Johnson Gideon Beharry

From Alf Askin's research notes

Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.

BEHARRY, Johnson Gideon.

Private. 1st Battalion Prince of Wales Royal Regiment.

London Gazetted on 18th March 2005 Born on 27th July 1979 at Granada, West Indies.

VC Medal to be presented.

Digest of Citation Reads: At Al-Amarah, north of Basra, on 1st May 2004, Private Beharry was driving a Warrior armoured vehicle when they were ordered to an outpost in the troubled city of Al-Amarah. This was intensely hostile territory. They were then redirected to the assistance of a foot patrol that had become pinned down by heavy fire. There was a possibility of potential ambushes and the platoon commander stopped the vehicle. It was immediately overwhelmed with explosions. The commander, Second Lieutenant Richard Dean, and most of the occupants were concussed or wounded, the radio be rendered inoperative. Unable to communicate with the other Warriors and not knowing whether the other members of the crew were dead or alive, he drove forward when another rocket attack set his vehicle on fire filling it noxious fumes. He decided that the only way to save his comrades was to continue on through the ambush. Eventually he stopped and rescued the platoon commander, wounded gunner and the remaining soldiers in the vehicle leading them to a place of safety. He eventually collapsed from both physical and mental exhaustion. A bullet which had penetrated his helmet lodged only mm from his brain. On his return to duty in June 2004, he was again driving through Al-Amarah when his vehicle was hit by a rocket propelled grenade. Others of his crew were injured, including himself, but he managed to reverse the Warrior out of the ambush enabling himself and his crew to be rescued. He then lost consciousness.