RM Winchman Sgt Anthony Russell awarded the George Medal

[airborne_artist]

A ROYAL MARINE helicopter winch man, Sgt Anthony (Tony) Russell (42), who saved the lives of two stranded yachtsmen, has been awarded the George Medal for his bravery. On 7 July 2011, in the dead of night, the yacht ‘Andriette’ was 110 miles offshore foundering in heavy seas with no steerage and an unserviceable engine.

In extreme conditions of heavy rain squalls, high winds and mountainous seas the yacht was pitching and rolling in state 7 seas. The stricken yacht was 110 miles south east of Culdrose (approx 80nm south east of the Isles of Scilly).

Stranded and foundering and beyond the reach of other rescue assets, a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from 771 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose was scrambled to assist the yacht. Whilst the yacht was moving violently and unpredictably Sgt Russell volunteered to conduct a conventional rescue in full knowledge of the hazards he would face.

Winched down in complete darkness, immediately engulfed in waves and loosing communications, with gritty determination he hauled himself into the life raft and secured the first survivor with a strop. Dragged back under the water he was winched up to the relative safety of the helicopter. The life raft now capsized due to the heavy swell and pitching seas, the remaining survivor was lost from sight. With little regard for his own safety he was courageously winched back down despite the buffering waves was able to swim to the inverted life raft, diving under it and surfacing in an air pocket.

At this point Tony was unsighted by the helicopter crew and was without communications with them, at this point, the crew decided to attempt to winch him using the winch wire, causing the life raft to flip over, fortuitously with the survivor inside.

At this point he was entangled in ropes which he managed to cut free, swim back to the survivor and place him in a strop and complete the rescue. When recounting his daredevil rescue, Tony said: “It was an extremely difficult and tense rescue, the whole crew onboard the helicopter worked well as a team in what was technically an extremely difficult rescue”, he went on to add, “ at this point my training and professionalism just kicked in, I was their last chance, their last hope”.

Sgt Anthony Russell, who is originally from Bath, is now based at Commando Helicopter Force, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. The announcement was made today with the release of the latest operational honours and awards list. The awards are for actions roughly during the period April 1 to September 31 2011.

BZ

[Herod]

Good to know we still have people like this in the Armed Forces; there is still hope.

[A and C]

Herod

I have never had any doubt of the high standard of those in the cutting edge of the UK forces.......... It is the political support that worry s me.

[matelo99]

Good effort to Russ and Sweenos. Putting the RN into the limelight in style! It's been a pleasure to fly with you both.

[tarantonight]

What a Top Top Man. Shame I am only the sixth respondent to this thread.

Well done Sgt Russell. And no mistake.

[hoodie]

Originally Posted by tarantonight

What a Top Top Man. Shame I am only the sixth respondent to this thread.

Possibly because the rest of us still have our jaws on the floor.

Citations for SAR divers always have that effect on me, anyway.

BZ, Sgt Russell.

[Tankertrashnav]

Shame I am only the sixth respondent to this thread.

Trouble is there are a lot of good stories in a similar vein today, with two other similar threads running, so I suppose the comments are getting spread around a bit. Medals are my big interest so I am very happy to add my own congratulations to Sgt Russell whose gallantry has been recognised by a very rare award

[Union Jack]

Trouble is there are a lot of good stories in a similar vein today, with two other similar threads running, so I suppose the comments are getting spread around a bit. Medals are my big interest so I am very happy to add my own congratulations to Sgt Russell whose gallantry has been recognised by a very rare award.

Fully agree with TTN, whose contributions on honours and awards, and medals generally, I always enjoy reading.

Since I don't believe it's been posted elsewhere, and perhaps to help to generate more interest in the very worthy awards to Sergeant Russell, Sergeant Geddes, and Lieutenant Commander Sweeney, here's a link to the full list:

http://www.gov.uk/government/news/op...-22-march-2013 which I appreciate may lead to even more threads!

Jack

[500N]

Superb effort by all. Well done


That list would be quite a rare one with a
VC, GM, AFC to a Navy pilot in it at
the same time and that is not taking anything
away from the others.

[Literground]

My own particular problem is this - I had a small involvement in SAR in my own service, (mainly a forlorn hope I would be rescued in either the Fulda gap or god knows), - so maybe I am wrong, yet I can clearly see that there is a lack of appreciation for George Medal winners.
I rate these guys as easily equivalent of the V.C., a medal won in the heat of combat, as opposed to the calculated attempt to save lives.
I have a profound respect for Lifeboat men, (I grew up in Lyme Bay), no combat for them other than rescue.

I rate the George medal above the V.C.

Edit : Look at the Penlee Lifeboat disaster, they knew they were going into terrible conditions, yet only a R.N.L.I. Gold medal was awarded - every crewmember should have been a GM.

[ScrinsonBadger]

Russ and Sweenos, legends both. Well done fellas, awesome.

[Wander00]

Following on Literground, I too have had the privilege of working with lifeboat crewmen - including a Head Coxswain, and a winner of a Vellum Letter. They all brought something "extra" to my team, and I honour them and another member of staff who was "Hon Sec" and Launching Authority. However, I cannot recall a lifeboatman receive g a state award for a rescue, even a Gold Medal service, although I think Henry Blogg of Cromer may have received a State Award for his many years of service. There may abe a very few others.

Incidentally, has anyone still got any of the Teamwork series of material for schools produced about 15 years ago - just that the young lad being "rescued" by Lymington Lifeboat in many of the pictures is our youngest, now at 25 a Yachtmaster Ocean and finishing a marine engineering degree. How time marches on

However, many congratulations and thanks to all the award winners, and thanks to the volunteer lifeboat crews and helpers as well

[Tankertrashnav]

yet only a R.N.L.I. Gold medal was awarded -

I can see that from the outside it would appear that the state is not recognising the gallantry of lifeboat crews, but within the lifeboat service the RNLI lifesaving medals are very highly regarded indeed. The RNLI Gold Medal is exceptionally rare, only 150 have been awarded since its inception in 1825 (sic) - compare with over 2000 George Medals since 1940. Even the silver medal has only been awarded around 1600 times.

As I have said elsewhere, it is the rarity of all our gallantry awards that make them so highly thought of. If we sprinkled them around like the Soviets or the North Koreans the whole system would rightly be regarded with disdain

[Wander00]

TTN - you are ABSOLUTELY correct, but one might still hope that the Nation might recognise exceptionally gallant rescues by RNLI lifeboats. One of "my" lifeboatmen (thanks Kevin) took me round the back of Hurst Spit in a spring ebb and F8 westerly too show me how to handle a RiB in bad conditions - I have never forgotten that hour or so. Absolutely awesome.

[RUCAWO]

For RNLI medals the Coxwain of the Donaghadee lifeboat, Hugh Nelson was awarded the BEM for his actions during the Princess Victoria disaster, the radio operator of the Victoria ,David Broadhurst ,was awarded the George Cross.
MV Princess Victoria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well done to all the SAR crews ,fantastic to see these awards.