MilitaryForums.co.uk

With the recent action out in Afghanistan and Iraq has any serviceman earned the Victoria Cross. I recently heard of a Trooper from the Household Cavalry who had recieved the George Cross for rescuing his colleagues who had been caught up in an American bombing incident. Has there been any outstanding acts of bravery by Britsh service men that would warrant the dispensing of the Victoria Cross.

There were a few cases involving the Australian sas in afghanatan when they were clearing out caves but there wasnt a commissioned officer present present so they coulden't be recomended for one.

Does anyone know the last time a soldier was considered for a VC, not for an SAS or SBS soldier but for a regular?

They guy who won the GC in Iraq was probably considered, and had it been Iraqi planes and not yanks he would have won it. Don't forget the GC and the VC are the same except VC is for exceptional clearheaded bravery in the face of the Enemy.

BenChug wrote:They guy who won the GC in Iraq was probably considered, and had it been Iraqi planes and not yanks he would have won it. Don't forget the GC and the VC are the same except VC is for exceptional clearheaded bravery in the face of the Enemy.

Absolutley, though these days the GC is the more common medal seeing how as there are more oppurtunities to win it, which is sad fact considering the only time you could win it would be during blue on blue or a pretty bad accident.

H Jones and one of his sgts the name escapes me at this present time they both got it in the Falklands conflict.

Hello Garryowen,

Lt.Col. Jones VC was with 2 Para at Goose Green while Sgt. Ian Mackay won his VC with 3 Para at Mt. Longdon. Both awards were posthumous, the last living recipient of the Victoria Cross was L/Cpl Rambahadur Limbu 10th (Princess Mary's Own) Gurkha Rifles for actions during the Borneo Confrontation in 1965. His investiture was the following year at Buckingham Palace by HM. In the early 1990's it was revealed that the action he had been taking part in was in fact a covert cross border "Operation Claret" raid. They just neglected to mention that in the citation at the time is all.
Best regards!

Pasha

I know its not recent but I read about a section commander in NI who won the MM who was considered for the VC.
It said that he deserved it but because of the publicity around the giving of a VC it was against interests.

Just found the book!

Faith and Duty: The True Story of a Soldier's Life in Northern Ireland.

By Nicky Curtis (Green Howards in the 70's)

Read the book a few years back bloody good piece of work.

Apparently, the VC can only be awarded if an officer see's the action. In the SAS for example, they hardly ever see the Ruperts. That's not to say Ruperts can't be good enough.

tyke172 wrote:I know its not recent but I read about a section commander in NI who won the MM who was considered for the VC.
It said that he deserved it but because of the publicity around the giving of a VC it was against interests.

and the fact that PIRA/RIRA/CIRA/UFF/UVF arent technically classed as the 'enemy'