Ministry Of Defence (UK)
Honoured for bravery and service on operations
136 members of the Armed Forces are to be honoured on Friday 25th July for their gallantry and service in Afghanistan,
Iraq and other operations around the world.
The honours for the period 31 Oct 07 to 31 Mar 08 include a George Cross awarded for the highest level of gallantry, 19
Military Crosses and 4 Distinguished Service Orders.
Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup said: "I am immensely proud of the courage, dedication
and skill that the individuals being honoured today have shown in a wide variety of demanding circumstances. Their
bravery and professionalism are in the highest tradition of the British military, and bring enormous credit to
themselves, their individual Services and the nation as a whole."
Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne said:
"I am enormously grateful for the contribution made by all members of our Armed Forces, and the civilians who support
them, in operational theatres around the world. They carry out their demanding and often dangerous duties - bringing
peace and stability to some of the most dangerous places in the world - with skill, courage and professionalism. Today
it gives me particular pleasure to offer my personal congratulations to the men and women who have been recognised
publicly for their exceptionally brave and meritorious service on operations. I am very conscious that behind each of
these awards lie acts of extraordinary dedication and courage and I am delighted that they have been recognised in this
way."
Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher, of the Royal Marine Reserves, receives the George Cross for an act of extreme self sacrifice whilst on an operation in
Helmand in March this year. His selfless decision to throw himself on a grenade saved the life of at least two members
of his patrol and allowed for enemy forces to be interdicted later that night. Alongside the Victoria Cross, the George
Cross is the nation's highest bravery honour and is awarded for 'acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous
courage in circumstances of extreme danger.'
Brigadier Andrew Mackay, Late The King's Own Scottish Borderers, receives a CBE for his command of 52 Brigade in
southern Afghanistan as does his deputy commander Colonel Stuart Skeates MBE, Late Royal Regiment of Artillery, for his
immeasurable contribution to the counter insurgency campaign in Helmand. Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Birrell of the Royal
Marines receives a Distinguished Service Order for his leadership on the same operational tour.
Brigadier James Bashall, Late the Parachute Regiment, who commanded 1st Mechanised Brigade in Iraq last year, receives a
CBE for his inspirational leadership. His period of command was a seminal phase for UK forces in Iraq as we moved from
one of the most violent phases of the campaign to a complex period of reconciliation. A DSO is awarded to Colonel
Patrick Sanders OBE, Late The Rifles, who commanded 4th Battalion The Rifles in Iraq throughout Op Telic 10; he
exemplified tough and decisive yet compassionate leadership which kept his battle group going through very difficult
times. Col Sanders commanded and planned operations in the most dangerous and complex situations taking the fight to
insurgents on the streets of Basra. Displaying grip and tactical vision; he led from the front, often under fire; his
operational leadership was exemplary.
There is a Royal Red Cross for Major Janet Pilgrim, of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, in recognition of
her work in the hospital in Iraq during Telic 10. Maj Pilgrim led the hospital's team preparing bodies for repatriation;
she personally provided continuity and support for her team and despite having others to call on she chose to convey any
bad news herself. Also after a direct hit on the hospital from a 122 mm rocket Maj Pilgrim took swift and effective
action restoring gaps in capability averting a potential disaster.
Sergeant Gary King, of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, will receive the Associate Royal Red Cross for
his actions in calmly stabilising casualties whilst under fire and in delivering specialist training to the Iraqi
police. Warrant Officer Stephen Strange RN as the senior diver for the search of the capsized oil rig support vessel,
BOURBON DOLPHIN, showed exceptional leadership and bravery and is honoured with a Queens Gallantry Medal.
Nineteen Military Crosses have been awarded to service personnel for exceptional acts of bravery on operations in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Examples include Captain Paul Brittion, of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, who refused morphine
when injured so he could remain in command of his fire support team during a fire fight against the Taliban. Major Jason
Little, of The Yorkshire Regiment, who by the strength of his leadership and with huge personal courage coordinated
Afghan and international forces in the newly retaken town of Delaram, and subsequently planned and led, as a mentor, a
successful Afghan National Army operation to retake Golestan; and Lance Corporal Mohansingh Tangnami, of The Royal
Gurkha Rifles, who volunteered to lead a small team into an area of heavy fire to recover a machine gun left by an
earlier casualty and so deny it to the enemy.
NOTES
1. The attached list of honours is provided under embargo. No details should appear in print or be broadcast before 0001
hrs 25 July 2008. The ranks and other personal details shown are those current at the time the awards were recommended.
2. For further information please contact visit the Ministry of Defence website at http://www.mod.uk
GC
Lance Corporal Mathew CROUCHER, Royal Marines Reserve
CBE
Brigadier Andrew Douglas MACKAY OBE, Late The King's Own Scottish Borderers
Colonel Stuart Richard SKEATES MBE, Late Royal Regiment of Artillery
Brigadier James Ian BASHALL OBE, Late The Parachute Regiment
OBE
Major Christopher James BELL, Scots Guards
Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Jonathan Paul BOURNE MBE, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Lieutenant Colonel Simon James DOWNEY MBE, The Yorkshire Regiment
Captain David DUTTON, Royal Navy
Lieutenant Colonel Andrew John Pooler BARR, Corps of Royal Engineers
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Peter KENYON MBE, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel James Francis Pardoe SWIFT MBE, The Royal Welsh
MBE
Major Daniel James Edward CHEESMAN, Royal Marines
Major Mark Clement GIDLOW-JACKSON, The Rifles
Captain Richard Simon DOWNS, Royal Regiment of Artillery
Staff Sergeant Richard James FARNELL, Adjutant General's Corps (Royal Military Police)
Captain Jonathan Anthony Evett PALMER, Irish Guards
Major Zachary Raymond STENNING, The Yorkshire Regiment
Major Peter John BARLOW, Adjutant General's Corps (Educational and Training Services Branch), Territorial Army
RRC
Major Janet Mary PILGRIM ARRC, Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps
ARRC
Sergeant Gary Anthony KING, Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps
DSO
Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Martin BIRRELL, Royal Marines
Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Nicholas Yardley Monrad SANDERS OBE, The Rifles
MC
Marine Mkhuseli JONES, Royal Marines
Major Adrian MORLEY, Royal Marines
Marine Richard Reginald WITHERS, Royal Marines
Captain Paul Nathaniel Brenig BRITTON, Royal Regiment of Artillery
Acting Sergeant John Mathew COCKBURN, The Yorkshire Regiment
Rifleman Bhimbahadur GURUNG, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Major Jason Alexis LITTLE, The Yorkshire Regiment
Major Paul Ralph Gareth PITCHFORK, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Major Douglas Fraser REID, Royal Army Medical Corps
Major Ian David SCATTERGOOD, The Royal Logistic Corps
Corporal Richard Steven STREET, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
Lance Corporal Mohansingh TANGNAMI, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Lance Corporal Agnish THAPA, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
MiD
Lieutenant Commander Toby William EVERITT, Royal Navy
Lieutenant Nathan John GRAY, Royal Navy
Warrant Officer Class 2 David William LAYTON, Royal Marines
Major Duncan MANNING, Royal Marines
Marine Gary OGDEN, Royal Marines
Acting Major Matthew Bradley ADAMS, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
Rifleman Omprakash ALE, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Sergeant Christopher Edward BARTLETT, The Yorkshire Regiment
Sergeant David William BAXTER, Royal Regiment of Artillery
Acting Captain James Laurence CADBURY, The King's Royal Hussars
Lance Corporal Onur Benjamin CAGLAR, The Yorkshire Regiment
Warrant Officer Class 2 James Mackintosh FRASER, Royal Regiment of Artillery
Sergeant Nathan John HUNT, Corps of Royal Engineers.
Lieutenant John Alexander Edwin Elessing JEFFCOAT, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Sergeant Lee JOHNSON, The Yorkshire Regiment (killed in action)
Acting Corporal Damian Stephen LAWRENCE, The Yorkshire Regiment (killed in action)
Sergeant James Charles LYNAS, The Yorkshire Regiment
Captain James Richard MANCHIP, Royal Regiment of Artillery
Major Mark Edward MILFORD, The Rifles
Major Anthony Brian PHILLIPS, Royal Regiment of Artillery
Private Malakai RAVOUVOU, The Yorkshire Regiment
Colonel Edward Alexander SMYTH-OSBOURNE, Late The Life Guards
Lance Corporal Tej Gang SUNWAR, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Craftsman Samuel Michael TOMKINS, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Private Andre Thomas TROUP, The Yorkshire Regiment
Trooper Jack Anthony WARBURTON, Royal Tank Regiment
Flight Lieutenant John Alan TIPPER, Royal Air Force
Lieutenant Simon John BEDFORD-SMITH, The Royal Welsh
Lieutenant Henry Guy BOMFORD, The Rifles
Serjeant Kevin Stuart Anthony GAHGAN, The Rifles
Private Joseph James ILLIDGE, The Royal Welsh
Rifleman Joseph Anthony IRVING, The Rifles
Major Christopher Stuart MACGREGOR, The King's Royal Hussars
Private Michael James Arthur NEW, The Mercian Regiment
Lance Sergeant Gavin Patrick O'NEILL, Irish Guards
Major Mark WILLIAMS, The Royal Welsh
QCB
Lance Corporal Simon Peter COOPER, Corps of Royal Engineers
Corporal Andrew Raymond GRIFFIN, Adjutant General's Corps (Royal Military Police)
Corporal Damion James MORPHY, Corps of Royal Engineers
Guardsman Paul John MCGEE, Scots Guards
Guardsman Ratu Isireli VULAIDAUSIGA, Scots Guards
QCVS
Leading Seaman Survey Recorder Julia RYDER, Royal Navy
Major Guy BARTLE-JONES, Welsh Guards
Lieutenant Colonel Gregory COLE, Royal Regiment of Artillery
Captain John Andrew Charles DEE, Intelligence Corps
Lieutenant Alison Louise DRAY, The Royal Logistic Corps
Major James Patrick EYRE, Blues and Royals
Captain Devkumar GURUNG, The Queen's Gurkha Engineers
Major Sarah Helen HENDERSON-LEA MBE, Intelligence Corps
Major Paul Darren HOLDER, The Royal Logistic Corps
Lieutenant Colonel Neil Barry LEWIS, The Royal Logistic Corps
Major Gerald Mark STRICKLAND MBE, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Lance Corporal James David TRIGG, Royal Corps of Signals
Lieutenant Colonel Richard WARDLAW, Corps of Royal Engineers
Wing Commander Robert Stephen NORRIS, Royal Air Force
Mohamed Faizul AZMAN, The Royal Welsh, Territorial Army
Major Tom Richardson COPINGER-SYMES, The Rifles
Major Timothy Emlyn GREY, Adjutant General's Corps (Educational and Training Services Branch)
The Reverend Daniel Francis HERNANDEZ, Chaplain to the Forces 3rd Class, Royal Army Chaplains' Department
Major Anthony Thomas LAMB, Royal Corps of Signals, Territorial Army
Major Jonathan William MCCLEERY, Royal Regiment of Artillery
Warrant Officer Class 1 Michael John PETERS, The Royal Logistic Corps
Sergeant Eric James MCCABE, Royal Air Force
Dr Paul COLLINSON, Grade C1, Ministry of Defence
QGM
Warrant Officer Class 1 Stephen Geoffrey STRANGE, Royal Navy.
QCB
Diver 1 John Kevin Arnie ANDERSON, Royal Navy .
Leading Diver Stephane FARRELL, Royal Navy.
QCBA
Sergeant Ryan Francis THOMAS, Royal Air Force.
Master Aircrewman Ian Paul HARRISON, Royal Air Force.
Flight Sergeant Alec Craig ASPDEN, Royal Air Force.
Client ref 174/2008
COI ref 163886P
ENDS