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Royal News Queen Awards Soldier Highest Military Bravery Honour
27 April 2005
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Royal news; Britain's Queen Elizabeth has awarded a soldier who served in Iraq with one of the country's highest military decorations.The 78-year-old monarch yesterday (27.04.05) invested Private Johnson Beharry with the Victoria Cross for "exceptional acts of valour" while serving in the second Gulf war last year.Noting the rarity of the award, one of only six she has awarded throughout her 50-year- reign, she said: "I don't get the chance to do this very often; you're very special."The stately ceremony began on the stroke of 11am when the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Luce, read out Grenada-born Private Beharry's full citation before the queen pinned the bronze cross - which outranks all other field service medals - onto his tunic.The queen then asked the 25-year-old soldier - who was injured in the course of saving several of his comrades - how he was recovering.Later, Private Beharry, who was honoured in front of his wife Lynthia and his uncle and aunt, played down his bravery after receiving the decoration.He said: "I didn't do it for a medal, and I didn't do it by myself. If I hadn't done what I did, I would not have been able to live with myself today."
British army leader General Sir Mike Jackson, who was forced to wait behind Private Beharry to receive his upgraded Order of the Bath, then led the praise for the infantryman and said he hoped he would be able to return to duty and inspire other young soldiers. He told Britain's The Times newspaper: "We would be delighted if he were able to stay in the army.
"He is a wonderful embodiment of the fighting spirit of the British Army. "But he is still recovering, and has to face an army medical board."
The honour, created by Queen Victoria in 1857 to honour men serving in the Crimean War, was last granted to a surviving soldier more than forty years ago.
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