Some of the recipients of Operational Honours and Awards for actions carried out during the period 1 October 2010 to 31 March 2011
Picture: Sergeant Ian Forsyth RLC/MOD 2011.
Vigilance can report that a young, inexperienced soldier who displayed decisiveness and selfless courage under fire, to rescue a badly injured colleague, is amongst a number of gallant service personnel to be recognised in the latest Operational Awards list.
Private Bryan Johnson (24), whose Military Cross was announced last week, had been a trained soldier for less a year – yet displayed immense courage to drag his wounded comrade away from a fire-fight and deliver life-saving first aid.
Out on patrol with fellow soldiers from the Canterbury-based Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, Private Johnson sprung into action when they came under attack. Two grenades were launched at the patrol, detonating just a few yards away, then a burst of accurate automatic gunfire was unleashed on them.
Without hesitation, Johnson was said to have turned towards the threat, scrambling across a narrow footbridge over a canal, with other colleagues following behind. As he and another soldier burst through a compound door, they found themselves in an open courtyard, facing two insurgents wielding AK47 rifles.
A vicious engagement ensued, during which one of Johnson’s fellow soldiers was shot and collapsed. Despite continuing to come under fire from close range, Johnson dragged his wounded colleague out of the compound and into cover to administer first aid. He then opened fire again on the enemy, enabling the remainder of the patrol to begin extracting the casualty.
Also amongst those recognised is young officer, Second Lieutenant Paul McFarland (28), who saved the life of one of his men by throwing himself in front of an exploding grenade.
McFarland’s act of gallantry came after a grenade sailed over the wall of his compound, landing next to one of his corporals who would have been in the direct path of its shrapnel. Acting immediately and decisively, McFarland grabbed the corporal by his body armour and spun him around, throwing him against the wall. In the same motion, he turned his back on the grenade, diving on top of the other soldier as the grenade exploded.
Without pausing, McFarland then leapt up and ran out of the compound in pursuit of the perpetrator, although he had already managed to get away. His actions displayed decisive courage, selflessness and split-second decision making.
Pte Johnson’s and 2Lt McFarland’s honours are just two of more than 140 awards for gallantry and meritorious service included in Operational Awards List 37, which covers the period between September 2010 and April 2011. Many of those recognised served with 16 Air Assault Brigade, which deployed to Afghanistan in September 2010, but awards also go to others involved in operations in Afghanistan, elsewhere overseas and in the UK.
The majority of award recipients are Army personnel but the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are also represented. Chinook helicopter pilot Flight Lieutenant Michael Anderson earns a Distinguished Flying Cross for captaining a dangerous mission in which six seriously injured Afghan children were rescued, under fire, from deep within a contested part of Helmand’s ‘Green Zone’.
Operational Awards List 37 also includes recognition of meritorious service in Afghanistan.
Secretary of State for Defence, Dr Liam Fox MP said: “Britain has the best, most professional Armed Forces in the world – and for evidence of that one need look no further than the citations for these awards. The people recognised today are amongst the bravest of the brave. They make me incredibly proud and should make everyone in the country equally proud of the Armed Forces that represent them.”
Operational Honours and Awards List: 30 September 2011
A History and Honour news article
30 Sep 11
A total of 140 members of the Armed Forces have received honours and awards in the Operational Honours List dated today, 30 September 2011.
Soldiers from D Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, and members of the Afghan National Police disembark from a Chinook helicopter
Picture: Sergeant Rupert Frere RLC/MOD 2010
The full list, which recognises service on operations in Afghanistan and national operations for the period 1 October 2010 to 31 March 2011, is below.
AFGHANISTAN
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Brigadier James Robert CHISWELL, MC, late The Parachute Regiment
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Lieutenant Colonel James Alexander COATES, The Parachute Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel Christopher John GHIKA, Irish Guards
Lieutenant Colonel Adam William Ace GRIFFITHS, MBE, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Lieutenant Colonel Simon Tony HUTCHINGS, MBE, The Royal Logistic Corps
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Lieutenant Colonel Simon O'HERLIHY, Royal Marines
Lieutenant Commander Gary David James CRIDDLE, Royal Navy
Major Matthew Timothy CANSDALE, The Parachute Regiment
Major Gareth Elwyn John HICKS, The Parachute Regiment
Major Crispin John HUMM, The Parachute Regiment
Major James Alexander HUMPHREYS, The Royal Irish Regiment
Captain Simon James OXLEY, Corps of Royal Engineers
Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Charles Laybourne PERRY, DSO, The King's Royal Hussars
Acting Sergeant Kaye Gina WILSON, Royal Army Veterinary Corps
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Acting Colonel Andrew Sean David HARRISON, MBE, late The Parachute Regiment
Major Ian Alexander Jonathan TURNER, Irish Guards
Lieutenant Colonel Colin Richard James WEIR, MBE, The Royal Irish Regiment
Military Cross (MC)
Major Alistair Scott CARNS, Royal Marines
Marine John Matthew WATSON, Royal Marines
Sergeant Luke Alexander COLE, The Parachute Regiment
Captain Iain Robin CURREN, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Corporal Johannes Jacobus FOURIE, The Parachute Regiment
Sergeant Glen William John GARDINER, The Parachute Regiment
Acting Captain Luke Arthur James HIGGINSON, The Parachute Regiment
Private Bryan JOHNSON, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Sergeant Peter KEOGH, The Royal Irish Regiment
Second Lieutenant Paul David MCFARLAND, The Royal Irish Regiment
Acting Corporal Darragh Rory MISKELLA, The Parachute Regiment
Warrant Officer Class Two James Louis PALMER, The Royal Logistic Corps
Private Alfred Owen James POPE, The Parachute Regiment
Lance Corporal Ratu Apenisa QALITAKIVUNA, The Royal Irish Regiment
Major Daniel REEVE, The Rifles
Corporal Martin James WINDMILL, The Parachute Regiment
A soldier from 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment secures an alleyway while the District Governor addresses a shura [Picture: Sergeant Rupert Frere RLC/MOD 2011
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Flight Lieutenant Michael ANDERSON, Royal Air Force
Flight Lieutenant Matthew James Patrick SPRINGFORD, Royal Air Force
Air Force Cross (AFC)
Captain Steven John Paul JONES, Army Air Corps
Flight Lieutenant Alexander Marc DUNCAN, DFC, Royal Air Force
Associate Royal Red Cross Medal (ARRC)
Lieutenant Colonel Sharon Ann STEWART, Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, Territorial Army
George Medal (GM)
Private Martin Simon George BELL, The Parachute Regiment, (killed in action)
Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM)
Lance Corporal Sebastian Edward WYTON-DE LISLE, The Royal Corps of Signals
Chief Technician David John LOWE, Royal Air Force
Mention in Despatches (MiD)
Marine Dexter BOGLE, Royal Marines
Corporal Michael Robert WAKER, Royal Marines
Corporal Peter BUCHANAN, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Major Alistair James CAMERON, Royal Tank Regiment
Acting Corporal Craig Graham CAMPBELL, Royal Corps of Signals
Acting Sergeant Scott James Heron COX, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Serjeant Martin James DAVIES, The Rifles
Lance Bombardier Lewis William DENYER, Royal Regiment of Artillery
Captain Charles William James GAIR, Irish Guards
Lieutenant Ralph St John Edmund GORE, Irish Guards
Staff Sergeant David Kenneth HIGGINS, The Parachute Regiment
Private Lydia Rebekah HILSON, Royal Army Medical Corps
Lance Corporal Darren Adam KEE, Corps of Royal Engineers
Corporal Michael Alexander KENNEDY, The Parachute Regiment
Staff Sergeant Colin James LAMBOURNE, The Parachute Regiment
Private Conrad LEWIS, The Parachute Regiment, Territorial Army (killed in action)
Sapper Martin William LITTLE, Corps of Royal Engineers
Captain Michael Curtis LOWRY, The Royal Logistic Corps
Lieutenant James Digby Scott MACDONALD, The Parachute Regiment
Ranger Peter MAWHINNEY, The Royal Irish Regiment
Ranger Liam Martin MCDONALD, The Royal Irish Regiment
Corporal Shaun Michael MCGLYNN, The Parachute Regiment
Acting Captain Iain Murray MCMAHON, The Parachute Regiment
Lance Corporal of Horse Paul William MINTER, The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons)
Private Dean Andrew MORGAN, The Royal Welsh
Acting Warrant Officer Class 2 Callum George MUIR, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Corporal David John NUNNERLEY, The Parachute Regiment
Trooper Jamie Lee ROSS, Royal Tank Regiment
Lance Corporal Craig Michael SLOAN, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Lance Corporal Liam Richard TASKER, Royal Army Veterinary Corps (killed in action)
Sergeant James Godfrey THOMAS, Corps of Royal Engineers
Corporal Marc Robert THOMPSON, The Parachute Regiment
Guardsman Christopher Martin TOBIN, Irish Guards
Private Joweli Vakalalavanua TOLUTINIKAONO, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Sergeant Harley David James UPHAM, Royal Tank Regiment
Private Mark James VIDLER, The Parachute Regiment
Lieutenant Gary William WARD, The Parachute Regiment
Sergeant Eric William WILSON, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Sergeant Stuart Charles WOOD, The Parachute Regiment
Staff Sergeant Kenny Robert WRIGHT, The Parachute Regiment
Sergeant Keith Richard MILLS, Royal Air Force
A soldier from 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment shows Afghan National Army warriors how to operate a Grenade Machine Gun
[Picture: Sergeant Rupert Frere RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]
Queen's Commendation for Bravery (QCB)
Corporal Kate Charlotte LAWLESS, Adjutant General's Corps (Royal Military Police)
Warrant Officer Class 2 Iain Crichton MARTIN, The Royal Logistic Corps
Private Christopher Graham MAXFIELD, The Parachute Regiment
Guardsman Michael William Henry MCMURTRY, Irish Guards
Lance Corporal Shaun Anthony POLL, The Parachute Regiment
Corporal Daniel Russell SCOTT, Corps of Royal Engineers
Lance Corporal Nicholas William TAYLOR, Corps of Royal Engineers
Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air (QCBA)
Flight Lieutenant Peter Richard Alan WINN, Royal Air Force
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS)
Lieutenant Commander Pauline AIRD, Royal Navy
Leading Seaman Daniel Michael ROCHE, Royal Navy
Commander Joseph Seymour Hume TURNER, Royal Navy
Corporal Christopher DAY, Intelligence Corps
Major James Alexander DOWLE, The Rifles, Territorial Army
Corporal Michael James Patrick DOWNES, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class Reverend Andrew John EARL, Royal Army Chaplains' Department
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Richard ELVISS, MBE, Royal Regiment of Artillery
Corporal Donna Ann FROST, Adjutant General's Corps (Royal Military Police)
Corporal Stephen Innes Stuart GALL, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, Territorial Army
Sergeant Duncan Anthony GORDON, Corps of Royal Engineers
Lieutenant Colonel Dougald Stewart Grant GRAHAM, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Acting Major Derek John HENDRY, The Parachute Regiment
Major Matthew Howard JONES, Intelligence Corps
Acting Major Peter Hamilton LECKEY, The Royal Irish Regiment, Territorial Army
Colonel Simon Rupert Durac MARR, MBE, late The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Captain Paul James MARTIN, The Royal Irish Regiment
Lance Corporal Stacey NICHOLSON, Adjutant General's Corps (Royal Military Police)
Brigadier Robert Malcolm Bowstead NITSCH, late Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers,
Major General George Pemberton Ross NORTON, CBE, late Grenadier Guards
Colonel Andrew John PARK, late Intelligence Corps
Lance Corporal Patrick Thomas QUINN, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Captain Neil Michael SIERENS, Army Air Corps
Captain Craig Ross SMITH, The Royal Logistic Corps
Major Piers Guy Beresford STRUDWICK, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Major Richard TODD, The Parachute Regiment
Captain Tobias WHITMARSH, The Royal Irish Regiment
Major Nicholas WIGHT-BOYCOTT, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Captain Christopher Michael WILCOCK, Corps of Royal Engineers, Territorial Army
Squadron Leader Michael Jeremy Jean-Paul BURTON, Royal Air Force
Wing Commander Jonathan Paul NIXON, Royal Air Force
Soldiers from 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment move along a track looking for suspicious ground-sign
Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2011
REST OF THE WORLD
Officer of the Order of The British Empire (OBE)
Commander David Henry WILKINSON, Royal Navy
Member of the Order of The British Empire (MBE)
Warrant Officer Class 1 John Thomas LAMBERT, Royal Navy
Warrant Officer Class 2 Paul Anthony NICOLL, Intelligence Corps
Queen's Commendation for Bravery (QCB)
Colour Sergeant Wayne BARFOOT, Royal Marines
Corporal Christopher John MCMAHON, The Parachute Regiment
Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air (QCBA)
Lieutenant Joseph Maximilian THOMAS, Royal Navy
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS)
Lieutenant Commander Sarah Elizabeth OAKLEY, Royal Navy
Staff Sergeant Stephen Richard CATCHPOLE, The Rifles
Major James Arthur GEDNEY, MBE, BEM, The Parachute Regiment
Colonel Wayne Richard HARBER, OBE, late The Royal Irish Regiment
Captain Peter William HENDRICK, Intelligence Corps
Major Alexander McClay RENNIE, MBE, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Staff Sergeant Damion Robert WILLIAMS, Intelligence Corps
Squadron Leader Craig YOUNG, Royal Air Force
MISCELLANEOUS AWARDS
Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM)
Lance Corporal Jason Lee ROBINSON, The Queen's Royal Hussars
Corporal Aaron John REAY, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Queen's Commendation for Bravery (QCB)
Acting Colour Sergeant Robert James MCGOWAN, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Lance Corporal Jonathan David TABERNER, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Flight Sergeant Mark LEAN, Royal Air Force