Victoria and George Cross heroes to join Abbey throng
ALL 25 living recipients of Her Majesty’s highest awards for gallantry – the Victoria Cross and the George Cross – have been invited to the Queen’s funeral.
The prestigious group include British and Australian soldiers who displayed exemplary courage on the battlefield. Insiders say 17 are expected to attend.
The VC is the highest decoration for valour in the face of the enemy. The GC is often called the civilian equivalent but it has also been awarded to military personnel for bravery when the enemy was not present.
The most recent living British VCs are Joshua Leakey of the Parachute Regiment, decorated for his bravery in Afghanistan in 2013, and Johnson Beharry of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, for courage in Iraq in 2004.
Bryan Budd of the Parachute Regiment and James Ashworth of the Grenadier Guards were awarded posthumous VCs in 2006 and 2012 respectively. Both were killed in action in Afghanistan.
Four Australian Special Forces soldiers also earned the VC in Afghanistan. Ben Roberts-Smith, Keith Payne, Mark Donaldson and Daniel Keighran. Mr Roberts-Smith spoke yesterday of his ‘deep respect’ for the Queen as ‘a magnificent monarch, a stoic leader and a lovely lady’.
British forces won four GCs in Afghanistan. Royal Marine Matthew Croucher dived on to an unexploded grenade to save his colleagues while bomb disposal officer Kim Hughes made safe 119 deadly devices.
Police officers with GCs expected to attend include Jim Beaton, now 79, who won his award after he was shot three times while protecting Princess Anne from an armed attacker in 1974. Former PC Tony Gledhill, 84, won his after he was shot 15 times chasing an armed gang in London in 1966. He said: ‘I’m absolutely delighted. It’s an honour.’
Businessman Lord Ashcroft, who owns more than 200 VC medals, said: ‘These individuals are the bravest of the brave and it is entirely appropriate they are honoured in this special way.’
Those invited will also get special access to Her Majesty’s lyingin-state at Westminster Hall.