Bamber Gasgong
PC Leon McLeod with the Queen’s Gallantry Medal THREE policemen who tackled the London Bridge terrorists pose proudly with their gongs yesterday.
PC Charlie Guenigault was off duty and enjoying a night out on June 3 last year when he stepped in after seeing two colleagues being attacked.
The Met officer, 26, was knifed five times – and had emergency surgery for wounds in the head, neck, back, stomach and leg.
Picking up a George Medal at Buckingham Palace, he said modestly: “[The Queen] was saying about me being off duty and asked why I made the decision, and I said I’m not sure, it just came to me.
“You don’t do what we did intending to end up in Buckingham Palace, for all of us we did it pretty instinctively.”
PC Wayne Marques, from the British Transport Police, also picked up a George Medal “for great courage”.
He said: “You can do nothing but appreciate the acknowledgement that the Queen and the public have given us.
“For me, nothing was done for a HONOUR Bamber and Queen Met’s Charlie Guenigault was awarded George Medal
medal. We did what we needed to do at the time.” Constable Leon McLeod, of the British Transport Police, received the Queen’s Gallantry Medal.
The rampage by Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba started with them in a van mowing down people before attacking with blades. It ended when police shot them dead. Among the eight people they killed was another hero who was honoured posthumously yesterday.
Banker Ignacio Echeverria, 39, is known as the Skateboard Hero after using his skateboard to defend a woman from the killers.
His parents Joaquin and Maria, from Madrid, received his George Medal. Mr Alonso said the day was a “special moment but very emotional” for them.
He added: “To recognise the courage of my son, he will be remembered.
“He was a generous man and helped when it was necessary.”
Strictly Come Dancing star Stacey Dooley missed the ceremony, where she had been due to receive an MBE.
Parents get gong for Ignacio, right FORMER University Challenge host Bamber Gascoigne and TV news veteran Kate Adie, right, were honoured yesterday.
Adie, 73, and PC Wayne Marques shows off George Medal Bamber, 83, won CBEs for services to the media and arts respectively. He was a trustee at the National and Tate Galleries. The attack last June