ft) wall of water crashed through Boscastle, leading to the biggest peacetime rescue in Britain. news.bbc.co.uk 27 Sep 05
Peter Edmonds Peter Edmonds, who has died aged 56, was awarded one of the first Queen's Gallantry Medals as the Metropolitan Police officer responsible for capturing the man involved in the attempted kidnapping of Princess Anne in The Mall in 1974. Edmonds was on duty as a temporary detective constable at Cannon Row police station when the call about the attack was received. He drove to the scene in his own car, and saw a man with a gun running across St James's Park. Edmonds gave chase and, although threatened with the gun, threw his coat over the fugitive's head, forced him to the ground and arrested him. Inspector James Beaton, the princess's protection officer, drew his firearm and confronted him, but was shot three times; he was later awarded the George Cross. Ball fired again - one bullet passed between the royal couple, and another wounded the Princess's chauffeur. Others at the scene who attempted to restrain Ball included Pc Michael Hills and Ronald Russell, a cleaning company manager who, having manoeuvred his car in front of Ball's to block his escape, ran across and punched the assailant. Both of them were shot, both later received the George Medal. A Fleet Street reporter, Brian McConnell, who heard shots and leaped out and tried to reason with Ball, was shot in the chest; he was awarded a Queen's Gallantry Medal, as was the chauffeur, Alexander Callender. In the end it was left to Edmonds to capture Ball, who was subsequently sentenced to indefinite detention under the Mental Health Act. telegraph.co.uk 15 Mar 05
Battling the bombers: Paying the price It is the most decorated unit in the British Army - but 321 EOD Squadron has paid a heavy price in Northern Ireland. Twenty brave bomb disposal officers have been killed in action, since the start of the troubles. The worst year for 321 EOD was 1972, when six officers were killed. For the unit, which never had more than 100 officers on the ground, the casualty rate was simply unsustainable. The Army calculated that the chances of a bomb disposal officer being killed were one in every 23 four-month tours, compared to one in every 1,142 tours for other military operational duties. Since 1970, Ammunition Technical Officers (ATOs) from 321 EOD have answered 54,000 call-outs in Northern Ireland, an average of one every six hours. And the record of gallantry in Northern Ireland is headed by two George Crosses, 36 George Medals, 75 Queen's Gallantry Medals. sundaylife.co.uk 24 Apr 05
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Honours for Black Watch soldiers Private Lawaci, Pte Currie, Corporal Laing received awards. Corporal Peter Laing and Private Damian Currie, from Fife, and Private Jonetani Matia Lawaci, from Fiji, received the Queen's Gallantry Medal. The award, which recognises exemplary acts of bravery, was given to the men by Prince Charles. The regiment's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel James Cowan, collected his OBE for services in Iraq. The Wiltshire-based regiment served in Basra from June to November before a mission to Camp Dogwood, near Baghdad. news.bbc.co.uk 26 May 05 |
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Local soldier honoured for bravery Bomb disposal officer Andy Stewart (pictured left) has been honoured for the incredible courage he displayed while his unit was surrounded by dozens of Iraqi insurgents. Sgt Stewart, from 33 Engineer Regiment, was Mentioned in Dispatches. Sgt Stephen Goulding, 34, of the same regiment was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal for defusing an unstable unexploded rocket near Camp Dogwood in Iraq. cambridge-news.co.uk 22 Mar 05 |
£7,000 award for prisoner who shot policeman A man jailed for life for shooting and crippling a policeman has been awarded £7,000 by a European Court because of a long delay between reviews of his status in prison. Former Hell's Angel Stuart Blackstock, 50, was jailed in 1981 for wounding the traffic policeman with intent to avoid arrest. PC Philip Olds, who was paralysed from the waist down during the shooting just before Christmas 1980, received the Queen's Gallantry Medal but died of a drugs overdose in 1986. news.scotsman.com 26 Jun 05
Disaster that shook pit town remembered A public memorial service is being organised next month to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the South Kirkby Mining Disaster when 10 local miners lost their lives. Three men who played an important part in the rescue attempt on August 22 and 23, 1935, were later awarded the Edward VIII medal for gallantry, at the only public investiture made by the King before his abdication. Their names were George William Beaman, Norman Baster, and James Pollitt, who led the rescue. yorkshiretodya.co.uk 13 Jul 05
Queen's award for Scots Guards leader A daring raid that smashed a terrorist bomb cell in the city of Basra on the eve of the Iraqi elections helped to earn a commendation for the commanding officer of the Scots Guards. Lieutenant Colonel Harry Nickerson was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service for his success in commanding the regiment in action in southern Iraq earlier this year. He was one of more than 100 UK service personnel to receive honours. The awards included a military cross for Major Colin Risso, of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, for his bravery under fire after being ambushed in Afghanistan. There was also a Queen's Gallantry Medal - awarded "for exemplary acts of bravery" - for medic Private Michael David McLaughlin of the Black Watch. He was honoured for his bravery under fire in treating casualties after a suicide bomb attack on Black Watch troops during their deployment south of Baghdad last year. thescotsman.scotsman.com 9 Sep 05
Gunner thanks God he's alive A Fijian in the British Army who saved three of his mates from drowning in Iraq said it was an experience which could have claimed his life. It was the decision by his Warrior (tank) driver to slow down and let another tank cross the bridge first which was the difference between life and death. Private Josateki Matia Lawaci, 29, received the Queens Gallantry Medal from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace this year. He was commended for demonstrating the highest form of courage and quick thinking when the tank in front of them fell into a river. A member of the elite Black Watch Regiment, Private Lawaci downplayed his bravery, saying he acted on instinct when he jumped in the water and saved two colleagues but the driver drowned. fijitimes.com 17 Sep 05
History of murders and medals The Royal Ulster Constabulary was founded in 1922 following partition and the disbandment of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The IRA was responsible for 277 of a total of 300 RUC deaths during the Troubles. Two dissident republican groups accounted for 12. Loyalists killed eight and three were murdered by unknown groups. Four officers were killed by the security forces by mistake. Over 9,000 were injured. Almost 70 officers have committed suicide. Apart from the Maltese, RUC officers are the only people to have been awarded a collective George Cross. Sixteen officers have won the George Medal, the highest award for civilian bravery. There have also been 103 Queen's Gallantry Medals, 111 Queen's Commendations for Brave Conduct and 69 Queen's Police Medals. telegraph.co.uk 2 Nov 05
Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Gale Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Gale, who has died aged 60, played a key part in the events following a coup in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 1997 and was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal. In May 1997 the military removed the government of President Kabbah and replaced it with a government of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). Gale was serving as a defence attaché in Ghana at the time, but he knew most of the Army officers involved and told the MoD that he believed that it was vital he go there. telegraph.co.uk 3 Mar 06
I saw the bullet that was meant to kill me Two men's lives crossed down the barrel of a gun. One was shot, but recovered and managed to get on with the rest of his life. The IRA trigger man was sent to jail. Thirty years later, their paths have crossed again. The full story will be told on BBC One Northern Ireland. Here Spotlight's Kevin Magee reveals the background to the meeting. PC Malcolm Craig was shot in the stomach by an IRA man when he answered a distress call by a colleague two nights before Christmas in 1974. Surgeons fought to save his life. After fears that he might lose a leg, the policeman managed to make a full recovery. The following year he was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal. The man who pulled the trigger was Belfast republican Ronnie McCartney. Craig, now aged 59, was in court the day McCartney was convicted. Thirty years later and they came face to face again on BBC TWO's Facing the Truth programme when they came together in the presence of Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Ballywalter House. BBC ONE Northern Ireland's Spotlight programme, called The Provo and the Policeman, follows the story of what happened after their initial meeting. The programme shows how a relationship develops between the former policeman and the man who tried to kill him. The evening after their first meeting in Ballywalter, they went out for a meal together. belfasttelegraph.co.uk 8 Mar 06
Captain Peter Shields – Queen’s Medal for Gallantry winner (Hidden danger: UXB – BBC News)
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Queen's Commendation for Bravery
Bravery honour for policemen Two Norfolk policemen have won the Queen's Commendation for Bravery for tackling an armed man who had fired shots at them. "The Queen's Commendation for Bravery is awarded only for the most exceptional acts of bravery where the individual has knowingly put their own life at risk to save, or attempt to save, the lives of others. (Nov 02)
Shot hero's widow speaks of pride at Royal award Naila Hussain will collect the posthumous Queen's Commendation for Bravery at Buckingham Palace with the couple's daughters, Haarisah, seven, and Rafia, one. Mr Hussain witnessed a hold-up at a travel agent in Manningham, Bradford, in January 2003. He followed the robbers' getaway car with his friend, Azram Hussain. The robbers stopped their car and, when Mr Hussain got out, he was shot in the chest. Azram Hussain, of Girlington, Bradford, will also receive the award. yorkshiretoday.co.uk 1 Dec 04
Top honour for man shot by robber A have-a-g0 hero who was killed as he tried to foil an armed robbery has been given a top posthumous honour. Father-of-two Tasawar Hussain, 36, who worked at British Car Auctions in Brighouse, has been awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery.The award was presented to his seven-year-old daughter Haarisah Hussain by the Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Dr Ingrid Roscoe, on behalf of the Queen.Tasawar was killed by a single shot through his heart after trying to stop armed robbers who had struck at Madina Travel in Manningham, Bradford in January, 2003. The robbers got away with £40,000, and Mr Hussain pursued them in a car with his best friend, Azram Hussain. ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co.uk 24 Aug 05
Winchmen heroes receive honours Accolades for courage have been awarded to winchmen from 22 Squadron at RMB Chivenor for their part in a series of rescues at flood-stricken Boscastle. RAF Sergeants Mario Testa and Martin Thompson of A Flight received the Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air - an honour second only to the Air Force Cross. A third, Master Aircrew Clive Chapman from St Mawgan, also received the award. devon24.co.uk 31 Aug 05
Bravery awards for fuel leak airmen Two airmen are to receive bravery awards for helping contain a fuel leak during an operation in Iraq. Corporal Shane Aven, 36, and Senior Aircraftman Craig McCormack, 27, risked their lives when fuel began spilling heavily from a split hose onto the hot brakes of a Nimrod jet. The pair, who were part of Nimrod Line Squadron, based at RAF Kinloss in Moray, rushed into the smoke despite the threat of an explosion and managed to disconnect the refuelling hose from the jet's wing. Despite being soaked in fuel they helped ensure the evacuation of seven other crew members who were on the scene when the liquid began leaking. The engineers will now receive the Queen's Commendation for Bravery (QCB). news.scotsman.com 9 Sep 05
History of murders and medals The Royal Ulster Constabulary was founded in 1922 following partition and the disbandment of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The IRA was responsible for 277 of a total of 300 RUC deaths during the Troubles. Two dissident republican groups accounted for 12. Loyalists killed eight and three were murdered by unknown groups. Four officers were killed by the security forces by mistake. Over 9,000 were injured. Almost 70 officers have committed suicide. Apart from the Maltese, RUC officers are the only people to have been awarded a collective George Cross. Sixteen officers have won the George Medal, the highest award for civilian bravery. There have also been 103 Queen's Gallantry Medals, 111 Queen's Commendations for Brave Conduct and 69 Queen's Police Medals. telegraph.co.uk 2 Nov 05
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Bravery Award for Plane Crash Rescuer Window cleaner Nigel Gallimore, 40, has received a Queen’s Commendation for Bravery for rushing to help the light aircraft’s occupants. The Queen’s Commendation for Bravery also goes to Maurice Kitchen, former reserve constable with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, for helping capture an armed robber in Belfast. The award also goes to PSNI constable Samuel Smyth for helping capture an armed man who hijacked a bus in Belfast with an accomplice. news.scotsman.com 24 May 05 |
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Murder
police to travel to Iraq British police are to travel to
Iraq to investigate the death of a former Royal Marine and one-time
bodyguard of the Beckhams, who was shot in Baghdad. Brian Tilley, 47,
from Poole in Dorset was killed on 14 May when a gunman walked into the
house where he was staying and opened fire. At his funeral in May, he
was described as a talented climber and mountaineer who was presented
with the Queen's Award for Bravery in 1996. news.bbc.co.uk
5 Sep 04
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Honour for air crash rescuer John Connell rushed to help the victims of a Cessna crash near Glasgow Airport on 3 September, 1999. The crash killed eight people but Mr Connell battled to drag survivors from the wreckage. Now Mr Connell is to be awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery. BBC, UK - 19 May 2003 |
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Crash 'rescuer' admits fake story A window cleaner awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery for saving two people from a burning aircraft has admitted to an inquest that he lied. Nigel Gallimore had claimed he rescued the pair after their plane crashed near Bournemouth Airport. A third man on the plane, Andrew Anderson, 41, died in the crash near a theme park on 28 August 2004. Mr Gallimore, from Dorset, admitted his claims were false. The inquest jury returned a verdict of accidental death. news.bbc.co.uk 10 Jan 06 |
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Dam Busters' Hero: Medals Up for Auction A collection of medals from a member of the famous 617 “Dam Busters” squadron are to to be auctioned. Ivan Whittaker took part in the daring raid behind German lines and went on to have a lifelong career in the RAF, retiring as group captain in 1974, but died five years later. During the Second World War he twice received a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) – the only flight engineer in the RAF to receive two such honours. The first award, received in November 1943, was for taking part in daring and hazardous operations – including the attack on the dams. A year later in May he received a bar to the DFC after his plane was hit during a raid over France and he was badly wounded in both legs but kept on going and helped the plane to land safely. The collection of medals for sale include the OBE, DFC and bar, 1939 – 1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, The War Medal. Also included in the auction lot are two flying log books, a copy of the Daily Mail dated May 18 1943 and a programme for the world premiere of The Dam Busters film, signed by members of 617 squadron. The items are estimated to sell for up to £14,000 and are being sold on behalf of Whittaker’s younger brother Anthony and will be auctioned at Spink on April 30. scotsman.com 2 Apr 04 |
Hero faces his toughest battle since bombing the Ruhr Valley For a hero, Alex Smith is a shy, quiet man. Tall and steady for his 88 years, he still has something of the dashing good looks of his days as a courageous airman. He played a key role in the most daring raids of World War 2 with the squadron which later became known as The Dambusters. In his hands sits one of the top medals for gallantry, the Distinguished Flying Cross. EveningExpress 17 Sep 03
Modest Heroes Delighted to Be Recognised at Last One of the heroes of the Battle of the Atlantic described the “thrill” of diving down to face German submarines on the dangerous Coastal Command missions. Flight Lieutenant John Cruickshank is the last surviving RAF recipient of the Victoria Cross. He was awarded the nation’s highest award for gallantry for his sinking of a U-boat in 1944. Squadron Leader Patrick Fry, 81, of Brighton, counts the Distinguished Flying Cross and Croix de Guerre among his numerous medals for service during World War Two. Mr Fry received the DFC for his part in an attack in Den Helder. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre for sinking two German boats on a Bordeaux river, after surprising them by swinging round and flying in over land. news.scotsman.com 16 Mar 04
Copter Pilot earns Medal for Bravery A Helicopter pilot who dodged enemy fire to drop the first British marines into Iraq has been honoured for his bravery. Squadron Leader Stephen Carr has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) by Prince Charles at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. thisisbath.com 15 Apr 04
Medals sell for £26,700 A group of eight gallantry medals awarded to Squadron Leader Donald Stones, Battle of Britain fighter pilot, was sold for £27,600 at auction in London. They were sold by his son and made well above the £20,000-£25,000 estimate. Sqn Ldr Stones, who was born in Norwich, joined the RAF in May 1939 and won the DFC in the Battle of Britain. He gained a bar to the decoration during the defence of Malta in 1942 and died aged 83 in 2002. new.edp24.co.uk 18 Sep 04
Medals fetch £75,000 Eight medals awarded to the war hero who changed the face of the second world war have been sold for more than £75,000. The gallant air commodore John Searby flew seven times over a German rocket site while some 40 friendly aircraft were shot out of the moonlit sky around him. It led to the Lancaster pilot being awarded an almost unheard of immediate distinguished service order (DSO), as the raid had caused a crucial six-month delay to the V-2 rocket programme. The DSO and his distinguishing flying cross (DFC) were among the decorations sold by his widow, along with a wealth of background material, including his logbooks. The collection, appearing on the market for the first time, prompted a three-way battle at auction, which quickly left the pre-sale estimate far behind. Dix, Noonan and Webb auctioneer David Erskine-Hill said: "The new owner wishes to remain anonymous but I can say this collection is going to a good home and will remain in this country. new.edp24.co.uk 5 Mar 05
Wartime medals go under the hammer He was one of Sheffield's bravest wartime airmen. Now six medals awarded to Flight Lieutenant Eric Moore are expected to raise up to £4,200 when they are auctioned at Spink. The medals - including a Distinguished Flying Cross and a Distinguished Flying Medal - were won by the Sheffield-born member of Bomber Command, who took part in an extraordinary 98 sorties during the Second World War. They included dangerous low-level daylight attacks and 33 so-called Marker Trips over heavily defended targets. He was involved in dropping flares on bombing targets and then the bombers would follow him in. he was awarded gallantry medal, the DFC, in November 1944. At the time, his recommendation said: "After carrying out many low-level daylight sorties, F/Lt Moore has completed a further 68 sorties with Path Finder Force, 33 of these being marker sorties. "He is a navigator of outstanding ability and has consistently displayed the utmost courage and steady concentration on the task in hand, whatever the degree of enemy opposition and however adverse the conditions." When he was awarded the gallantry medal, the DFM, in January 1944 - before he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant - his recommendation said: "On the night of November 15,1943, Flight Sergeant Moore was the navigator of an aircraft detailed to carry out an attack on Duisburg. "During the run up to the target, the aircraft was heavily engaged by the defences and as the bombs were released on the completion of an accurate approach, a shell burst close under the nose of the aircraft. "Flight Sergeant Moore showed his usual exemplary calm and fortitude during the approach to the target and after the attack. "He was of great assistance to the pilot on his return journey and his high standard of navigation, under most difficult conditions, undoubtedly contributed to the safe return of the aircraft and the crew. "Flight Sergeant Moore has completed 28 operational sorties, 10 of which were low-level daylight attacks. He has also carried out several marking sorties on heavily defended targets and been engaged on operational development work of the highest importance. "The results he has obtained in this last capacity have been of very great value." sheffieldtoday.net 19 Apr 06
£6k for hero's war medals Medals awarded to one of Horley's bravest airmen were sold for more than £6,000. The eight medals, which belonged to Flight Lieutenant Alfred Arthur Morley fetched £6,325 at London auctioneers Spink . The medals included a Distinguished Flying Cross and a Distinguished Flying Medal. The medals were bought by a mystery collector, whose name has not been revealed by the auctioneers. Flt Lt Morley was 32 when he joined the RAF at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. He became a member of the King's Flight, which involved transporting VIPs, including King Peter of Yugoslavia and the Duke of Kent. The King's Flight evolved into "B" Flight No 161 (Special Duties) Squadron and Flt Lt Morley was a flight engineer with the squadron between March 1942 and October 1944. The squadron was involved in dropping supplies and agents throughout occupied Europe and Morley took part in 41 of these dangerous special operations. icsurreyonline.icnetwork.co.uk 2 May 06
Bombshell over medals Mystery surrounds the auction of medals and log books belonging to one of Sheffield's bravest wartime airmen. Six medals - including a Distinguished Flying Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross - and logbooks which belonged to Flight Lieutenant Eric Moore were sold for £5,750 at a London auction. But the news shocked Eric's son Roger Moore - because the medals had been stolen more than 30 years ago and his mother Joan tricked into giving away the log books years later. Just before the sale, by auctioneers Spink, The Star printed a story asking if anyone knew what had happened to Flight Lieutenant Moore after the Second World War. It prompted son Roger to contact the auctioneers about the lost items - but he was just too late and the family treasures had already been sold to an unnamed collector. Eric died from cancer, aged just 50, in 1973, but a few years ago, an article appeared in The Star asking for information about him. Roger, of Shakespeare Crescent, Dronfield, said: "My mother contacted this guy who claimed to be doing research for the RAF. He asked for my father's logbooks because there was some possibility of an exhibition. "My mother sent the stuff to him but, many months later when we had heard nothing more, she tried to contact him and he wasn't known at the address he'd given and his phone was not recognised. We just lost trace." But the mystery of the missing medals returned to haunt Roger and his family again with news of last month's auction. "I phoned the auctioneers but I had missed it by about half an hour," said Roger. "The auctioneer told me the medals and logbooks had been in the possession of the late Ian Tavender, who was well-known to them as a collector who bought at auctions or from dealers. "It was only when I looked back through some of mum's papers that I found the previous Star article, from August 1997, and the contact details for the man she had sent dad's things to. It was Ian Tavender. "Mr Tavender has now died and the auctioneers have told me they will look into the matter if I can prove I am, indeed, Eric's son. sheffieldtoday.net 12 May 06
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WWII
fighter pilot sells medals Medals and mementoes
belonging to a distinguished World War II fighter pilot has sold for
£138,000 at auction. The items mark 65 years of flying and included a
Distinguished Flying Cross with two bars and an OBE. They were
bought by a private collector and will remain in Britain, said the
auctioneers, Dix Noonan Webb in Mayfair, London. news.bbc.co.uk
7 Dec 05
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Rare RAF honour for army officer's bravery An Australian war hero is to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery in taking control of a British helicopter while under heavy fire in Iraq. Major Scott Watkins (pictured), 34, of Baulkham Hills, was seconded to the British Black Watch regiment south of Baghdad last November, when the helicopter he was co-piloting came under machine-gun fire from the ground. At least three rounds struck the Lynx helicopter, one of the bullets ripping into the cockpit and hitting the pilot, Captain Keith Reesby. Major Watkins, a captain at the time, grabbed the controls and flew the helicopter through heavy fire for six minutes to get back to base. smh.com.au 11 Sep 05 |
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Dambuster
hero's medals for sale Medals belonging to a Newcastle
airman who made aviation history with the famous 617 Dambuster squadron
is to go on sale at auction. Ivan Whittaker was the only RAF flight
engineer to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on
two occasions. The collection of medals for sale include the OBE, DFC
and bar, 1939 - 1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Italy Star, Defence
Medal and The War Medal.  A
collection of medals owned by Group Captain Ivan Whittaker, of the Dam
Busters squadron, sold for £14,115.news.bbc.co.uk
30 Apr 04
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Six Scots receive bravery awards Six Scots servicemen have been honoured for bravery and outstanding service during the Iraq war. RAF Lossiemouth Tornado pilot David Knowles collects his Distinguished Flying Cross from the Prince of Wales for his role in the first air raid on Iraq. The 617 Squadron Leader dodged surface to air missiles and carried out two counter attacks despite being critically low on fuel. Tornado navigator John Turner also recieved the DFC for leading a raid on a surface to air missile base in Baghdad. Three Scots received one of the UK military's highest awards, the Military Cross. Corporal John Rose of the Black Watch Regiment helped repel a grenade attack with mortar fire. Lieutenant Toby Rider of the Royal Engineers from Strathdon in Aberdeenshire worked for thirty hours to remove Iraqi detonators rigged to a bridge in North Ramayla. Captain Paul Lynch of 45 Commando was also honoured with the Military Cross. He led his out numbered troops in an assault under grenade attack on an Iraqi stronghold. Navy Commander Paul Burke was awarded an OBE for his leadership on board the submarine HMS Splendid while in the Gulf. grampiantv.com 7 Apr 04 |
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Captain Ronald Brooke Captain Ronald Brooke, who has died aged 92, was a highly decorated destroyer captain in the Second World War and helped to rescue the last child survivors from the passenger ship City of Benares. In 1942 Brooke took part in special operations and in a number of Arctic convoys, including PQ18. Back in Britain, Churchill visited the returning escort commanders to thank them personally, and Brooke was awarded the first of his DSCs for his gallantry, skill and resolution in escorting an important convoy to Russia in the face of relentless attack. On November 12 1942, Brooke took part in Operation Torch, landing British commandos and infantry at Bougie, Algeria: though frequently dive-bombed, Brooke's ship escaped damage, and he received a bar to his DSC. Then, shortly before midnight on February 16 1943, Brooke was patrolling off Bougie with the destroyers Bicester, Easton and Lamerton when he saw a dark shape ahead of him and launched an attack. The contact disappeared and, despite difficult sonar conditions, Brooke hunted all the next day until shortly before midnight, when the Italian submarine Asteria, short of fresh air, burst to the surface and surrendered: Asteria had been seriously damaged by Brooke's first attack and, unable to escape, was scuttled by her crew. Brooke was awarded the DSO. Just four days later Brooke, with the same destroyer group, was warned about another submarine. After a four-day hunt north-west of Algiers, he found the German U-443, and his attack so damaged the German that Brooke's "chummy" ship, Bicester, was easily able to finish it off with depth charges; there were no survivors. Brooke was mentioned in dispatches. opinion.telegraph.co.uk 6 Dec 04
Major the Rev Donald Peyton Jones, DSC Peyton Jones, a Royal Marine Officer, was appointed to the anti-aircraft cruiser Coventry and took part in the Norway campaign. Coventry was then ordered to the Mediterranean where the principle threat was from air attack. He took part in Malta convoys, the fraught and bloody evacuation from Crete and air defence operations in support of the army off Benghazi. Coventry was torpedoed but made it back to Alexandria and was repaired in Bombay. Having returned, she was badly damaged by air attack off Tobruk in September 1942 and had to be scuttled. Peyton Jones was awarded the DSC for his gallantry and outstanding service in the face of the enemy. timesonline.co.uk 20 Jan 05
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Distinguished Flying Medal
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Wartime medals go under the hammer He was one of Sheffield's bravest wartime airmen. Now six medals awarded to Flight Lieutenant Eric Moore are expected to raise up to £4,200 when they are auctioned at Spink. The medals - including a Distinguished Flying Cross and a Distinguished Flying Medal - were won by the Sheffield-born member of Bomber Command, who took part in an extraordinary 98 sorties during the Second World War. They included dangerous low-level daylight attacks and 33 so-called Marker Trips over heavily defended targets. He was involved in dropping flares on bombing targets and then the bombers would follow him in. he was awarded gallantry medal, the DFC, in November 1944. At the time, his recommendation said: "After carrying out many low-level daylight sorties, F/Lt Moore has completed a further 68 sorties with Path Finder Force, 33 of these being marker sorties. "He is a navigator of outstanding ability and has consistently displayed the utmost courage and steady concentration on the task in hand, whatever the degree of enemy opposition and however adverse the conditions." When he was awarded the gallantry medal, the DFM, in January 1944 - before he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant - his recommendation said: "On the night of November 15,1943, Flight Sergeant Moore was the navigator of an aircraft detailed to carry out an attack on Duisburg. "During the run up to the target, the aircraft was heavily engaged by the defences and as the bombs were released on the completion of an accurate approach, a shell burst close under the nose of the aircraft. "Flight Sergeant Moore showed his usual exemplary calm and fortitude during the approach to the target and after the attack. "He was of great assistance to the pilot on his return journey and his high standard of navigation, under most difficult conditions, undoubtedly contributed to the safe return of the aircraft and the crew. "Flight Sergeant Moore has completed 28 operational sorties, 10 of which were low-level daylight attacks. He has also carried out several marking sorties on heavily defended targets and been engaged on operational development work of the highest importance. "The results he has obtained in this last capacity have been of very great value." sheffieldtoday.net 19 Apr 06
Bombshell over medals Mystery surrounds the auction of medals and log books belonging to one of Sheffield's bravest wartime airmen. Six medals - including a Distinguished Flying Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross - and logbooks which belonged to Flight Lieutenant Eric Moore were sold for £5,750 at a London auction. But the news shocked Eric's son Roger Moore - because the medals had been stolen more than 30 years ago and his mother Joan tricked into giving away the log books years later. Just before the sale, by auctioneers Spink, The Star printed a story asking if anyone knew what had happened to Flight Lieutenant Moore after the Second World War. It prompted son Roger to contact the auctioneers about the lost items - but he was just too late and the family treasures had already been sold to an unnamed collector. Eric died from cancer, aged just 50, in 1973, but a few years ago, an article appeared in The Star asking for information about him. Roger, of Shakespeare Crescent, Dronfield, said: "My mother contacted this guy who claimed to be doing research for the RAF. He asked for my father's logbooks because there was some possibility of an exhibition. "My mother sent the stuff to him but, many months later when we had heard nothing more, she tried to contact him and he wasn't known at the address he'd given and his phone was not recognised. We just lost trace." But the mystery of the missing medals returned to haunt Roger and his family again with news of last month's auction. "I phoned the auctioneers but I had missed it by about half an hour," said Roger. "The auctioneer told me the medals and logbooks had been in the possession of the late Ian Tavender, who was well-known to them as a collector who bought at auctions or from dealers. "It was only when I looked back through some of mum's papers that I found the previous Star article, from August 1997, and the contact details for the man she had sent dad's things to. It was Ian Tavender. "Mr Tavender has now died and the auctioneers have told me they will look into the matter if I can prove I am, indeed, Eric's son. sheffieldtoday.net 12 May 06
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Airman in sea tragedy rescue bid honoured Master Aircrew Nick Petch was the winchman of a Sea King helicopter which took part in the dramatic rescue effort to save Leeds mother-of-two Kim Barrett, and her children Aimee and Luke Greenwood. Lowered time and again into the raging sea, Master Aircrew Petch managed to pluck Ms Barrett and Luke, 11, from the sea but both died later in hospital. The body of Aimee, aged 13, has never been found. The citation for the NCO's Air Force Cross says he performed feats of remarkable bravery during the operation on March 13, as towering waves reached as high as the aircraft's rotor blades. Two of the officer's colleagues from 202 Squadron – Sergeant Neil Stuart Finch and Flight Lieutenant John Bessford Sheldon – also received Air Force Crosses for heroism on the Isle of Skye last September where two climbers were rescued in bad weather. yorkshiretoday.co.uk 10 Sep 05
Medal for Nick after heroic rescue attempt A helicopter winchman from Driffield who tried in vain to rescue a family who had been swept into the sea in Scarborough's North Bay has been awarded a top military honour for his gallantry. RAF man Nick Petch was one of eight personnel to be awarded the Air Force Cross for his "selfless courage, stamina and consummate professionalism in exceptionally difficult conditions." driffieldtoday.co.uk 19 Sep 05
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WWII
fighter pilot sells medals Medals and mementoes
belonging to a distinguished World War II fighter pilot has sold for
£138,000 at auction. The items mark 65 years of flying and included a
Distinguished Flying Cross with two bars and an OBE. They were
bought by a private collector and will remain in Britain, said the
auctioneers, Dix Noonan Webb in Mayfair, London. news.bbc.co.uk
7 Dec 05
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Hero Liam gets his Medal from Queen The youngest squaddie to win the Military Cross was yesterday decorated by the Queen. Marine Liam Armstrong won the second highest honour for tearing down a wall with his hands to get at nine Taliban guarding an arms cache in Afghanistan. He forced them to surrender without a shot being fired and held them prisoner until back-up arrived. The Mirror, UK - 17 Jul 2003 |
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I killed your hero husband (Vikki Carter, her SAS brooch gleaming proudly over her heart, had waited for two decades to meet the Argentine commando who killed her husband, Captain John Hamilton MC, in the Falklands War) (Sep 02) |
No medal for SAS man killed in Sierra Leone hostage rescue (MID to be Awarded – Mentions the award of 2 CGC, 5 MC, 5 DFC, and 1 DSC for this operation)
D-Day hero's medal tribute A medal awarded to a Scottish Commando for his courage during the Normandy landings will go on display today to mark the anniversary of D-Day. The Military Cross was given to Captain Hutchison Burt in recognition of his gallantry during an assault by 4 Commando on coastal gun positions at Ouistreham, on 6 June 1944. The storming and silencing of the German battery under heavy fire was a crucial part of the plan to secure the British landings at Sword Beach. The Scotsman, UK - 5 Jun 2003
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Gulf War honours for servicemen Six soldiers have been awarded medals at Buckingham Palace for their service during the war in Iraq. Among them was Captain Paul Lynch, of Arbroath-based 45 Commando, who was awarded the Military Cross for his role in the attacks on the Al-Faw peninsula. He led his outnumbered Royal Marines in a successful assault against the enemy. BBC 7 Apr 04 |
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Scots hero in gun battle gets gallantry medal Corporal John Rose, MC |
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Builder's honour for war bravery A part-time soldier who dragged an officer to safety amid a shower of bullets in Iraq is to be awarded the Military Cross by the Queen. Lance Corporal Michael Davison, 22, a builder from Liverpool, is the first part-time soldier to receive the honour since World War II. L/Cpl Davison, of the Kings and Cheshire Territorial Army Regiment, saved the officer in a fight in Basra. news.bbc.co.uk 16 Nov 04 |
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Britain honours Gurkha for Afghan valour Sergeant Kajiman Limbu of the Second Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles based in Brunei has been awarded the Military Cross for exemplary gallantry during last year's operations in Afghanistan. Limbu, who was part of a British Army Training Team assisting the Afghan National Army, saved the life of an officer while assisting a coalition convoy ambushed by Afghan insurgents near Kabul. Limbu went to rescue the injured officer exposing himself to enemy fire from close quarters. Even after the rescue, he engaged the enemy for an hour till reinforcements arrived. news.newkerala.com 6 Oct 04 |
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Farewell
to a hero of battle for Basra A full military funeral was
held in honour of Iraq war hero Company Sergeant Major Darren Leigh. He
died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage only hours after learning he had
won the Military Cross. manchesteronline.co.uk 6
May 04 |
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Duke of Devonshire, Peerless Homeowner, Dies at 84 Andrew Robert Buxton Cavendish, the 11th Duke of Devonshire, who maintained his family's historically grand way of life by selling art masterpieces and converting his Chatsworth estate into one of Britain's most visited attractions, died Monday night at Chatsworth. He was 84. In World War II, he served with the Coldstream Guards and won the Military Cross for gallantry in combat in Italy. nytimes.com 5 May 04 |
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Britain - Soldier's widow to receive medal The widow of a soldier who died a day after being told he had won the Military Cross (MC) will receive the medal from the Queen. Sergeant Darren Leigh, of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, collapsed and died on his 37th birthday. news.bbc.co.uk 12 Oct 04 |
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Tearful widow collects soldier's bravery medal Marie Leigh with daughter Limara at Buckingham Palace' The Queen presented a Military Cross yesterday to the widow of a soldier who died hours after he was told that he was to receive a medal for his bravery in Iraq. A tearful Marie Leigh, whose husband, Company Sergeant Major Darren Leigh of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment. telegraph.co.uk 13 Oct 04 |
Iraq Hero to Receive Military Cross A brave army sergeant, who twice repelled enemy attacks in Iraq, will receive one of Britain’s highest military honours. The Queen will decorate Sergeant Paul Kelly with the Military Cross. The 36-year-old soldier, from Canterbury, Kent, twice fought off enemy troops in two separate incidents in southern Iraq this year. The sergeant’s citation commends him for “exemplary leadership” and being “truly inspirational to those around him“. Captain Taitusi Saukuru, the first Fijian serving with the British Army in Iraq to be honoured, will receive the Queen’s Gallantry Medal. He is commended for “displaying great composure under pressure” and “outstanding leadership and professionalism of the highest order“. He served in Basra, southern Iraq, with The King’s Regiment from June to November 2003. news.scotsman.com 24 Nov 04
Sergeant saved nine from death A hero soldier who saved nine comrades from certain death in Iraq has been put forward for one of the Army's highest bravery awards. Sergeant Andre "Peps" Pepper led his men through a hail of fire and fought up to 100 insurgents who had surrounded a group of soldiers following a bloody ambush in Basra. Now the married non- commissioned officer is in line to be decorated with the Military Cross. sundaymirrow.co.uk 20 Feb 05
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Iraq hero 'overwhelmed' by honour Sergeant Paul Kelly, from Canterbury, was serving with The 1st Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders when he twice repelled enemy attacks. He fought two battles with Iraqi gunmen despite being wounded in the hand. Decorated with the Military Cross by the Queen at a Buckingham Palace investiture, he said he was "overwhelmed" by the honour. bbc.co.uk 24 Nov 04 |
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Hero soldiers given medals Corporal Mark Byles was given the Military Cross for his actions during a separate ambush in Iraq last year. Corporal Byles, of the second battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment took control and came up with a plan when he was sent in an armoured response vehicle to Al Amarah, north-east of Basra. He immediately came under fire when they arrived. Corporal Byles and other soldiers, some of whom were only aged 18, took out a trench containing 15 of the enemy while they were out-numbered three to one. shropshirestar.com 18 Mar 05 |
Muslim 'in revenge plot to kill British soldier' A Muslim terror suspect planned to kill a decorated British soldier in revenge for boasting about how many Iraqi rebels he had killed. British-born Abu Baker Mansha's plot against Corporal Mark Byles was discovered during a raid by the anti-terrorist squad and firearms police on his flat in March this year, it was said. David Cocks, QC, prosecuting, told Southwark Crown Court the 21 year-old's fingerprints were found all over a newspaper newspaper article dated 8 September last year on which he had circled the soldier's name, address and the number of Iraqi insurgents he had killed during the war. The piece then went on to describe how the infantry soldier of 13 years was awarded the Military Cross for showing "immense professionalism under fire" and strong leadership qualities during his seven month tour of duty. lse.co.uk 7 Dec 05
Inside
the home of a terror suspect An
alleged terrorist caught with a gun and the address of a British soldier
told police he was a non-practising Muslim, a court has heard.
Thamesmead, said in a prepared statement he did not hold strong
political or religious views. Mansha, a former Pizza Hut waiter, also
described his typical British lifestyle. In another statement he told
police he had bought the gun 'for fun'. But the terror suspect gave
"no comment" answers to all questions relating to the
corporal's address. The court heard that Mansha underlined key passages
in the story about the soldier while on a separate scrap of paper he
scrawled a Portsmouth address under the word "Hero".
Anti-terrorist police also found a blank firing pistol which somebody
had attempted to convert into a lethal working weapon. Police officers
told an earlier hearing that they found stacks of DVDs at Mansha's home,
including one featuring hostage Kenneth Bigley - who was later beheaded
- pleading for his life. Others showed foreign nationals suffering a
similar fate, hostages being killed and speeches by Osama bin Laden.
Mansha denies possessing a document containing information likely to be
useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. The
trial continues. bexleytimes.co.uk 15 Dec 05
Top Army honour for Iraq hero bus driver A bus driver from the Capital has been awarded the Military Cross for bravery while serving with the Territorial Army in Iraq. Darren Dickson, 22, was nominated for the honour after being shot while escorting a water convoy, near Basra. Despite the gunshot wound to his shoulder, Lance Corporal Dickson continued to return fire during four separate ambushes on the trucks. He becomes the second TA soldier in history to be awarded the Military Cross. Lance Corporal Dickson, of Marchmont, also becomes the first-ever soldier from the Royal Logistic Corps to receive the honour. news.scotsman.com 19 Mar 05
Soldier receives Iraq Bravery Honour Corporal Christopher Balmforth, 24, a Queen's Royal Hussars' soldier, was awarded the Military Cross on the list of operational medals announced earlier this month. The prestigious medal was awarded after his team was ambushed during his tour in Iraq last year. doncastertoday.co.uk 4 Apr 05
From Hero To Hitman An ex-soldier honoured by the Queen for bravery has been jailed for life for gunning down an innocent teenager. SAS-trained Darren Waterhouse, 39, who was given the Military Cross for bravery in Bosnia, shot dead Craig Barker, 19, by mistake. Waterhouse was hired by drug dealer William Moore to kill a rival, a suspected drug dealer who cannot be identified for legal reasons. leedstoday.net 24 May 05
Iraq war heroism earns Mark medal A North Wales soldier was awarded the Military Cross for helping save 25 men from a machine-gun attack in Iraq. Sergeant Major Mark Evans, of Dyserth, Denbighshire, received the medal from the Queen. The 40-year-old led his platoon to safety across rooftops, open sewers and drains after they came under attack in Iraq. Mark, a member of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, was last night praised for his "outstanding and brave leadership" and "huge professionalism and great skill" in saving his group. Mark was handed the cross alongside fellow Royal Welch members Sgt Neil Griffiths, of Pontypridd, and Fusilier David Evans, of Swansea. icnorthwales.icnetwork.co.uk 14 Jul 05
TA soldier is awarded Military Cross for gun battle A bus driver and part-time soldier who started shooting with one hand to defend a convoy after being wounded was awarded the Military Cross. L/Cpl Darren Dickson, 22, received the medal for bravery from the Queen at a ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. He was the first soldier in the Royal Logistic Corps, and only the second member of the Territorial Army, to be awarded a Military Cross. L/Cpl Dickson was one of 84 Scots, including the Olympic gold medallists Shirley Robertson and Chris Hoy, who had honours bestowed on them by the Queen. telegraph.co.uk 29 Jul 05
Military Cross among medals gift A Green Howards officer's medals, including the Military Cross, have been presented to the regiment's Yorkshire museum by his daughter and grand-daughter. The late Major Derek Cartmel, who served with the Indian army during the Second World War, won the Military Cross for gallantry during his time in Italy when he drew enemy artillery fire upon his own position to help other advancing comrades. yorkshiretoday.co.uk 19 Aug 05
Medal for Hero Major An Army major has been given the Military Cross for fighting off 40 Afghan rebels in an ambush. Major Colin Risso, of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, was attached to a US marine unit which came under fire in Paktika last November. Major Risso held off the attack by firing non-stop with his M16 assault rifle. mirror.co.uk 9 Sep 05
Gibraltar Regiment to Be Extended The Royal Gibraltar regiment is being expanded on the British territory as part of the armed forces’ response to the threat of international terrorism, a military spokesman said Nov. 4. Some 400 strong, the regiment is the biggest military unit in Gibraltar but is set to double in the coming months as it increasingly sends contingents abroad to combat theaters including Iraq and Afghanistan. Gibraltar-born Major John Perez, who becomes the commanding officer next year, was recently awarded the bronze star by the U.S. authorities for service in Iraq as the only British officer to have led a U.S. marine corps unit in the country, where he also commanded a 300-strong international force. Major Colin Risso, another Gibraltarian, received the Military Cross for gallantry in combat in Afghanistan. defensenews.com 5 Nov 05
Remember those who will never grow old As a Second Lieutenant attached to the 7th Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, William Arthur Bond was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry while saving a wounded officer under fire. He subsequently transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and gained a bar to his MC, again for conspicuous gallantry. He was a Captain and Flight Commander when he was shot down and killed in action on July 22, 1917. ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co.uk 11 Nov 05
The warrior poet who lived next door The story of John Munro illuminates the gap between the millions of first world war dead whom we commemorate on Armistice Day and our fading memory of the fallen as individuals. Munro was born only two doors away from my home and was, until recently, unknown to me. The 28-year-old second-lieutenant in the Seaforth Highlanders died in action on the Belgian-French border on April 16, 1918, just three days after he had been awarded the Military Cross for courage in fighting to repel a German advance. sundayherald.com 13 Nov 05
History of hero of the skies is up for auction Logbooks, medals and letters belonging to a First World War fighter ace who went on to pioneer long-distance air travel are to be put up for sale. Squadron Leader Arthur Jones-Williams was one of the best pilots of his generation and a test pilot for long-distance flying that paved the way for mass passenger air travel. In 1929 he became a national hero when he flew non-stop farther than anyone before, with a 4,130-mile flight from London to Karachi, Pakistan, that took 50 hours and 48 minutes. His heroism had been established when, as a fighter pilot in the First World War, he shot down at least 11 enemy aircraft and won the Military Cross for gallantry twice in two months. The collection, estimated at £20,000, is being sold on December 13 in London. timeonline.co.uk 18 Nov 05
Heroes of Basra riot among 70 honoured for bravery in Iraq Three soldiers involved in an incident in Basra in which undercover SAS men were arrested and Warrior armoured vehicles and their crew were set on fire are among 70 armed forces personnel honoured today for their bravery on operations in Iraq. They also include a bomb disposal officer awarded the George Cross - and a Royal Marine who led an assault in his river craft which, in the words of the Ministry of Defence, "unhinged the enemy". Lieutenant Colonel James Woodham of the Royal Anglian Regiment is awarded the Military Cross for his role in charge of negotiations when the two SAS soldiers were arrested by Iraqi police in Basra last September. General Sir Mike Jackson, head of the army, said yesterday Lt Col Woodham was "surrounded by 30 armed and angry men" yet remained calm. Major Andrew Hadfield of the Staffordshire Regiment is mentioned in dispatches for "leadership and restraint in the rescue of two British soldiers from the al-Jameat police station". Sergeant George Long, from the same regiment, is also mentioned in dispatches for using his Warrior to "advance on a rioting mob enabling injured soldiers to receive vital first aid". Today's highest honour - the George Cross - is awarded to Captain Peter Norton, who lost a leg while defusing an improvised explosive device in July last year after an explosion which killed four US soldiers. "Before allowing them to render first aid", his citation reads, "he instructed his team on which areas were safe. Despite grievous injuries he coolly directed the follow-up actions", preventing further injury or loss of life. Capt Norton has been in hospital ever since. "I have a clear memory of what happened," he said from his wheelchair yesterday. "My immediate thought was 'Oh, bugger'". Asked if he had felt brave, he replied: "I was just doing my job." Colour Sergeant Matthew Tomlinson of the Royal Marines, who is awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, commanded a US marine corps assault force on the Euphrates river near Falluja in November 2004. He came under fire from a superior force and well-defended enemy position. "His decision to turn his lead craft towards the attack created an element of surprise which unhinged the enemy," the MoD said. guardian.co.uk 24 Mar 06
Broken Links -
Captain Herbert Westmacott, MC -
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Villagers who went to war John Francis Peabody was a hero. He joined the 11th Battalion, the West Yorkshire Regiment in September 1914. Over the next three years he rose to become a sergeant and on July 21, 1917, the Walsall Observer recounted how his bravery had led to him earning the Distinguished Conduct Medal at the Battle of Messines Ridge. John Peabody's valour did not end there, however. By the autumn of 1918 he was serving in the Italian campaign, where he took part in the Battle of Vittorio Veneto at which the Italians and their Allies destroyed what was left of the Austro-Hungarian army in the final action on the Italian Front. For such courage, John Peabody was awarded the Military Medal. He also qualified for the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal and, with his MM and DCM, he became Pelsall's most decorated soldier. expressandstar.com 21 Oct 05
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School head finds hero's medals Medals belonging to a World War I hero, who rescued wounded men from 'no-man's land', have been discovered hidden away in a school desk. The medals were awarded to Lance Corporal T O Davies, who served at Ypres in Belgium in 1916. Lis Puw, head teacher of Ysgol Bro Ddyfi in Machynlleth, found the medals when she cleared a set of drawers. The school now wants to find out more about its former pupil. L/Cpl Davies' three honours, which include a Distinguished Conduct Medal, were with an old local newspaper cutting. news.bbc.co.uk 11 Feb 05 |
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War's lost generation remembered forever Ernest Shepherd joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in September 1914. After training, his unit was posted to France and went to action in the Battle of Loos in September 1915. During the battle Ernest won the DCM for bringing in wounded under fire, despite being wounded himself . In December 1916 news reached home that Ernest had died of his wounds. His field ambulance had come under shellfire and, despite all attempts to save him, he died. He is buried at Dernancourt Cemetery on the Somme. rochdaleobserver.co.uk 29 Dec 04 |
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Sailor's medal to be sold A rare First World War medal, awarded to a Tyneside sailor, is to be sold. Charles Small was awarded the Military Medal for his efforts in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. Now his Military Medal is to go up for auction in London next week and is expected to fetch £1,500. Expert, Andrew Litherland, of Bonhams Auctioneers said it was quite rare for a naval man to be awarded a Military Medal. The medal will be auctioned at Bonhams, on December 17th. (Dec 02) |
War hero's footie medals for sale Sergeant James 'Jimmy' Speirs scored 24 goals for Rangers and led Bradford City to FA Cup glory before his heroic death on the battlefield in 1917 aged 31. Now his footballing and military honours - a 1906 Rangers' charity cup medal, a 15ct gold FA Cup medal from 1911 and a Military Medal for bravery - are to be sold to the highest bidder. Jimmy's treasures will be auctioned on internet site eBay between November 6-16. The auction is being organised by his grand-daughter Constance Hamilton Wills, who now lives in Canada. War medals belonging to Jimmy's son, also Jimmy, who served in the Canadian army during the Second World War are also for sale. Evening Times Oct 03
104-Year old Veteran returns from the Dead Britain's oldest soldier decorated for bravery turned up alive - six years after he was thought to have died. James Lovell, 104, is one of only 27 surviving First World War veterans and the only one with a gallantry award. He won the Military Medal in 1918. But he said: "I am not a hero. I don't like to be called that. I was just doing my job." The ex-Lance Corporal was thought to have died when a veterans' association newsletter was posted back marked: "Return to sender." coral.co.uk 6 Nov 03
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Hero's medal to be auctioned A military medal awarded to a war hero from Watford, who was killed in action just six months before the end of World War Two, at the age of 29, is expected to fetch up top £3,500 when it is auctioned at Bonhams in London. The Military Medal is one of five medals in the sale all in "extremely fine" condition which were won by Sergeant Cecil Franks, the son of Albert and Emily Alice Franks of Watford. Sgt Franks commanded No 11 Platoon, B Company, of a Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on July 29, 1944, in the attack on Butte De Chene. watfordobserver.co.uk 8 Dec 05 See Lot 138
France's top honour for war hero - 64 years on A former army commando has been hailed a hero after receiving France's most prestigious decoration, the Légion d'honneur, 64 years after a historic raid. Arnold Simister, of Kirkcudbright, was a young corporal when he took part in Operation Chariot, a combined naval and commando attack aimed at disabling German defences at St Nazaire, in north-west France. He was one of the 611 soldiers and sailors who took part in the operation, whose main target was the Forme Ecluse Louis Joubert, also known as the "Normandie dock", the only structure on the Atlantic coast capable of accommodating the largest German warships. Fearing that the enemy battleship Tirpitz would be transferred to St Nazaire, the British staged a combined naval and commando operation, relying heavily on surprise. HMS Campbeltown, packed with explosives, was used to ram the outer gate of the dock while commando raiding parties disembarked from the destroyer to attack 24 targets. Mr Simister also holds the Military Medal. news.scotsman.com 13 Apr 06
A Last Post for the hero who saved them on the beaches A former comrade from the Italian Anzio beach landings, where Private Reg Long rescued scores of wounded, will sound a salute to the 92-year-old great grandad at his funeral at Cottingley Cemetery. Mr Long's selfless actions earned him the Military Medal. In 1940 Mr Long was called in to the Duke of Wellington West Riding Regiment. He served as a driver in Egypt. His medal was awarded for "conspicuous gallantry and outstanding devotion to duty" in braving machine gun fire to recover wounded from the Anzio beachhead after the Allied landing in January, 1944. The citation noted how he repeatedly drove his Jeep up a machine gun swept track to evacuate wounded. It said officers had "found themselves unable to speak highly enough" of Pte Long. leedstoday.net 18 May 06
Broken Links - Posted for information purposes only:
James Woolgar, MM has died aged 85 (MM as a lance corporal, while serving with 6th Airborne Division Signals during the initial stages of Operation Overlord; also a highly accomplished veteran skier who won the World championship in his class for the third time in his 83rd year)
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Police and Fire Medals for Gallantry
Queen's Police Medal Awarded (Chief Inspector Steve Kissane, Hertfordshire Constabulary) (Dec 00)
Soham detective receives medal A retired detective who was involved in the Soham murder investigation has received the Queen's Police Medal. The Prince of Wales handed the medal to Det Chief Insp Chris Stevenson at Buckingham Palace and thanked him for his service spanning 30 years. news.bbc.co.uk 28 May 05
Riot hero was most at home on the ice The winner of a rare police medal awarded for his bravery in a Bermuda riot has died. Former policeman Ian Davies has died of motor neurone disease aged 73. Mr Davies was handed the Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry while serving on the Caribbean island more than 30 years ago. Badly beaten with golf clubs and left for dead during a 1965 riot at the Bermuda Electric Light Company's headquarters, he helped rescue his chief superintendent from a riotous mob. At one point he climbed on top of a rescue vehicle and fended off rioters trying to topple it. Mr Davies suffered two skull fractures in the incident. His injuries left him needing to learn to speak again using a new part of his brain and he underwent pioneering surgery to regain his speech. cambridge.news.co.uk 4 Jul 05
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Buckinghamshire Constabulary |
History of murders and medals The Royal Ulster Constabulary was founded in 1922 following partition and the disbandment of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The IRA was responsible for 277 of a total of 300 RUC deaths during the Troubles. Two dissident republican groups accounted for 12. Loyalists killed eight and three were murdered by unknown groups. Four officers were killed by the security forces by mistake. Over 9,000 were injured. Almost 70 officers have committed suicide. Apart from the Maltese, RUC officers are the only people to have been awarded a collective George Cross. Sixteen officers have won the George Medal, the highest award for civilian bravery. There have also been 103 Queen's Gallantry Medals, 111 Queen's Commendations for Brave Conduct and 69 Queen's Police Medals. telegraph.co.uk 2 Nov 05
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Brave WPC deserves gong The Sun today gets behind demands for a special honour for murdered policewoman Nina Mackay. Nina was turned down for a top bravery award despite being knifed to death by a madman in the line of duty. Her mum Patricia has battled since her death six years ago for her courage to be recognised with the Queen’s Gallantry Medal. Mrs Mackay has reluctantly accepted the decision of an honours selection committee that Nina’s case did not meet the criteria. But she has been bolstered by news that Nina may still qualify for the defunct Queen’s Police Medal for Gallantry, last awarded in 1977. OnLine Sun 9 Jan 03 |
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No
medal for SAS man killed in Sierra Leone hostage rescue
(MID to be
Awarded – Mentions the award of 2 CGC, 5 MC, 5 DFC, and 1 DSC for this
operation)
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Soldier's name carved on Memorial The first Scottish soldier to be killed in Iraq has had his name carved on the war memorial in his home town. Lance Corporal Barry Stephen's details were etched onto the granite of Scone War Memorial near Perth marking his death in 24 March, 2003. LCpl Stephen's sacrifice was recognised by the Queen last year when his final actions were honoured by a posthumous Mention In Dispatches - the oldest gallantry award in the British Army - which will take the form of an oak leaf attached to his Gulf War medal. He was killed in a grenade attack as he braved a hail of bullets to reach a machine gun in a bid to save his comrades pinned down in their armoured vehicle. news.bbc.co.uk 5 Sep 04 |
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Local soldier honoured for bravery Bomb disposal officer Andy Stewart (pictured left) has been honoured for the incredible courage he displayed while his unit was surrounded by dozens of Iraqi insurgents. Sgt Stewart, from 33 Engineer Regiment, was Mentioned in Dispatches. Sgt Stephen Goulding, 34, of the same regiment was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal for defusing an unstable unexploded rocket near Camp Dogwood in Iraq. cambridge-news.co.uk 22 Mar 05 |
Soldier is given award for bravery Lieutenant John Bailey, 26, served with the Black Watch in Iraq between July and November last year and received a Mention in Despatches. He has been commended in the Armed Forces Operational Honours for his “exemplary leadership” and bravery following a series of incidents. In one such incident, he went to the aid of some Danish soldiers coming under heavy fire and ensured their safe escape from the situation. On another occasion, his vehicle was blown off the road by an explosive device and then over the next ten hours he supervised the recovery of his vehicle and another while being mortared. The Mention in Despatches is the oldest form of recognition of gallantry within the UK Armed Forces. Since 1993, the Mention in Despatches has been reserved for gallantry during active operations. harrogatetoday.co.uk 29 Mar 05
Prince Of Wales Honours Our Iraq Heores The Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla today presented some of our heroic soldiers with medals for bravery shown under fire during the Iraq conflict. Troops from the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Wales were honoured with General Service Medals following a six month tour of duty in Maysan, in the east of Iraq. Corporal Matt Thomas, 25, from Neath in South Wales, received a mention in dispatches, one of the armed forces' highest honours. lse.co.uk 29 Nov 05
Heroes of Basra riot among 70 honoured for bravery in Iraq Three soldiers involved in an incident in Basra in which undercover SAS men were arrested and Warrior armoured vehicles and their crew were set on fire are among 70 armed forces personnel honoured today for their bravery on operations in Iraq. They also include a bomb disposal officer awarded the George Cross - and a Royal Marine who led an assault in his river craft which, in the words of the Ministry of Defence, "unhinged the enemy". Lieutenant Colonel James Woodham of the Royal Anglian Regiment is awarded the Military Cross for his role in charge of negotiations when the two SAS soldiers were arrested by Iraqi police in Basra last September. General Sir Mike Jackson, head of the army, said yesterday Lt Col Woodham was "surrounded by 30 armed and angry men" yet remained calm. Major Andrew Hadfield of the Staffordshire Regiment is mentioned in dispatches for "leadership and restraint in the rescue of two British soldiers from the al-Jameat police station". Sergeant George Long, from the same regiment, is also mentioned in dispatches for using his Warrior to "advance on a rioting mob enabling injured soldiers to receive vital first aid". Today's highest honour - the George Cross - is awarded to Captain Peter Norton, who lost a leg while defusing an improvised explosive device in July last year after an explosion which killed four US soldiers. "Before allowing them to render first aid", his citation reads, "he instructed his team on which areas were safe. Despite grievous injuries he coolly directed the follow-up actions", preventing further injury or loss of life. Capt Norton has been in hospital ever since. "I have a clear memory of what happened," he said from his wheelchair yesterday. "My immediate thought was 'Oh, bugger'". Asked if he had felt brave, he replied: "I was just doing my job." Colour Sergeant Matthew Tomlinson of the Royal Marines, who is awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, commanded a US marine corps assault force on the Euphrates river near Falluja in November 2004. He came under fire from a superior force and well-defended enemy position. "His decision to turn his lead craft towards the attack created an element of surprise which unhinged the enemy," the MoD said. guardian.co.uk 24 Mar 06
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Honours for Black Watch soldiers Twelve soldiers from the Black Watch have been decorated for their outstanding service in Iraq.
news.bbc.co.uk 18 Mar 05 |
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