Hero soldier’s medals could sell for £ 120k
A soldier who was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantr y Cross for saving the lives of his men when he picked up and hurled away a Taliban grenade is selling his medal collection.
Deacon Cutterham had just f i ve s econds t o plunge his arm into murky ditchwater, retrieve the high- explosive device and throw it to safety during a tour of Afghanistan in 2011.
Mr Cutterham, who was a Serjeant with the 1st Battalion the Rifles, is now selling the Conspicuous Gallantr y Cross - one level down from t he Vi c t ori a Cross - al ong with ot her medals he was awarded.
His medal citation reads: “The action itself was utterl y courageous, carried out with composure and clarity of thought. Cutterham's gritty leadership and gallant act saved lives and inspired his men.”
T h e c o l l e c t i o n o f s e v e n medals is expected to fetch u p t o £ 1 2 0,0 0 0 when i t i s sold by Dix Noonan Webb on November 12.
Mr Cutterham, now aged 37 and from Bristol, joined the Army at 16 and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan during a 19- year military career.
T h e i n c i d e n t h a p p e n e d a s Mr Cut t e r h a m a n d h i s patrol were wading through a n i r r i g a t i o n d i t c h k n e e - deep in water when the grenade came flying over a high wall.
“I heard a f amiliar ‘ ping’ noise and knew exactly what it was, I looked up and in slow motion I could s ee a hand g r e n a d e whi c h h a d b e e n thrown from the other side of the wall and landed roughly a metre in front of me,” he said.
“I l i ken the sensation to a wasp f l ying down your t op a nd yo u c a n' t move qui c k enough to get that T- shirt off -
only if the grenade explodes, it's not just a sting, it's the life of me and my team.”
Havi ng r u n t owards t h e g r e nade, pi c ked i t up a nd thrown it away all in a matter of seconds, Mr Cutterham then proceeded to extract his men from the area without sustaining casualties.
Mr Cutterham had another lucky escape during the same t o u r when h e was b l o wn into the air by an improvised explosive device.
The following year he was presented with the medal at
Buckingham Palace by t he Prince of Wales.
He said: “I will never forget it, truly to this day the proudest moment of my life.
"The 19 years I served in the Army were t he best of my life. I lived 100 lifetimes in the British Army, it felt more like one big adventure than a job. It's a fantastic organisation and I have a lot to be thankful to it for."
Explaining why he is selling his medals, Mr Cutterham said: "My medals were hardearned and I will be invest
ing the proceeds carefully to help ensure my future financial security."
M a r k Q u a y l e , a s s o c i - ate director of Dix Noonan Webb, said: "Serjeant Cutterham's gallant conduct epitomises cold, calculated, courage under the most extreme of circumstances.
"The award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross reflects that, and it is a privilege to be handling the sale of his medals upon his behalf."