Britain’s most decorated war heroes took a final stand today before their gallantry gongs are removed from display. The “bravest of the brave” – holders of five Victoria Crosses and nine George Crosses – saw the extraordinary medal haul for the last time before they are locked in a vault. The Imperial War Museum [IWM] is shutting The Lord Ashcroft Gallery on May 31 in a move described by the warriors as wrong and short-sighted. Its decision – suggested by some to be politically motivated – means there are just 28 days left to see the world’s largest collection of military decorations before they disappear, potentially abroad.
Iraq War hero Johnson Beharry, 45, who became the first living soldier in almost 50 years to be awarded the VC, said: “This stunning exhibition has recognised the sacrifices made of those who have served and words cannot describe what it means. It will be a sad day for the public when they are no longer able to experience it.” Today, exactly one week before VE Day marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, 14 bravehearts visited the Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, which proudly tells stories of derring-do, before it closes for good.
They toured the exhibition alongside Lord Ashcroft in the gallery bearing his name and which has hosted his priceless haul since 2010.
Afterwards they posed for an iconic photograph outside, straddled by 15-inch guns originally mounted on the Royal Navy ships HMS Ramillies and HMS Resolution during the First World War.
It was the biggest gathering of gallantry medal holders in recent years. Lord Ashcroft has amassed a collection of 240 VCs and 41 GCs in a painstaking labour of love undertaken since 1986.
The gallery was opened by the Princess Royal in 2010 and has proudly displayed 230 VCs and a smaller number of GCs, along with a number of others either owned by or lent to the IWM, so the public can marvel acts of exemplary valour <>.
Lord Ashcroft owns eight of the medals awarded to the 14 warriors present at yesterday’s <> valedictory salute, with seven on display at the IWM.
His intention was to gift them to the nation, but after the museum inexplicably announced it was closing his exhibition, he ripped up the clause in his will leaving them to the public.
Choking back tears, he said: “I am sad to have come. This has been a major part of my life. I can’t believe that you can just ignore the people that contributed so much – including their lives. I am lost for words that the museum would just abandon it.
“I am like this because of the respect I have for each and every one of them. I made arrangements to leave all this to IWM believing they understood what this means to the memories of the few. Clearly I can’t leave something to a museum that doesn’t appreciate the valour and sacrifices made.”
Lord Ashcroft, 79, former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, built up his stunning medal collection to honour his hero father Eric who took part in the D-Day landings.
In an appalling irony, the gallery will close just five days before the 81st anniversary of the Normandy Invasion on June 6 in which Lieutenant Ashcroft stormed Sword Beach with The South Lancashire Regiment.
The Express understands the IWM refused a request to keep the exhibition open beyond June 1 until an alternative venue was found. It means that in just 29 days time the collection will be stored in a vault at a secret location.
And in an extraordinary move Lord Ashcroft demanded his gallery be kept open for the full term agreed, which is until September 30, threatening legal action if the IWM refuses.
He said: “Unbeknownst to me, I discovered that IWM had made an audio recording of the memories of my late father, recalling his part in the D-Day landings. Listening to him speak of his experience was exceptionally moving.
“As far as I was concerned, I was a good friend of IWM and one of its biggest supporters. After my death, I had hoped my irreplaceable collection might be displayed permanently at the museum. Sadly, that will now be elsewhere.
“Observing heroes marvelling at the exploits of heroes who are no longer with us made me determined that the Gallery stay open for the complete duration of my agreement with IWM. In other words, it should close not on May 31, but on September 30. This will enable families to visit during the school holidays, and be open for visitors to London for the 80th anniversary of VJ Day on August 15.
“Accordingly, I have written to the trustees to ask that the full term of our agreement be respected. I am hopeful that they will agree. However, if not, I firmly intend to ask the courts to intervene.
“In the meantime, I trust that the museum will not resort to any precipitation of the gallery closure by invoking a termination of our agreement. That could not possibly be in the public interest and it will be resisted.”
The Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest military decoration for valour in the presence of the enemy, was first awarded in 1856. The medal was introduced by Queen Victoria to reward bravery shown by soldiers during the Crimean War.
The first recipient was Charles Lucas who was just 20, having joined the Royal Navy at age 13 in 1847, and serving as a Mate when he defused a live shell on board HMS Hecla during the Crimean War. Only 1,364 have been awarded since.
The George Cross is awarded to those who have displayed the greatest heroism or the most conspicuous courage while in extreme danger. It is awarded both to civilians and to military personnel for non-operational gallantry, or for gallantry not in the presence of the enemy. The GC is equal in stature in the UK honours system to the VC. Only 418 have been awarded since 1940.
In 2005 Warrant Officer Class 2 Beharry became the first recipient of the VC in the 21st century, the first living soldier since 1969 to be awarded the medal, and the first serving VC in the British Army since 1985, when he was invested by the late Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
Today he was joined by fellow VC holders Mark Donaldson, Dan Keighran, Keith Payne, and Josh Leakey.
In 2015 Colour Sergeant Leakey, 37, currently serving in the Parachute Regiment, became the only living British soldier to be awarded the VC for the War in Afghanistan and the last person to receive it from the Queen.
Two years earlier, a routine joint patrol with British forces, US Marines and Afghan soldiers was attacked by machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades. Then just a 25-year-old Lance Corporal he “singlehandedly prevented considerable loss of life” when he took on Taliban insurgents on an exposed hilltop despite being under constant, accurate fire, with bullets ricocheting off his machine gun.
Alongside them were GC holders Chris Finney, Jim Beaton, Tony Gledhill, Michael Pratt, Sam Shephard, Dom Troulan, Kevin Haberfield, Kim Hughes, and Pete Norton. Tonight the heroes will gather for their biennial dinner at St James’s Palace.
Today’s extraordinary valedictory gathering by living, and in some cases serving, battlefield heroes came just 72-hours before Britain’s four-day VE Day commemorations begin with a grand military parade along The Mall and a salute before King Charles. He will later meet decorated Second World War veterans before a spectacular flypast over Buckingham Palace.
Mr Finney, 40, formerly of the Household Cavalry, became the youngest ever GC recipient receiving his from the late Queen in 2004.
Now Chairman of the VC and GC Association, he said: “I have brought my own children to see this exhibition honouring men and women who have displayed the most extraordinary courage because it is vitally important to engage the younger generation. I would like as many people as possible to visit before it closes.”
The IWM said: “We are enormously grateful to Lord Ashcroft and other private lenders who have enabled us to display these important medals since the gallery opened.”