British Para Awarded Military Cross
Latest Operational Honours and Awards List
Members of the British Army’s parachute Regiment have been recognised for their bravery during active military operations in the latest Operational Honours and Awards List released by the Ministry of Defence. Colour Sergeant Simon Cox, The Parachute Regiment, was awarded the Military Cross.
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level military decoration granted in recognition of “an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land to all members, of any rank in Our Armed Forces”. The Ministry of Defence has not further released details of Colour Sergeant Cox’s award.
The Parachute Regiment, known as ‘The Paras’, provides support to the United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) as part of the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG), as well as being the infantry element of the Air Manoeuvre Battle Group (AMBG), part of the 16 Air Assault Brigade, the spearhead force of the United Kingdom. A total of eight soldiers from the Parachute Regiment were recognised in the List.
Colour Sergeant George Ashley Channings was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE). Other Paras to be recognised in the list were Sergeant Matthew Peter Douglas, the Queen’s Gallantry Medal; Lance Corporal Gwyn Michael Davis, Colour Sergeant Gavin Peter Hailey and Colour Sergeant Adrian Marcus Miller, all mentioned in despatches; Sergeant Mathew Robert Longhorn, Queen’s Commendation for Gallantry; and Acting Lieutenant Colonel Robert John Nicholls, Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service.
A total of 50 members of the Armed Forces and one civilian have been named in the list, which recognises and honours service on operations. Members of the British Army appearing on the list are given below.
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Colonel Thomas Julian BATEMAN, MBE
Brigadier Robert Geoffrey LOWTH
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Major Simon Nicholas GUEST, Royal Army Medical Corps
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Keith TOMLINSON, MBE, Corps of Royal Engineers
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Colour Sergeant George Ashley CHANNINGS, The Parachute Regiment
Major Michael John DEVENISH, The Rifles
Sergeant Dhaniram RAI, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Military Cross (MC)
Colour Sergeant Simon Timothy COX, The Parachute Regiment
Queen’s Gallantry Medal (QGM)
Sergeant Matthew Peter DOUGLAS, The Parachute Regiment
Mention in Despatches
Lance Corporal Gwyn Michael DAVIS, The Parachute Regiment
Colour Sergeant Gavin Peter HAILEY, The Parachute Regiment
Colour Sergeant Adrian Marcus MILLER, The Parachute Regiment
Queen’s Commendation for Bravery
Sergeant Mathew Robert LONGHORN, The Parachute Regiment
Captain Mark POWELL, The Royal Logistic Corps
Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service
Captain Benjamin Rogerson BARKES, The Light Dragoons
Colonel Nigel Jonathan BEST, OBE
Lieutenant Colonel Carl William BOSWELL, The Rifles
Sergeant David CLARK, The Royal Logistic Corps
Sergeant Matthew Peter COLLINS, Intelligence Corps
Corporal Luke John FLANAGAN, Royal Corps of Signals
Corporal Kieran Zen HAIG, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Warrant Officer Class 2 Steven James MACTAVISH, The Royal Anglian Regiment
Corporal Christopher Carl MAY, The Rifles
Staff Sergeant Gary David MILES, Intelligence Corps
Acting Lieutenant Colonel Robert John NICHOLLS, The Parachute Regiment, Army Reserve
Lieutenant Colonel Edward David Lionel MASKELL-PEDERSEN, Royal Corps of Signals
Source: MOD (Crown Copyright, 2017).
Image: a British Army paratrooper of the 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (3 Para), grasps his harness during a joint ground training session at the headquarters of the Spanish Airborne Brigade on EXERCISE LISTED PARATROOPER. The Parachute Regiment, conducted low-level training with parachutists from the Spanish Airborne Brigade (BRIPAC) as part of a two-week joint exercise to test interoperability and develop relations between the two units. The Paras got to grips with some of the weapon systems used by their Spanish counterparts, as well as receiving an introduction to some of the vehicles used by the Brigade. In addition to building shared understanding and military capability, EX LISTED PARATROOPER enabled the British paratroopers to train on Spanish parachutes, earning their wings on a joint jump from CH47 helicopters.