VC Winners

[DSG4ME]

I have to make an amendment to my previous postings, tonight I gained first hand knowledge of something I assumed was PC workings.

I had thought the black guy awarded a VC had got one due to the PC regiem wanting to show black ppl could get one, I had the picture that a man in a tank had gained a VC.

I now know he was in a APC which is basically a transport carrier not a tank, I also was told he went in and out numerous times to save others and left the "safety" of the vehicle to retrieve wounded and got shot in the head himself whilst doing so.

So please accept my newspaper was wrong and you deserve your medal, I know you were embarassed by the award, but given what you did you deserved it, and I'm proud of you and men like you serve in the British Army.

[DSG4ME]

I have to update this as it would seem my stretch the truth mate has been at it again, this is the full story and the man and his bravery isn't to be questioned

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_Beharry

However as I originally thought he was driving a tank and not a personnel carrier, did he deserve a VC, I don't think so, did he deserve a high grade valour/bravery medal, yes I do think so, the thing that has always rankled me with this story is I met a lad who did pretty well the same thing in Iraq in a Land Rover, his arm was shot out but even with his forearm bone shattered and hanging out he still pushed on and stopped the convoy becoming a sitting duck, he didn't get a medal or certainly not a VC anyway, in the end I think they did two things of equal bravery and one got recognised and the other didn't, Johnson has further problem's to deal with having taken a round in the head, and I hope the support is there to make sure he doesn't end up a vet having to live in a shelter and sell his medal to survive, and finally I'm sure there are many other troops who've done things in both Iraq and Afghanistan who won't be getting recognised for it, so from me I assure you there are people like me who even though we can't give you a medal can still award you mental note/medal of recognition for what you have done in battle.

[Bratty]

Thing is that NOBODY! (except maybe Prince Charles!) puts themselves forward for a (Military) Bravery Medal. You are basically at the mercy of those around you to make sure that the "Top Brass" get to know about the action. Unfortuneately there are better information givers than others!

The chap was awarded the VC (he did not ask to have it!) because his level of bravery was "RECOGNISED" and the accompanying paperwork was "CONVINCING" enough. Others who have not recieved such a high honour and feel "Put Out" by it would have to question, "Was their Commander at the time" convincing enough?

Dunk

[Bratty]

Warrior is not a tank! and I can personaly vouch that the Area where the incident happenned, was (At the time when I was there! late 2004-early 2005) was as close to the Wild West as you can imagine!!?!! And your man proved twice that he had a death wish, one of the pre-requisites for a VC (Look how many are postiumous).

The fact wether ex-forces can cope (And the Q why can they not!) with the "After-Life" is an issue that is being dealt with by the "British Legion" and if any member is feeling supportive then that is perhaps the direction your support should tend towards!

Dunk

[DSG4ME]

Yeah, I guess a second look at it, it isn't a tank, looks like one though if you don't look close enough, I wasn't retracing any honour from Johnson btw, and remember I didn't have to write the original post anyway, I felt I needed to as up til then I'd been led to believe it was a tank, it's certanly a lot more than the old APC were though, I do support the British Legion, I always get fresh poppy items each year and I make sure they are in prominent position so everyone getting in and out of my car can have a faceful and a reminder, I know too many ppl who brush last years one off, you kinda sum'd it up Dunk when you said about if the story reaches the right ear's from the right mouth's to be considered, and I mentioned Johnson and his future as he's split from his wife and had a few issue's since, given he's had an injury to his brain this isn't suprising to me tbh, or another way to put it, is I hope they don't just wheel him out each November as a display item, he should be found for, he isn't British, yet he's fought for us, he's saved other's and his life will never be the same again, when you see what they give imo the undeserving, why shouldn't someone like him get the best, and I don't think for one minute he had a deathwish, I just think he's one of those ppl who doesn't leave a man behind, something sadly lacking in British culture these days.

[Bratty]

Its not a death-wish! its more like "I have a duty to do and nothing will stand in my way".

In Military dialouge- "Your Mission is!???!!"to be repeated "Your Mission is !???!!".

I think you have a tank fetish!

Dunk

[DSG4ME]

I am a bit of a military hardware admirer I admit, it's planes and ships mainly though, especially planes, but then things that go mach + are in my blood anyway

O/T, there is a great doc series on Nat Geo channel about old tanks being restored btw.

[Bratty]

Its actually quite strange how images or sounds from a bye-gone era stir the blood! ie.Royal Wedding, Lancaster and spitfire fly-by had more WOW! factor than the Typhoons etc.

We often have a Mustang P38 at the local airfield and its sounds magnifico as its going about its business but the Aircraft that I would most like to have a cabby in would be a "Lightning", What a MAD!!! MAD!!! beast.

Dunk

[DSG4ME]

Have you heard a Spitfire flying at display alt, bloomin noisy I can tell ya, my dad is the worst one, he is a warchild and used to see and hear the Lancaster's leaving on raid's, imagine that a squadron of them leaving in formation in the night, and an old mate of mine can still remember the sound of the V bomber's as they ran out of fuel and fell on London, I only got to know of it when we were chatting a few weeks ago about a WW2 doc I was watching, and he said to me he didn't watch anything like that as it reminded him too much, I can't type what he actually said about them but rest assured it was colourful.