CORPORAL BRYAN BUDD VC
3RD BATTALION, THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT
On Wednesday, 7th March 2007, the widow of Corporal Bryan Budd, Lorena Budd, attended an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace where she received from the Queen the Victoria Cross awarded posthumously to her husband.
She attended the Palace with Corporal Budd's stepfather, his sister and brother. Seven other members of 3 Para also received honours for their service in Afghanistan.
Thursday, 14th December 2006. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the award of a posthumous Victoria Cross for acts of "inspirational leadership and the greatest valour", to:
CORPORAL BRYAN BUDD
3RD BATTALION, THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT
Corporal Bryan Budd was born on 16 July 1977 in Belfast, and lived in Ripon, North Yorkshire with his wife who is a serving soldier in the Adjutant General's Corps. Bryan Budd was cremated at Woodlands Crematorium, Stoenailhorpe, Lincolnshire.
[ London Gazette, 14 December 2006 ], Sangin, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, 27 July & 20 August 2006, Corporal Bryan Budd, 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment ( 3 PARA ).
During July and August 2006, 'A' Company, 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment were deployed in the District Centre at Sangin. They were constantly under sustained attack from a combination of Taliban small arms, rocket-propelled grenades, mortar and rocket fire.
On 27 July 2006, whilst on a routine patrol, Corporal Bryan Budd's section identified and engaged two enemy gunmen on the roof of a building in the centre of Sangin. During the ensuing fierce fire-fight, two of Corporal Budd's section were hit. One was seriously injured and collapsed in the open ground, where he remained exposed to enemy fire, with rounds striking the ground around him. Corporal Budd realised that he needed to regain the initiative and that the enemy needed to be driven back so that the casualty could be evacuated.
Under fire, he personally led the attack on the building where the enemy fire was heaviest, forcing the remaining fighters to flee across an open field where they were successfully engaged. This courageous and prompt action proved decisive in breaking the enemy and was undertaken at great personal risk. Corporal Budd's decisive leadership and conspicuous gallantry allowed his wounded colleague to be evacuated to safety where he subsequently received life-saving treatment.
A month later, on 20 August 2006, Corporal Budd was leading his section on the right forward flank of a platoon clearance patrol near Sangin District Centre. Another section was advancing with a Land Rover fitted with a .50 calibre heavy machine gun on the patrol's left flank. Pushing through thick vegetation, Corporal Budd identified a number of enemy fighters 30 metres ahead. Undetected, and in an attempt to surprise and destroy the enemy, Corporal Budd, initiated a flanking manoeuvre. However, the enemy spotted the Land Rover on the left flank and the element of surprise was lost for the whole platoon.
In order to regain the initiative, Corporal Budd decided to assault the enemy and ordered his men to follow him. As they moved forward the section came under a withering fire that incapacitated three of his men. The continued enemy fire and these losses forced the section to take cover. But, Corporal Budd continued to assault on his own, knowing full well the likely consequences of doing so without the close support of his remaining men. He was wounded but continued to move forward, attacking and killing the enemy as he rushed their position.
Inspired by Corporal Budd's example, the rest of the platoon reorganised and pushed forward their attack, eliminating more of the enemy and eventually forcing their withdrawal. Corporal Budd susequently died of his wounds, and when his body was later recovered it was found surrounded by three dead Taliban.
Corporal Budd's conspicuous gallantry during these two engagements saved the lives of many of his colleagues. He acted in the full knowledge that the rest of his men had either been struck down or had been forced to go to ground. His determination to press home a single-handed assault against a superior enemy force despite his wounds stands out as a premeditated act of inspirational leadership and supreme valour. In recognition of this, Corporal Budd is awarded the Victoria Cross.
Bryan Budd enlisted into the Parachute Regiment in December 1995, subsequently passing the rigorous selection process for 16 Air Assault Brigade's Pathfinder Platooon, an elite unit specially trained for long range reconnaissance missions. Whilst part of that platoon, he served in many operational theatres, including Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Macedonia, Afghanistan and Iraq.
He joined 'A' Company of 3 PARA in early June 2006 in the middle of Operation Herrick IV, serving in Helmand Province at a time when the Company was principally concered with helping the Afghan Government counter a resurgence in Taliban activity centred in and around the town of Sangin.
Medal entitlement of Corporal Bryan Budd - 3rd Bn, The Parachute Regiment
* Victoria Cross
* General Service Medal ( 1962- )
o 1 clasp: "Northern Ireland"
* NATO Service Medal ( 1994 )
o clasp: "Kosovo"
* NATO Service Medal ( 1994 )
o clasp: "Macedonia"
* Operational Service Medal ( 2000 )
o "Sierra Leone"
* Operational Service Medal ( 2000 )
o "Afghanistan"
* Iraq Medal ( 2003 )
o 1 clasp: "19 Mar to 28 Apr 2003"
* Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ( 2002 )
No words necessary
