Johnson Beharry
Encyclopedia
Lance Corporal
Johnson Gideon Beharry VC
(born 26 July 1979) of the 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
, is a British Army
soldier who, on 18 March 2005, was awarded the Victoria Cross
, the highest military decoration
for valour in the British
and Commonwealth
armed forces
, for twice saving members of his unit from ambush
es on 1 May and again on 11 June 2004 at Al-Amarah, Iraq
. He sustained serious head injuries in the latter engagement. Beharry was formally invested with the Victoria Cross by Queen Elizabeth II
on 27 April 2005.
Beharry is the first recipient of the Victoria Cross since the posthumous awards to Lieutenant Colonel
H. Jones
and Sergeant
Ian John McKay
for service in the Falklands War
in 1982. He is the first living recipient of the VC since Keith Payne
and Rayene Stewart Simpson
, both Australia
n, for actions in Vietnam
in 1969, and the first living recipient of the VC in the British Army
since Rambahadur Limbu
, a Gurkha
, in the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
in 1965. He is one of only 6There is also one living holder of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand
, Willie Apiata, and one living recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
, Mark Donaldson
. living recipients of the VC, and the youngest. Other living recipients of Victoria Cross awards include Willie Apiata – VC for New Zealand; Mark Donaldson
– VC for Australia and Ben Roberts-Smith
– VC for Australia.
, and has four brothers and three sisters. He moved to the UK
in 1999. He is currently estranged from his wife Lynthia Beharry, who is also from Grenada and is three years younger than him. Beharry said in an official statement released through the Ministry of Defence
that the trauma of his war experiences had caused "difficulties" in his marriage.
, he became a driver of Warrior
armoured vehicles in C Company, 1st Battalion. Prior to Iraq, he served for six months in Kosovo
and three months in Northern Ireland
.
Although Beharry served three months in Northern Ireland
, his official MOD
photograph does not show him wearing the General Service Medal (1962)
with Northern Ireland clasp. His service in Northern Ireland may not have been during the general qualifying period for the GSM with Northern Ireland clasp which is a minimum of 30 days' service between 14 August 1969 and 31 July 2007. However, the 30 days' service does not have to be composed of consecutive days.
that had been called to the assistance of a foot patrol caught in a series of ambushes. The Warrior was hit by multiple rocket propelled grenade
s, causing damage and resulting in the loss of radio communications. The platoon commander, the vehicle’s gunner and a number of other soldiers in the vehicle were injured. Due to damage to his periscope optics, Pte. Beharry was forced to open his hatch to steer his vehicle, exposing his face and head to withering small arms fire. Beharry drove the crippled Warrior through the ambush, taking his own crew and leading five other Warriors to safety. He then extracted his wounded comrades from the vehicle, all the time exposed to further enemy fire. He was cited on this occasion for "valour of the highest order".
While back on duty on 11 June 2004, Beharry was again driving the lead Warrior of his platoon through Al Amarah when his vehicle was ambushed. A rocket propelled grenade hit the vehicle six inches from Beharry's head, and he received serious shrapnel injuries to his face and brain. Other rockets then hit the vehicle, incapacitating his commander and injuring several of the crew. Despite his life threatening injuries, Beharry retained control of his vehicle and drove it out of the ambush area before losing consciousness. He required brain surgery for his head injuries, and he was still recovering in March 2005 when he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He has suggested on at least one occasion that he would return to military service if physically able to do so.
of 18 March 2005 and commented, "Private Beharry carried out two individual acts of great heroism by which he saved the lives of his comrades. Both were in direct face of the enemy, under intense fire, at great personal risk to himself (one leading to him sustaining very serious injuries). ... Beharry displayed repeated extreme gallantry and unquestioned valour, despite intense direct attacks, personal injury and damage to his vehicle in the face of relentless enemy action."
but has been unable to return to duty.
On 26 September 2006 it was reported that he has been promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal
.
In February 2007 his portrait was presented to the National Portrait Gallery in London by the artist Emma Wesley (born the same year as Beharry) and has since become part of the gallery's collection.
On 19 May 2007 Beharry brought the FA Cup
onto the field at the new Wembley Stadium
before the final between Chelsea
and Manchester United.
On 11 November 2008 Beharry acted as an escort to 110 year-old Harry Patch
, then one of only three remaining British survivors of World War I
, at the Cenotaph
in London's Whitehall to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the signing of the armistice
which ended that conflict. On 11 November 2009, Beharry, and Mark Donaldson
– the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
(though not the first Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross) – handed a wreath to the Queen during a service in Westminster Abbey
which marked the deaths in 2009 of the last three veterans of World War I resident in the United Kingdom, Bill Stone, Henry Allingham
and Harry Patch. The wreath was then laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.
of his experiences. His book, entitled Barefoot Soldier, was written in collaboration with Nick Cook
and was published in October 2006.
television docudrama
Victoria Cross Heroes
which also included archive footage and dramatisations of his actions.
According to The Daily Telegraph
, a planned 90-minute drama about Beharry was cancelled by the BBC
allegedly because it was too positive and would alienate members of the audience opposed to the war in Iraq.
He spoke out on BBC News
on 28 February 2009 criticising the lack of support for ex-servicemen and women suffering from mental health problems, and revealing his own ongoing flashbacks and other symptoms.
A description of his actions is also given in the book Sniper One by Dan Mills, and Eight Lives Down by Major Chris Hunter
From 9 January to 20 March 2011, Beharry competed in the 2011 season of Dancing on Ice
. He was partnered with Canadian ice skater, Jodeyne Higgins
. Johnson reached the semi-finals, broadcast on 20 March 2011.
Lance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
Johnson Gideon Beharry VC
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(born 26 July 1979) of the 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
"PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...
, is a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
soldier who, on 18 March 2005, was awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest military decoration
Military decoration
A military decoration is a decoration given to military personnel or units for heroism in battle or distinguished service. They are designed to be worn on military uniform....
for valour in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
, for twice saving members of his unit from ambush
Ambush
An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which the aggressors take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack an unsuspecting enemy from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops...
es on 1 May and again on 11 June 2004 at Al-Amarah, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He sustained serious head injuries in the latter engagement. Beharry was formally invested with the Victoria Cross by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
on 27 April 2005.
First living recipient of the VC in over 30 years
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
H. Jones
H. Jones
Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Jones VC OBE, , known as H. Jones, was a British army officer and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross...
and Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Ian John McKay
Ian John McKay
Ian John McKay VC was a posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
for service in the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
in 1982. He is the first living recipient of the VC since Keith Payne
Keith Payne
Keith Payne VC, OAM is an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces, during the Vietnam War...
and Rayene Stewart Simpson
Rayene Stewart Simpson
Rayene Stewart "Ray" Simpson VC, DCM was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces.-Early life:Simpson was born in Chippendale, New South Wales and educated...
, both Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n, for actions in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in 1969, and the first living recipient of the VC in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
since Rambahadur Limbu
Rambahadur Limbu
Captain Rambahadur Limbu, VC, MVO is a Nepalese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Rambahadur Limbu belongs to the Begha Clan of Limbu Nationality of Nepal. He retired with the honorary...
, a Gurkha
Gurkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
, in the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation during 1962–1966 was Indonesia’s political and armed opposition to the creation of Malaysia. It is also known by its Indonesian/Malay name Konfrontasi...
in 1965. He is one of only 6There is also one living holder of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand
Victoria Cross for New Zealand
The Victoria Cross for New Zealand is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the New Zealand Armed Forces. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and civilians under military command, and is presented to the recipient by the...
, Willie Apiata, and one living recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
Victoria Cross for Australia
The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the Australian Honours System, superseding the Victoria Cross for issue to Australians...
, Mark Donaldson
Mark Donaldson
Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson VC is the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, awarded for gallantry, the highest award in the Australian honours system. He is the first Australian recipient of a Victoria Cross since Keith Payne in 1969...
. living recipients of the VC, and the youngest. Other living recipients of Victoria Cross awards include Willie Apiata – VC for New Zealand; Mark Donaldson
Mark Donaldson
Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson VC is the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, awarded for gallantry, the highest award in the Australian honours system. He is the first Australian recipient of a Victoria Cross since Keith Payne in 1969...
– VC for Australia and Ben Roberts-Smith
Ben Roberts-Smith
Benjamin "Ben" Roberts-Smith VC, MG is an Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, the highest award in the Australian honours system....
– VC for Australia.
Personal life
Beharry was born in GrenadaGrenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
, and has four brothers and three sisters. He moved to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1999. He is currently estranged from his wife Lynthia Beharry, who is also from Grenada and is three years younger than him. Beharry said in an official statement released through the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
that the trauma of his war experiences had caused "difficulties" in his marriage.
Army career
Beharry joined the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment in August 2001. After training at CatterickCatterick Garrison
Catterick Garrison is a major Army base located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, plus a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than its older neighbour...
, he became a driver of Warrior
Warrior Tracked Armoured Vehicle
The Warrior tracked vehicle family is a series of British armoured vehicles, originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured vehicles. The Warrior started life as the MCV-80 project that was first broached in the 1970s, GKN Sankey/Defence winning the production contract in 1980....
armoured vehicles in C Company, 1st Battalion. Prior to Iraq, he served for six months in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and three months in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Awards and Campaign Medals
- Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for Valour in Iraq - Kosovo MedalNATO MedalThe NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization . It is manufactured by Eekelers - Centini, International, of Hemiksem, Belgium...
for service in Kosovo - Iraq MedalIraq Medal (United Kingdom)The Iraq Medal was a campaign medal for issue to Officers and Other Ranks of the British Armed Forces, and others, who served on, or in support of, Operation TELIC - the designation for British operations during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and its aftermath....
for service in Iraq
Although Beharry served three months in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, his official MOD
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
photograph does not show him wearing the General Service Medal (1962)
General Service Medal (1962)
The General Service Medal , was introduced in 1962 to combine the General Service Medal , as awarded to the Army and RAF, and the Naval General Service Medal...
with Northern Ireland clasp. His service in Northern Ireland may not have been during the general qualifying period for the GSM with Northern Ireland clasp which is a minimum of 30 days' service between 14 August 1969 and 31 July 2007. However, the 30 days' service does not have to be composed of consecutive days.
Actions in Iraq
On 1 May 2004, Beharry was driving a Warrior Tracked Armoured VehicleWarrior Tracked Armoured Vehicle
The Warrior tracked vehicle family is a series of British armoured vehicles, originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured vehicles. The Warrior started life as the MCV-80 project that was first broached in the 1970s, GKN Sankey/Defence winning the production contract in 1980....
that had been called to the assistance of a foot patrol caught in a series of ambushes. The Warrior was hit by multiple rocket propelled grenade
Rocket propelled grenade
A rocket-propelled grenade is a shoulder-fired, anti-tank weapon system which fires rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. These warheads are affixed to a rocket motor and stabilized in flight with fins. Some types of RPG are reloadable while others are single-use. RPGs, with the exception of...
s, causing damage and resulting in the loss of radio communications. The platoon commander, the vehicle’s gunner and a number of other soldiers in the vehicle were injured. Due to damage to his periscope optics, Pte. Beharry was forced to open his hatch to steer his vehicle, exposing his face and head to withering small arms fire. Beharry drove the crippled Warrior through the ambush, taking his own crew and leading five other Warriors to safety. He then extracted his wounded comrades from the vehicle, all the time exposed to further enemy fire. He was cited on this occasion for "valour of the highest order".
While back on duty on 11 June 2004, Beharry was again driving the lead Warrior of his platoon through Al Amarah when his vehicle was ambushed. A rocket propelled grenade hit the vehicle six inches from Beharry's head, and he received serious shrapnel injuries to his face and brain. Other rockets then hit the vehicle, incapacitating his commander and injuring several of the crew. Despite his life threatening injuries, Beharry retained control of his vehicle and drove it out of the ambush area before losing consciousness. He required brain surgery for his head injuries, and he was still recovering in March 2005 when he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He has suggested on at least one occasion that he would return to military service if physically able to do so.
Citation
The full citation was published in a supplement to the London GazetteLondon Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
of 18 March 2005 and commented, "Private Beharry carried out two individual acts of great heroism by which he saved the lives of his comrades. Both were in direct face of the enemy, under intense fire, at great personal risk to himself (one leading to him sustaining very serious injuries). ... Beharry displayed repeated extreme gallantry and unquestioned valour, despite intense direct attacks, personal injury and damage to his vehicle in the face of relentless enemy action."
Afterwards
As of 23 September 2006, as a result of his injuries, he still has severe pain in his back and head. He is on the army payrollPayroll
In a company, payroll is the sum of all financial records of salaries for an employee, wages, bonuses and deductions. In accounting, payroll refers to the amount paid to employees for services they provided during a certain period of time. Payroll plays a major role in a company for several reasons...
but has been unable to return to duty.
On 26 September 2006 it was reported that he has been promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
.
In February 2007 his portrait was presented to the National Portrait Gallery in London by the artist Emma Wesley (born the same year as Beharry) and has since become part of the gallery's collection.
On 19 May 2007 Beharry brought the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
onto the field at the new Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
before the final between Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and Manchester United.
On 11 November 2008 Beharry acted as an escort to 110 year-old Harry Patch
Harry Patch
Henry John "Harry" Patch , known in his latter years as "the Last Fighting Tommy", was a British supercentenarian, briefly the oldest man in Europe, and the last surviving soldier to have fought in the trenches of the First World War...
, then one of only three remaining British survivors of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, at the Cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
in London's Whitehall to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the signing of the armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
which ended that conflict. On 11 November 2009, Beharry, and Mark Donaldson
Mark Donaldson
Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson VC is the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, awarded for gallantry, the highest award in the Australian honours system. He is the first Australian recipient of a Victoria Cross since Keith Payne in 1969...
– the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
Victoria Cross for Australia
The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the Australian Honours System, superseding the Victoria Cross for issue to Australians...
(though not the first Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross) – handed a wreath to the Queen during a service in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
which marked the deaths in 2009 of the last three veterans of World War I resident in the United Kingdom, Bill Stone, Henry Allingham
Henry Allingham
Henry William Allingham was a British supercentenarian, First World War veteran and, for one month, the verified oldest living man in the world...
and Harry Patch. The wreath was then laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.
Publishing deal
On 18 September 2005 it was reported in the press that Beharry had obtained a publishing deal worth £1m to write an autobiographyAutobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
of his experiences. His book, entitled Barefoot Soldier, was written in collaboration with Nick Cook
Nick Cook
Nick Cook is a British aviation journalist and author of fiction and non-fiction works and has won four Aerospace Journalist of the Year Awards from the Royal Aeronautical Society.-Journalism:...
and was published in October 2006.
In the media
Beharry was interviewed for the 20062006 in television
2006 in television may refer to:*2006 in American television*2006 in Australian television*2006 in British television*2006 in Canadian television*2006 in Japanese television...
television docudrama
Docudrama
In film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....
Victoria Cross Heroes
Victoria Cross Heroes
Victoria Cross Heroes is a three-part television docudrama recipients first broadcast by Five in 2006 that tells the stories of some of the recipients of the Victoria Cross.-Production:...
which also included archive footage and dramatisations of his actions.
According to The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, a planned 90-minute drama about Beharry was cancelled by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
allegedly because it was too positive and would alienate members of the audience opposed to the war in Iraq.
He spoke out on BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
on 28 February 2009 criticising the lack of support for ex-servicemen and women suffering from mental health problems, and revealing his own ongoing flashbacks and other symptoms.
A description of his actions is also given in the book Sniper One by Dan Mills, and Eight Lives Down by Major Chris Hunter
From 9 January to 20 March 2011, Beharry competed in the 2011 season of Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice is a British television show co-hosted by Christine Bleakley and Philip Schofield, in which celebrities and their professional partners figure skate in front of a panel of judges. The format, devised by LWT and Granada Television, has been a prime-time hit in eight different...
. He was partnered with Canadian ice skater, Jodeyne Higgins
Jodeyne Higgins
Jodeyne Higgins is a Canadian pair skater. With skating partner and husband Sean Rice, she is the 1993 & 1995 Canadian bronze medalist. They also competed in the fours discipline, winning the fours title at the 1993 Canadian Figure Skating Championships with Jodi Barnes and Rob Williams and the...
. Johnson reached the semi-finals, broadcast on 20 March 2011.
Quotations
- "Maybe I was brave, I don't know. At the time I was just doing the job, I didn't have time for other thoughts."—Private Johnson Beharry.
- "You're very special ... It's been rather a long time since I've awarded one of these."— Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, when awarding Private Beharry his VC.
- "I was overshadowed today by Private Beharry, and quite rightly so – it was an honour to stand alongside him"—General Sir Mike JacksonMike JacksonGeneral Sir Michael David "Mike" Jackson, is a retired British Army officer and one of its most high-profile generals since the Second World War. Originally commissioned into the Intelligence Corps in 1963, he transferred to the Parachute Regiment, with whom he served two of his three tours of...
, who was being invested by the Queen on the same day that Private Beharry received his VC. Jackson was there to receive the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
; by protocol, the Victoria Cross is always the first award presented at any investiture. - "Some days you['re] the bug, some days you['re] the windshield"—Private Johnson Beharry, VC.
External links
- A 'great hero' who saved comrades – full citation (BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 18 March 2005) - Private twice rescued colleagues while under heavy fire in Iraq (The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 18 March 2005) - MOD press release (18 March 2005)