Johnson Beharry

Johnson Gideon Beharry VC

Johnson Gideon Beharry was born on 26 July 1979 in Grenada and moved to the United Kingdom as a teenager. He enlisted in the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment in 2001 and served with distinction during the Iraq War.

On 1 May 2004, near Al-Amarah, Iraq, Beharry repeatedly drove his Warrior armoured vehicle through intense enemy fire to rescue a trapped patrol after his vehicle was struck by rocket-propelled grenades, despite suffering serious head injuries. Less than three weeks later, on 11 June 2004, he again displayed extraordinary courage by leading his badly damaged vehicle through a deadly ambush to evacuate wounded comrades while under sustained enemy fire. His exceptional bravery saved numerous lives and earned him the Victoria Cross, becoming the first living recipient of Britain’s highest award for gallantry since the Falklands War.

Following his recovery from severe injuries, Beharry became a powerful advocate for wounded veterans and young people. He continues to serve as an inspirational ambassador for the Armed Forces and is widely recognized as one of the most courageous British soldiers of the modern era.

Citation: London Gazette, Supplement No. 57382, 18 March 2005 (Victoria Cross award).