Brother Colour Sergeant Johnson Beharry VC, being interviewed on the BBC today for Armistice Day. He isn't hiding his light!
He was awarded his Victoria Cross (The British equivalent of the American Medal of Honour) for two separate acts of valour.
On 1 May 2004, Bro Beharry was driving a Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle, called to the assistance of a foot patrol caught in a series of ambushes in Iraq.
His vehicle was struck by several Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), which knocked out his periscope, all Radios, His commander, Gunner, and other inside were injured.
Bro Beharry drove his Warrior through the ambush with the drivers hatch wide open, leaving him exposed to gunfire and further RPGs. He led 5 other Warriors following him to safety.
He then assisted in extracting the wounded from his vehicle. His citation stated that his actions on 1 May 2004 were "Valour of the highest order".
but that wasn't all.
On 20 June 2004, Bro Beharry was again driving his Warrior as lead vehicle in Al Amarah, Iraq, when it was attacked with RPGs. The first RPG round struck just 6” from his head causing him severe facial and head injuries. As before, further RPGs struck the vehicle, injuring his Commander and crew.
Despite his injuries, he drove the vehicle out of the ambush and to safety, whereupon he fell unconscious.
He was still recovering from his wounds in March 2005, when HM Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the VC.
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