L/Cpl Joshua Leakey VC Paras

[NutLoose]

Congratulations to Para Leakey, it appears to run in the family


"A relation of the L/Cpl, Sergeant Nigel Gray Leakey, was a recipient of the honour in 1945 in East Africa."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31626357


https://www.gov.uk/government/news/military-courage-recognised-in-operational-honours-list

[Bob Viking]

Excellent work. He comes across very well in the interview as well.
Great news for him and his unit.
BV

[ExRAFRadar]

Well done that man.:D

[sitigeltfel]

Nails!

He even got a cuddle from the CGS :eek:;)

[expatfrance]

I salute you, sir:D

[AGS Man]

Congratulations young man. Well deserved. Pity the Independant didn't do it's research very well saying he was the only living recipient of the VC!

[rjtjrt]

Congratulations to an impressive young man.

[peterperfect]

A hugely well-deserved award, but whats the deal with Gen. Sir Nick Houghton giving him a man-hug as well ?

I'm not adverse with a hug when catching up with my old mates, but perhaps a risky precedent in the context. Or do they have prior ?

signed, Confused of the West Country !

[ian16th]

Very well done that man.

Seeing as "On the 22 August 2013, Lance Corporal Leakey, deployed on a combined UK/US assault led by the United States Marine Corp"

It would be interesting to know just who made the recommendation.

Can a foreign, albeit allied, OC recommend a VC?

[Bernoulli]

Apparently they call some footballers 'heroes' too. :mad:

The sports writers need their scale of values re calibrating.

L/Cpl Leakey's modesty shone through and he's a credit to the British Armed Forces.

[4mastacker]

Can a foreign, albeit allied, OC recommend a VC?

There is a precedence, and this one was from the other side.

Thomas Frank Durrant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Frank_Durrant)

[FantomZorbin]

Very many congratulations and deep respect for L/Cpl Leakey.:D:D:D


[ For the adminers, why did it take so long from the incident to the announcement of the award? ]

[Exascot]

Very well deserved. What a guy, and such modesty.

Maybe Sir Nick is going to come out of the cupboard as did one of his senior colleagues recently :E

Why was this not presented at Buck House?

[Tashengurt]

Am I right in thinking that this was an announcement of awards rather than the actual investiture?
I'd like to think that the VC is handed out by someone with HRH in their title.

[Tankertrashnav]

Plenty of British recipients of the Croix de Guerre etc in past conflicts had to endure kisses on both cheeks from French generals, so I reckon Lance Corporal Leakey got off lightly!

Many congratulations to him.

Tash - the investiture will most certainly take place at the Palace or Windsor. The medal will be awarded by HM (not HRH!) The Queen or if she happened to be indisposed (she is getting on) then by HRH the Prince of Wales.

[Tashengurt]

In 1984 Carter married Louise Anne Ewart; they have three sons and one daughter

Maybe this explains the Generals actions. (not that they need it imho)

[rarelyathome]

Very humbling.

Displaying the best of British modesty: "The only thing I was really scared of was letting the side down. That was the biggest fear, letting the side down, letting your regiment down and not doing your cap badge proud" (from today's Times).

I hope he is not too modest to realise that he is a hero in the proper sense of the word. A man of whom the nation can be very proud.

[Wander00]

Hat doffed, salute, whatever - great guy, heroic action, great example to the yoof of today. Thanks for people like him, and all that put their life on the line

[BillHicksRules]

As one does when reading stories like this it led me to the stories of other VC recipients.

The story of the eldest living VC recipient, John Cruickshank, I am sure will be of great interest in these hallowed halls.

[4ROCK]

Josh comes from very good stock - his Dad was a Harrier pilot out in RAFG and a damn fine chap...........

[Brian W May]

Congratulations.

The Independent were obviously trying too hard thus their embedded sentence tripped them up - shoddy reporting - (I know, you're all as shocked as me . . . )

[langleybaston]

At last some good news on the front page of the D Tel.

Mind you, yesterday's carried bollox about a Met. Office strike being scheduled ....... said to be "the first in living memory!"

I and dozens of others who participated in c. 1974 must be all dead, then. They seemed lively enough at our recent reunion. Drank a lot for zombies, too.

[Sand4Gold]

Awesome - great interview as well - many congratulations.

[teeteringhead]

[ For the adminers, why did it take so long from the incident to the announcement of the award? ] Not an adminner but I suspect the length of time is the length of staffing.

One recalls that the "Honours Form" - forget the number, but the same one was used for AOC's Commendations and upwards - had a list of "Approved" tick and comment boxes on the front page. The 8th of these - :eek: - was titled "Award Approved by Queen (GC and VC only)"

And I guess every level of approval was supported by a different brief produced by some minion........

[Basil]

Apart from agreeing with all the foregoing, I can imagine that this gentleman will not remain a L/Cpl for long.
Cool under interview by an adoring Sian Lloyd too :ok:

[NutLoose]

[ For the adminers, why did it take so long from the incident to the announcement of the award? ]

I would imagine you would also be needing statements from both sides of the pond as to what happened, things like that and getting clarification on any points would draw things out.

[FleurDeLys]

For anyone wondering about BillHicks ref to John Cruickshank VC, here's a link. John Cruickshank - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cruickshank)

Have met John Cruickshank on a couple of occasions. Like many a valiant 'hero', in reality the most gentle of men.

Something in me wants to suggest that rooms, regardless of rank of those present (bar the Monarch), should be called to attention when a VC enters.

[JAJM]

Great stuff!

[teeteringhead]

Interesting to see (from the Wiki entry above) that surviving VCs and GCs get all Coronation and Jubilee medals going.

A nice touch that. :ok:

[Tankertrashnav]

Something in me wants to suggest that rooms, regardless of rank of those present (bar the Monarch), should be called to attention when a VC enters.

That's a bit along the lines of all ranks saluting holders of the VC when in uniform. It's one of those traditions that continues nicely without there ever have been any formal order or instruction that holders must be saluted - people do it anyway. I believe it is the same for Medal of Honor holders in the US.

As regards rooms being called to attention, I get the impression from what he's said that Lance Corporal Leakey would be very embarrassed should such a thing happen.

[SIXTYRULEOK]

I know his dad quite well and his uncle a bit. The whole family are incredibly capable but very humble with it.

[Heathrow Harry]

few years ago a GC holder died in Guildford - he'd been on the Council I believe - but even most of his family didn't know he held the honour

he never liked the idea of "making a fuss"

That's part of what makes these people special

[Xenophon]

Well done young man. A credit to your Regiment and the Country.

[Always a Sapper]

Very well done that man.

Seeing as "On the 22 August 2013, Lance Corporal Leakey, deployed on a combined UK/US assault led by the United States Marine Corp"

It would be interesting to know just who made the recommendation.

Can a foreign, albeit allied, OC recommend a VC?

Couldnt agree more, a big well done. I do however wonder if a Medal of Honour was considered as the Op was US led and the wounded Officer was a Marine.

[air pig]

Couldnt agree more, a big well done. I do however wonder if a Medal of Honour was considered as the Op was US led and the wounded Officer was a Marine.

The Medal of Honour can only be awarded to a US citizen.

[RAFEngO74to09]

Air Pig,

Incorrect. The US Medal of Honor can only be awarded to members of the US armed forces but they need not be US citizens: http://www.cmohs.org/medal-faq.php

http://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/immigrant-medal-honor-recipients/uscis-facilities-dedicated-memory-immigrant-medal-honor-recipients

[tarantonight]

Outstanding - in the BBC interview it was like listening to somebody describing a training day of some sort. What a bloke.

And has been said, really nice touch from the Boss Man.

TN:ok:

[charliegolf]

It never ceases to amaze me that the only people who think these individuals are not heroes are the recipients themselves. I brim with pride in their achievements- imagine how his Mum feels! She's probably thinking he's looking a bit pale and wondering if he's eating properly! What a great bloke.

CG

[RAFEngO74to09]

A few more comments from L/Cpl Leakey within this Forces TV clip.

"Last week I was in Brecon on a course ... now I'm here in London in a posh house".

As others have said - what a great bloke !

VC Awarded to Lance Corporal Joshua Leakey | British Forces News (http://web202.ssvc.com/news/articles/army/3696)

[Party Animal]

Yes indeed - real hero. I suspect CGS was just so relieved to have a soldier in the spotlight because unfortunately for the Army, they do not appear to be doing a great deal in the run up to SDSR. Hence the hug!

[ian16th]

Last week I was in Brecon on a courseIs he being recruited by some Hooligans?

[Ivor Fynn]

Absolutely correct, L/Cpl Leakey you are a credit to yourself, your family and your Regiment.

Cap doffed.

Ivor

[Sandy Parts]

Thanks to the poster for the link re his family VC connection. On the BBC 10 o'clock news they said something to that effect in the link to the videotape....and then didn't mention it at all in the piece! Re the 'hug' - looked awkward to me - wouldn't have blamed him for stepping back and avoiding it! Noticed the crewman in the second row made a comment to his mate at the time - perhaps he was worried the RAF Staff Officer would try and up the ante!!

[goudie]

A very modest and likeable young man. One can only feel the deepest respect for him

It's odd that when authors describe fictional heroes they're usually in the Arnold Schwarzenegger or John Wayne mould.

[Union Jack]

A hugely well-deserved award, but what's the deal with Gen. Sir Nick Houghton giving him a man-hug as well? - PP

Hugely deserved indeed, and an inspiring example to us all - but please don't tell me CDS gave him one as well as CGS.:=

Jack