Bryan Budd

Corporal Bryan James Budd was a British Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Serving with the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, Budd was deployed to the Sangin District Centre in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, during intense periods of fighting in the summer of 2006.

On July 27, 2006, during a fierce firefight, Budd bypassed heavy enemy fire to personally lead an attack on a building where the enemy was most concentrated. His decisive leadership and conspicuous gallantry forced the enemy to flee, allowing a seriously wounded section member to be evacuated and receive life-saving treatment.

On August 20, 2006, while leading his section on a clearance patrol, Budd initiated a flanking maneuver against a Taliban position. When the element of surprise was lost and three of his men were incapacitated by heavy fire, Budd continued the assault entirely on his own. Despite being wounded, he charged forward and killed several enemy fighters before succumbing to his wounds. His single-handed assault inspired his platoon to press forward and secure the area.