VC for soldier who led convoy through ambushes in Iraq

A British soldier who fought in Iraq is awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry, today for saving dozens of comrades during two incidents in which he was seriously wounded.

Pte Johnson Beharry, 25, who emigrated from Grenada in 1999, is only the fourth black serviceman to win the award, instituted in 1865 to honour heroism in the Crimea.

He was cited for his actions during battles with Iraqi insurgents in the southern town of Amarah last summer.

Pte Beharry, of 1 Bn, the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, first drove his burning Warrior armoured vehicle through several ambushes to lead six vehicles, containing several dozen troops, to safety

In the second incident, he was wounded in the head during an ambush but managed to reverse the Warrior against a wall to allow injured colleagues to be rescued. He then fell into a coma.

Pte Beharry, who is still recovering from his injuries, said: "I was not thinking about what I was doing. Maybe it was brave, I don't know. Anyone would do the same thing."

Col Paul Jobbins, 56, of the Royal Marine Reserve, who intervened unarmed between warring factions to end the massacre of hundreds of civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo while serving with the United Nations, receives the George Medal, the highest gallantry award for peacetime service.

Private Beharry VC, who saved comrades in Iraq

Pte Beharry with four of the men he saved with his actions

The V.C. is the highest medal of the British military. The self-efacing manner in which Pte. Beharry has received it shows the mark of a true hero.

Thanks for the ping.

The Victoria Cross is the realm's highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. It has precedence over any other of the Sovereign's awards. The Victoria Cross was founded by Royal Warrant on January 29, 1856 to recognize the bravery of those who were then fighting the Crimean War. The Victoria Cross was available to soldiers of all ranks and "neither rank, nor long service, nor wounds, nor any other circumstance or condition whatsoever, save the merit of conspicuous bravery" could make one eligible.

The Cross itself is cast from the bronze of cannons captured at Sevastopol during the Crimean War. The design, chosen by Queen Victoria, consists of a cross patee ensigned with the Royal Crest, resting upon a scroll bearing the words "For Valour". The reverse of the suspender bar is engraved with the recipient's name, rank, and unit. The reverse of the Cross itself, bears the date of the deed for which the recipient was honoured.

Since its inception, the Victoria Cross has been awarded 1,351 times. The youngest recipient was 15 years old (Newfoundland's Tommy Ricketts) and the eldest was 69 years in age. Three cases exist where both father and son have won the Victoria Cross: four pairs of brothers have also been recipients. One Victoria Cross was awarded for action in Canada - that to Private T. O'Hea of the Rifle Brigade (Irish) for extinguishing a fire in the ammunition car of a train. Four Victoria Crosses have been awarded to civilians, and while no woman has been awarded the Victoria Cross, a gold representation of the decoration was awarded to Mrs. W. Harris for her efforts in nursing cholera victims. Three men have been awarded the Victoria Cross twice.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.