Neeeeeeewssss felch!

[nath]

BBC NEWS | England | West Midlands | Grenade hero awarded George Cross

Dunno if anyone saw this but christ, what a fucking top bloke.

 

[old.Tohtori]

A freakin Gears of War general that guy : "Grenade? Hmh. Only a nose bleed and a headache."

 

[Kryten]

Aye, lot of respect for him. After all, you can't be too decisive in that split second - most people would leg it sharpish, takes a brave man to instinctively put his life on the line when he knew full well it would more than likely kill him.
GC Fully deserved.

 

[00dave]

It's utter bullshit!!! He should have been awarded a victoria cross not a george cross. I think it's shit that they're out there in shit conditions and don't get looked after then when they go above and beyond they get the same awards that a civillian gets.

 

[DaGaffer]

It's utter bullshit!!! He should have been awarded a victoria cross not a george cross. I think it's shit that they're out there in shit conditions and don't get looked after then when they go above and beyond they get the same awards that a civillian gets.

VC and GC are actually at the same 'level', and there's a specific criteria for getting a VC, I think you have to be under direct fire, which he wasn't in this case.

 

[Mabs]

VC is in the face of enemy iirc, and he wasnt, so its no eligible


but fair play to him

 

[00dave]

VC and GC aren't on the same level.

I'd heard the story on radio 1 and got the impression someone had chucked the grenade at him.

They should change the rules really, they gave a vc to a first world war pilot for shooting down a zepplin, not exactly a small target and he wasn't injured but got a vc because they took a few shots at him. Where they got the 3 sworn statements from I don't know.

 

[nath]

I'd heard the story on radio 1 and got the impression someone had chucked the grenade at him.

It was a trip-wire according to the BBC and the video interview with the guy suggests the same.

 

[dysfunction]

VC and GC are actually at the same 'level', and there's a specific criteria for getting a VC, I think you have to be under direct fire, which he wasn't in this case.

Yes indeed...as it has been said in the News Article:

The George Cross is one of the highest decorations that can be awarded for acts of gallantry

 

[Edmond]

He actually triggered it, and took full responsibility by throwing himself on the grenade. Top man tbh

 

[nath]

Wikipedia The Infallible™ claims the following:

The George Cross (GC) is the highest civil decoration of the Commonwealth of Nations.[1] The GC is the civilian counterpart of the Victoria Cross and the highest gallantry award for civilians as well as for military personnel in actions which are not in the face of the enemy

 

[DaGaffer]

VC and GC aren't on the same level.

Yes they are, unless a person has earned both, in which case they wear the VC outermost. As this has never actually happened, the point is moot, from a gallantry perspective it's just under fire or not. As for the Zeppelin thing, this was probably because the GC wasn't actually invented until WWII.

 

[ECA]

It was a trip-wire according to the BBC and the video interview with the guy suggests the same.

One which incidentally, he triggered himself.

 

[00dave]

Yes they are, unless a person has earned both, in which case they wear the VC outermost. As this has never actually happened, the point is moot, from a gallantry perspective it's just under fire or not. As for the Zeppelin thing, this was probably because the GC wasn't actually invented until WWII.

Which would you prefer? I know which I'd prefer and I am ex military. But from an official point of view civillians can't be awarded a vc so there's a degree of pride for servicemen and their regiment/ squadron.

I can't seem to word that right but put it this way, anyone one of us could earn a GC tommorrow for whatever reason but none of us could earn a VC.

 

[TdC]

tbh top marks to that fellow. very selfless. if it were me, I'd prolly died stupidly and have gotten half the squad killed too.

 

[DaGaffer]

Which would you prefer? I know which I'd prefer and I am ex military. But from an official point of view civillians can't be awarded a vc so there's a degree of pride for servicemen and their regiment/ squadron.

I can't seem to word that right but put it this way, anyone one of us could earn a GC tommorrow for whatever reason but none of us could earn a VC.

Couldn't care less tbh. The idea of earning a medal has never really occurred to me. Having said that, I've read quite a lot about the VC, and it has to be said, an awful lot of them have been given out for political purposes. Not to say the guys who got them weren't brave, but a few VCs sprinkled about was a good way of distracting from bad news; in fact a cynic would say that's what it was invented for (to distract from the bad news about conditions at Sevastapol). Rorke's Drift would be another; got a whole army wiped out by a bunch of guys in loincloths with spears? Throw 8 VCs at a minor action and let the press do the rest. Your Zeppelin guy was probably another one in the same vein. There's actually less of this around the GC (if only because there have been far fewer awarded).

 

[throdgrain]

Great thread Nath thanks.

 

[Trem]

tbh top marks to that fellow. very selfless. if it were me, I'd prolly died stupidly and have gotten half the squad killed too.

You would of got them high and shagged beforehand though

Yes I agree with throdlar, great thread and about bloody time. Nice to hear Daves point of view as well, most interesting.

 

[00dave]

Couldn't care less tbh. The idea of earning a medal has never really occurred to me. Having said that, I've read quite a lot about the VC, and it has to be said, an awful lot of them have been given out for political purposes. Not to say the guys who got them weren't brave, but a few VCs sprinkled about was a good way of distracting from bad news; in fact a cynic would say that's what it was invented for (to distract from the bad news about conditions at Sevastapol). Rorke's Drift would be another; got a whole army wiped out by a bunch of guys in loincloths with spears? Throw 8 VCs at a minor action and let the press do the rest. Your Zeppelin guy was probably another one in the same vein. There's actually less of this around the GC (if only because there have been far fewer awarded).

I have a book I picked up in a sale called symbol of courage and it has every single VC awarded with the citation with it up to date and quite detailed, you should read it's a big book of british heroes.

 

[Mabs]

I have a book I picked up in a sale called symbol of courage and it has every single VC awarded with the citation with it up to date and quite detailed, you should read it's a big book of british heroes.

surely thats commonwealth heroes ?

 

[Milkshake]

I'm just glad the man got the recognition he deserved tbh. The world needs a few more heroes - just a shame you've got to go out to Afghanistan to see them.

 

[Milkshake]

P.S By the looks of things, he didn't 'dive ontop', he put himself between the grenade and his team - turned round before it and his bergan took most of the blast.

Reminds me of a story I heard from a Cpl in the Army, they were walking along a path on some mission when they walked into a minefield. Some of the more proper mines - not the little shitty plastic ones or a booby trap - shoot up into the air about 2 meters before exploding so as to pepper a wider area. Supposedly the guy tripped the mine which shot up into the air but hit the bottom of his bergan! Because it hadn't gone 2 metres, the cable attached that triggers the device was not released and the thing just sat there. Bloody lucky escape! The Bergan - unsung hero of todays wars

 

[Dukat]

I posted this link in IRC yesterday and throd ignored it BECAUSE HES EGYPTIAN

What the others said, top bloke, not so sure about the whole 'which medal' thing, I think at the end of the day yes it would be nice if he had of been awarded something higher, but then again, he's getting recognition, and its not really the medals that you're out there for is it?

 

[00dave]

I agree, I just got the impression they were under attack and a grenade landed near him which would have qualified him for a VC, I'm just glad he got something for his bravery.

I heard radio 2 had a discussion about how these kinds of people who are real heroes don't get anywhere near recognision of the fake heroes like wayne rooney, I say wayne rooney because he was used as an example on the show. Interesting point really.

 

[Dukat]

Yep, like people who get knighted for music or some shite. It just doesnt mean anything anymore

 

[Milkshake]

Couldn't agree more. However, some musicians are knighted (like Sir Paul McCartney) because they did a great deal of work for charities - and I guess they are knighted for music because that's the industry they are in.

00dave is spot on - so the boy can play football, big deal.

 

[00dave]

well it wasn't something I said but I can take credit for it