Bryan Budd

Infobox Military Person
name= Bryan Budd
lived= 1977 - 2006
placeofbirth=Belfast, Northern Ireland
placeofdeath=Sangin, Afghanistan


caption= Corporal Bryan James Budd VC
nickname=
allegiance=United Kingdom
serviceyears= 1996 - 2006
rank=Corporal
branch=British Army
commands=
unit=3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (3 PARA)
battles= Operation Herrick
awards=Victoria Cross
General Service Medal
NATO Medal - Kosovo
NATO Medal - Macedonia
OSM "Sierra Leone"
OSM "Afghanistan"
Iraq Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
laterwork=

Bryan James Budd VC, (16 July 1977 - 20 August 2006) was a Corporal in the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) of the British Army. He was killed while on active service during Operation Herrick in Afghanistan.

Budd died of injuries sustained during a fire fight with Taliban forces in Sangin, Helmand Province, from a bullet probably fired from a NATO weapon. The incident occurred whilst he was on a routine patrol close to the District Centre. He was the 20th UK serviceman to die in Afghanistan since the start of operations in November 2001.

On 14 December 2006 it was announced by the Ministry of Defence that Budd would be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, [http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=250538&NewsAreaID=2 Operational Honours: VC and GC for acts of exceptional valour] , MOD press release, 14 December 2006] only the 13th award of the medal since the end of the Second World War.

Biography

Born in Belfast, Budd had been in the British Army for ten years, serving with the elite Pathfinder Platoon, which carries out reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines. As part of the Pathfinders, he served in many operational theatres [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/08/22/npara22.xml 'Superb' leader shot dead in Afghanistan] , The Daily Telegraph, retrieved 22/12/06] including the former Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone Afghanistan and Iraq.

In May 2002, Budd passed his section commander's battle course with distinction, and was due to be promoted to platoon Sergeant. Cpl Budd was a qualified combat survival instructor, rock climber and free-fall parachutist. He was posted to the Army Foundation College in Harrogate in 2004, where he trained young soldiers. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,,1855494,00.html Army names father-to-be killed in Taliban firefight | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited ] ]

In June 2006, Budd joined A Company, 3 PARA as part of the 3,600-strong British task force. Posted to Afghanistan, A Company, 3 PARA was based in the southern Afghanistan town of Sangin in Helmand Province.

Due to come home on 25 August 2006, Budd was killed on 20 August defending his section against heavy Taliban attack outside Sangin, allowing the section to return to safety. His body was recovered an hour later, and he was confirmed dead.

Budd's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Tootal, described Budd at the time of his death as "an outstanding leader" who had a professional manner "that inspired confidence in all that worked with him". Tootal said: "Bryan died doing the job he loved, leading his men from the front, where he always was. He was proud to call himself a paratrooper and we were proud to stand beside him."

On the 14 December 2006, the Ministry of Defence confirmed the award of the Victoria Cross, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/6179661.stm BBC NEWS | England | North Yorkshire | Posthumous VC for heroic soldier ] ] the first posthumous VC awarded since the Falklands conflict. His widow, Lorena, collected the VC from Buckingham Palace on 7 March 2007. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/6425683.stm BBC NEWS | England | North Yorkshire | Widow collects hero soldier's VC ] ]

First cited incident

In the first incident, on 27 July, Corporal Budd's section was on a patrol when they identified and engaged two enemy gunmen on the roof of a building in the centre of Sangin. Without regard for his own safety, Corporal Budd led an assault where the enemy fire was heaviest. His gallant action allowed a wounded soldier to be evacuated to safety where he subsequently received life-saving treatment.

Death

On 20 August 2006, A Company, 3 PARA was located in the southern Afghanistan town of Sangin. Cpl Budd and his platoon were ordered to hold a small, isolated coalition outpost - dubbed a platoon house - to protect engineers blowing holes in a compound 500 metres away. The site was subject to almost daily Taliban onslaught for months.

On the day, there were three sections on patrol, a total of 24 men, spread out in a head-high cornfield around the compound. Budd spotted four Taliban approaching, at a distance of 50 metres. With hand signals, Budd led his section in a flanking manoeuvre round to the cornfield's outskirts to try to cut them off, but they were spotted and the Taliban opened fire on the troops. A further group of Taliban opened up fire from a wall further back. The British soldiers took heavy fire, kneeling or lying down trying to take cover. One soldier received a bullet in the shoulder, and another was shot in the nose.

Realising his section were taking heavy fire and were likely to be killed, Budd got up and rushed straight through the corn in the direction of the Taliban, now just 20 metres away. Budd opened up on them in fully automatic mode with his rifle, and contact was immediately lost, but the Taliban fire lessened and allowed the rest of his section to withdraw back to safety so the casualties could be treated.

After withdrawal, Budd was declared missing in action and most of A Company was sent back to find him. Apache and Harrier air support was called in to beat the Taliban back. An hour later, Budd was found beside three dead Taliban. It was clear he had killed the three Taliban, but had himself been killed in the process.

Budd was badly wounded and had no pulse. The company sergeant major recovered his body on a quad bike, but he was declared dead on arrival at the platoon house.

On 29 November 2007 an inquest found that Budd's death was probably the result of friendly fire. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,,2219061,00.html Decorated British soldier was 'killed by Nato bullet' | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited ] ]

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Museum at Aldershot, Hampshire, in England.

Personal life

Budd was married to Lorena Budd, a clerk in 5 Regiment, Royal Artillery at Catterick, North Yorkshire. The couple had two daughters, Isabelle (born 2004), and Imogen, born a month after Budd died in Afghanistan. He also left behind a brother (Stephen) and a twin sister (Tracy).

ee also

*British Forces casualties in Afghanistan since 2001

References

External links

*LondonGazette|issue=58182|startpage=17351|date=15 December 2006|supp=yes|notarchive=yes — the official record of the award
* [http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CorporalBryanJamesBuddKilledInAfghanistan.htm UK defence news, article]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5269272.stm BBC]
* [http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2006480102,00.html Sun - description of actions]
* [http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006480189,00.html Sun] follow up story
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,,1855494,00.html Guardian]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/08/22/npara22.xml Telegraph]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2323045,00.html Times]
* [http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/661954/Main/661954 Google Earth - location of battle]