MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
News Release (036/2008) issued by The Government News Network on 7
March 2008
184 members of the
Armed Forces are honoured today for their courage and
professionalism on operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world.
Five Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses, five Distinguished Service
Orders, 28 Military Crosses, and three Distinguished Flying
Crosses will be awarded in the honours for the period 1st April
2007 to 30th September 2007.
Brigadier John Lorimer MBE and Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Carver
are awarded a Distinguished Service Order for their leadership
during 12 Mechanised Brigade's operational tour in Helmand
Province in summer 2007.
Flight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman becomes the first woman to
receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for her bravery in Basra.
Des Browne, Secretary of State for Defence, said today:
"Our servicemen and women risk their lives on operations
every day, and it gives me great pleasure to congratulate those
honoured today and to thank them for their tireless service to our country.
"These men and women are a credit to the Armed Forces. Many
of them have displayed courage beyond the call of duty and all of
them have shown unstinting dedication. We owe thanks to them all
and to their families for their invaluable support and commitment
to the Armed Forces."
Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup,
today said:
"The Service personnel that we honour today have all
distinguished themselves - many in the face of great danger - and
some have risked their own lives to save others. They have all
earned the nation's thanks and respect, and I pay tribute to
their outstanding achievements in the face of most difficult and
dangerous circumstances."
Amongst the military personnel honoured for service in
Afghanistan are:
Brigadier John Lorimer MBE, late of the Parachute Regiment,
receives the Distinguished Service Order. He commanded a
multi-national force of over 7,000 troops operating in the harsh
and dangerous environment of Helmand Province. Under his inspiring
leadership, and despite suffering significant casualties, the
force measurably improved the security situation in Helmand.
Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Carver, of The Royal Anglian Regiment,
also receives the Distinguished Service Order. Carver, through
personal example, impeccable judgement, and exemplary leadership
led his soldiers through the complex and dangerous jungle-like
'green zone' of Helmand Province. Despite the loss of
several soldiers in combat they never relented in their desire to
take the fight to the Taliban. He initiated reconstruction and
development projects to show local Afghans that the battle group
was a force for good, and the feeling of hope and optimism it
generated was overwhelming.
Lieutenant Simon Cupples, of The Mercian Regiment, is awarded the
Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. On a night mission, Cupples'
section was caught in open ground by very intense and accurate
enemy fire and sustained several casualties. He rallied a team of
five men and led them to the killing zone on four separate
occasions, painstakingly recovering three of the casualties. For
the fifth time, he crawled forward in an attempt to recover the
last casualty but the remorseless intensity of the enemy fire
forced him to withdraw. He was utterly determined not to leave his
soldier behind and subsequently commanded a rescue team who
successfully recovered the soldier.
Corporal Craig Brelsford, of The Mercian Regiment, is
posthumously awarded the Military Cross for his involvement in the
same engagement as Lieutenant Cupples. When tasked to assist
Lieutenant Cupples's section in evacuating four casualties
from a killing area with Taliban firing positions on two sides,
Brelsford quickly assessed the situation. He placed himself
between the enemy and the casualties and created a protective
screen for them. Whilst providing inspiration and encouragement to
some very frightened young soldiers, he was critically injured but
he continued to command his men. Only once he was in the safety of
a Viking vehicle did he stop, and sadly he succumbed to his
injuries a short time later. Brelsford displayed leadership,
professional skill and courage of the very highest order.
Private Paul Wilmott, of The Mercian Regiment, receives the
Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for work in Helmand. On a patrol in
the Upper Gereshk Valley, he assumed command of his section in the
most testing of circumstances and, neutralizing the Taleban as he
went, withdrew his section to safety while not abandoning a
casualty. He showed exceptional courage and resolve and extreme
devotion to duty and to his comrades.
Lance Corporal Donald Campbell, Corps of Royal Engineers, has won
the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for an incredible act of
pre-meditated bravery. He intentionally drove an unprotected piece
of large plant machinery into a Taleban killing zone, and whilst
under very intense accurate fire for a considerable amount of
time, he carefully placed a bridge-plate into a ditch to enable an
armoured advance.
Captain David Hicks, of The Royal Anglian Regiment, is
posthumously awarded the Military Cross. He led his company during
an extremely demanding eight days which ultimately cost him his
life. As a relatively junior officer he demonstrated leadership,
courage and tactical skill of the highest level, and way beyond
that which would be expected, he repeatedly 'led the
fight' against a determined enemy putting himself in the
centre of the action. He is honoured for his dedication to duty
and inspirational example.
Lance Corporal Oliver Ruecker, of The Royal Anglian Regiment,
receives the Military Cross. When Ruecker was part of a Viking
vehicle patrol, two rocket propelled grenades hit the vehicle
setting it alight. As Ruecker dismounted from the vehicle he saw
an armed Taliban fighter about to engage his colleagues as they
climbed out of the vehicle. He immediately neutralized the
fighter, removing a serious threat to his fellow soldiers. He then
realised that there was still someone stuck in the burning
vehicle. With a complete disregard for his own safety, Ruecker
returned through a hail of enemy fire, and extracted the soldier
from the burning vehicle. Seconds later it exploded into a ball of flames.
Amongst the servicemen and women honoured for service in Iraq are:
Brigadier Timothy Evans MBE, late of The Light Infantry, wins the
Distinguished Service Order for his success in launching over 200
strike operations in a six month period; resulting in many enemy
detained and neutralized. His drive, morally courageous
decision-making and astonishing and unquenchable energy have all
been critical to the maintenance and direction of these operations.
Lieutenant Colonel Justin Maciejewski MBE, of The Rifles,
receives the Distinguished Service Order for his inspirational
leadership of 2nd Battalion The Rifles during an exceptionally
challenging tour. Under his command the battalion maintained a
high morale despite a massive amount of enemy small arms, mortar
and rocket propelled grenade attacks and the death of 14 soldiers.
Corporal Adam Miller, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical
Engineers, is awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. In an
attempt to recover a military vehicle Miller worked tirelessly for
nearly two hours, much of that time under constant and heavy fire
in a 360 degree and three dimensional urban battle. Miller
displayed extraordinary dedication, icy nerve and determination.
Staff Sergeant James Wadsworth, of The Royal Logistic Corps,
receives the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for rendering safe, by
hand, and recovering one of the largest bombs ever found. His
extraordinary, selfless courage saved a nearby hospital and
prevented potentially severe and untold consequences.
Flight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman, of the Royal Air Force, is
the first woman to win a Distinguished Flying Cross. Goodman was
Aircraft Captain of an Incident Reaction Team (IRT) Merlin
Helicopter. Told of a serious casualty in central Basra City on
1st June 2007, she chose to fly into an extremely dangerous area.
Flying on night goggles and under very heavy fire she landed next
to the casualty and extracted him, despite mortar rounds landing
nearby. Without the IRT, the casualty would have died within 15
minutes. Despite extreme pressure, whilst in the face of the
enemy, she made the right decision.
Corporal David Hayden, of the RAF Regiment, is the first Airman
to receive the Military Cross. In a particularly ferocious battle
against a determined group of insurgents, involving a fully
dismounted patrol in Iraq, Hayden repeatedly showed the most
outstanding courage, selflessness and personal example. With
absolute disregard for his own safety he repeatedly risked his own
life in order to rescue a wounded comrade and extract his combat team.
Notes to Editors
1. For a full list of honours please call 020 7218 9006. Awards
to members of the Armed Forces are published on Friday 7th March
2008 in the London Gazette. The ranks and other personal details
shown are those current at the time the awards were recommended.
2. Photographs and further information from the media facility at
43 Brigade on Thursday 6th March will be available on the Defence
News Imagery database at http://www.defencenewsimagery.mod.uk
and details will be available on the MoD website at http://www.mod.uk after the
publication of the honours list on Friday 7th March.
3. Photographs and further information from the RAF's media
facility on Friday 7th March will also be published on the Defence
News Imagery database and the MoD website.