John A Silkstone
27-06-06, 07:45
More than 2,000 people gathered at Westminster Abbey yesterday to celebrate the human qualities of courage, self-sacrifice and modesty.
Surviving holders of the VC ranged in age from 89 to 26
The Prince of Wales led the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross, with eight of the surviving 12 holders of Britain's highest gallantry award given pride of place near the altar.
Ranging in age from 89 to 26, these special men all said that they merely represented the 1,343 other VCs who had died, either in the act of winning the medal, or since.
"We are just the ones fortunate enough to be recognised in this way, and who are still here," Sir Tasker Watkins, VC, said as he waited for the ceremony to begin.
A diminutive figure and an eminent judge who rose to become Deputy Chief Justice of England, Sir Tasker, 89, won his medal as a lieutenant of the 1/5th Bn, Welch Regiment in 1944 during the battle to close the Falaise Gap, leading his decimated platoon in repeated bayonet charges.
Next to him stood the ramrod figure of Pte Johnson Beharry, 26, scars still visible in his close-cropped hair.
Pte Beharry became the first man to be awarded the VC in 20 years when he was gazetted (See the end of this write up)in 2005 for rescuing colleagues under fire, despite suffering heavy wounds at al-Amarah, Iraq, in 2004.
"It is wonderful for me to be able to listen to the stories of these men," he said, gesturing to the collection of stooped but fiercely proud figures who were busy renewing old comradeships all around him.
"Every man's actions were different and some don't like to talk about them much, but they all say the same thing: they didn't do it on their own," said the Grenada-born soldier who is receiving treatment for wounds he received with the Princess of Wales' Royal Regt.
"I couldn't have done what I did without my boys. I am just sad that they are out there now and I am still here."
The ceremony commemorated the work of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, founded 50 years ago on the centenary of the first VC's award.
And across the aisle from the eight Victoria Cross winners were 22 of the 24 living holders of the George Cross, the nation's highest award for those exhibiting gallantry away from an immediate field of battle.
Among them were Col Stuart Archer, 91, the chairman of the association, who won his GC for continuous acts of bravery in defusing enemy bombs in South Wales during 1940.
He was seated a few feet from L/Cpl Christopher Finney of the Blues and Royals, 20, who was awarded his GC for saving his comrade L/Cpl Alan Tudball from their armoured vehicle after they were attacked by mistake by an Allied aircraft in Iraq in March 2003.
"It's really cool being here but this is just a bit of metal and the real reward is that Alan is still alive and that last week he and his wife had a little boy," L/Cpl Finney said.
Listening to the stories of modern heroism in Iraq, Lt Cdr Ian Fraser, an 85-year-old submariner, said: "I would be out there like a shot, but only if I could take Blair and his whole government with me."
The quiet heroes swapped stories and bonhomie before the ceremonial, which was to be capped by a reception hosted by the prince at St James's Square.
"How do you keep looking so good?" one VC-wearing old soldier asked his Royal Navy buddy among the GCs.
"Guinness," replied the sailor, "that's my secret: lots of Guinness."
"I'm a Viagra man myself," laughed the soldier, his chest heaving so that those "bits of metal" tinkled merrily.
Gazetted is a term used when a military person has been awarded a high ranking medal. His actions are published in the London Gazet News Paper.
following is my fathers gazetting.
London Gazette Supplement, 4th March 1918.
240730 C.S.M. Martin Silkstone, W. Yorks. B. (Leeds).
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during heavy fighting on two occasions, when every officer in his company became a casualty. Observing that some high ground 150 yards away entirely dominated him, he at once took men to occupy it. Though met by much rifle fire he captured the position and from it was able to direct fire on the advancing enemy columns. Eventually outflanked, with all his N.C.O’s, Lewis-gun teams’and casualties, he withdrew the survivors to Battalion H.Q., where he re-organised for a new advance, which was at once commenced.
The following is a summery of my father’s Military Career.
SILKSTONE, Martin (D.C.M., M.M.), Sergeant. Major, 1st West Yorks. Regiment.
Mobilised in August 1914, he was immediately drafted to the Western Front, where he took part in the fighting at Mons. He also fought in the Battle of Ypres and the Somme plus many other important engagements, and was wounded in action a totals of five times.
He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for great gallantry and devotion to duty displayed in taking entire charge of his Company when all his officers were killed, and was granted the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery in the Field. He also holds the Mons Star, General Service and Victory Medals, and was discharged in April 1920.
Surviving holders of the VC ranged in age from 89 to 26
The Prince of Wales led the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross, with eight of the surviving 12 holders of Britain's highest gallantry award given pride of place near the altar.
Ranging in age from 89 to 26, these special men all said that they merely represented the 1,343 other VCs who had died, either in the act of winning the medal, or since.
"We are just the ones fortunate enough to be recognised in this way, and who are still here," Sir Tasker Watkins, VC, said as he waited for the ceremony to begin.
A diminutive figure and an eminent judge who rose to become Deputy Chief Justice of England, Sir Tasker, 89, won his medal as a lieutenant of the 1/5th Bn, Welch Regiment in 1944 during the battle to close the Falaise Gap, leading his decimated platoon in repeated bayonet charges.
Next to him stood the ramrod figure of Pte Johnson Beharry, 26, scars still visible in his close-cropped hair.
Pte Beharry became the first man to be awarded the VC in 20 years when he was gazetted (See the end of this write up)in 2005 for rescuing colleagues under fire, despite suffering heavy wounds at al-Amarah, Iraq, in 2004.
"It is wonderful for me to be able to listen to the stories of these men," he said, gesturing to the collection of stooped but fiercely proud figures who were busy renewing old comradeships all around him.
"Every man's actions were different and some don't like to talk about them much, but they all say the same thing: they didn't do it on their own," said the Grenada-born soldier who is receiving treatment for wounds he received with the Princess of Wales' Royal Regt.
"I couldn't have done what I did without my boys. I am just sad that they are out there now and I am still here."
The ceremony commemorated the work of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, founded 50 years ago on the centenary of the first VC's award.
And across the aisle from the eight Victoria Cross winners were 22 of the 24 living holders of the George Cross, the nation's highest award for those exhibiting gallantry away from an immediate field of battle.
Among them were Col Stuart Archer, 91, the chairman of the association, who won his GC for continuous acts of bravery in defusing enemy bombs in South Wales during 1940.
He was seated a few feet from L/Cpl Christopher Finney of the Blues and Royals, 20, who was awarded his GC for saving his comrade L/Cpl Alan Tudball from their armoured vehicle after they were attacked by mistake by an Allied aircraft in Iraq in March 2003.
"It's really cool being here but this is just a bit of metal and the real reward is that Alan is still alive and that last week he and his wife had a little boy," L/Cpl Finney said.
Listening to the stories of modern heroism in Iraq, Lt Cdr Ian Fraser, an 85-year-old submariner, said: "I would be out there like a shot, but only if I could take Blair and his whole government with me."
The quiet heroes swapped stories and bonhomie before the ceremonial, which was to be capped by a reception hosted by the prince at St James's Square.
"How do you keep looking so good?" one VC-wearing old soldier asked his Royal Navy buddy among the GCs.
"Guinness," replied the sailor, "that's my secret: lots of Guinness."
"I'm a Viagra man myself," laughed the soldier, his chest heaving so that those "bits of metal" tinkled merrily.
Gazetted is a term used when a military person has been awarded a high ranking medal. His actions are published in the London Gazet News Paper.
following is my fathers gazetting.
London Gazette Supplement, 4th March 1918.
240730 C.S.M. Martin Silkstone, W. Yorks. B. (Leeds).
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during heavy fighting on two occasions, when every officer in his company became a casualty. Observing that some high ground 150 yards away entirely dominated him, he at once took men to occupy it. Though met by much rifle fire he captured the position and from it was able to direct fire on the advancing enemy columns. Eventually outflanked, with all his N.C.O’s, Lewis-gun teams’and casualties, he withdrew the survivors to Battalion H.Q., where he re-organised for a new advance, which was at once commenced.
The following is a summery of my father’s Military Career.
SILKSTONE, Martin (D.C.M., M.M.), Sergeant. Major, 1st West Yorks. Regiment.
Mobilised in August 1914, he was immediately drafted to the Western Front, where he took part in the fighting at Mons. He also fought in the Battle of Ypres and the Somme plus many other important engagements, and was wounded in action a totals of five times.
He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for great gallantry and devotion to duty displayed in taking entire charge of his Company when all his officers were killed, and was granted the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery in the Field. He also holds the Mons Star, General Service and Victory Medals, and was discharged in April 1920.