Hero sells medal to buy home

An Iraq war hero who won the Military Cross after taking on 25 gunmen is to sell his prized medal at auction for up to £20,000 to raise money for a deposit on a house.

Corporal Tony Currie, 47, of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB), won the rare gallantry medal for his role in a prolonged fight with Iraqi insurgents on August 8, 2003.

Currie, from Glasgow, was presented with the MC by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace the following year in recognition of his “selfless courage and inspirational leadership”.

The medal was the only Military Cross awarded to a member of the KOSB in Iraq. It will go under the hammer in London next month along with six other medals won by Currie. He had been commanding a unit in August 2003 when it came under heavy fire.

Leading his men in a frontal assault, Currie shot dead one enemy soldier before clearing two buildings and wounding two others.

His official recommendation for the Military Cross described how he “led his men tirelessly, often placing himself in extreme danger to allow his men to better identify targets and engage them”.

KOSB Corporal Shaun Jardine sold his Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, won for bravery, last month for £140,000.