Post by Household Division Motorcycle Club - Est 2015
231 followers
Today 13th June, we remember Lance Corporal James Ashworth, aged 20, who served with the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. Who we lost on this day in 2012. James was serving as part of the Reconnaissance Platoon, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. He was on a patrol in the Nahri Saraj District of Helmand Province. He was leading a fire-team, clearing out compounds, when his team came under fire from Taliban armed with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades from several mud huts. Ashworth charged the huts, providing cover for his team who followed in single file behind him. After his fire-team took out most of the insurgents, Ashworth pursued the final remaining member. He crawled forward under cover of a low wall while his team provided covering fire and acted as a diversion. When he got within 5 metres (16 ft) of the enemy, he was killed as he attempted to throw a grenade. Captain Michael Dobbin, commander of the platoon, who was awarded the Military Cross for repeated courage throughout the operational tour, said about Ashworth, "His professionalism under pressure and ability to remain calm in what was a chaotic situation is testament to his character. L/Cpl Ashworth was a pleasure to command and I will sorely miss his calming influence on the battlefield. Softly spoken, he stepped up to every task thrown in his direction." After his death, his body was taken to Camp Bastion and was then repatriated to the United Kingdom. On 16 March 2013, British media reported that Ashworth was to be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery and this was confirmed by the Ministry of Defence on 18 March 2013. His citation was read out at Lille barracks in Aldershot. He was only the second person to be awarded the medal during the Taliban insurgency, after Bryan Budd for his actions in 2006. Ashworth is the 14th person to be awarded the Victoria Cross since the end of the Second World War. And the 3rd Grenadier to be awards the Victoria Cross, which was first awarded for actions in the Crimean War of 1854β56, and is the highest British military award for bravery. The other two Grenadier's are: Private Edward Barber VC (World War I) Awarded for exceptional bravery at Neuve Chapelle, 12 March 1915. LanceβCorporal Harry Nicholls VC (World War II) Awarded for actions during the Battle of France, 21 May 1940. HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE Lest We Forget. SEPTEM JUNCTA IN UNO π΅π΄π΅ #LestWeForget #gbnf #householddivisionmotorcycleclub #householddivision #householdcavalry #TheLifeGuards #thebluesandroyals #theguards #grenadierguards #coldstreamguards #scotsguards #irishguards #welshguards #army #britisharmy #soldiers #military #militaryveterans #veterans #veteranshelpingveterans #veteranssupportingveterans #motorbike #motorbikes #motorcycle #motorcycles #motorcyclelife #motorcycleclub