Heroic major honoured with Military Cross
An heroic army officer who led an operation to wipe out the threat of dangerous insurgents in Afghanistan was today awarded the Military Cross.
Major Geoff Brocklehurst, from Tenbury Wells, near Ludlow, led B Company, 4th Battalion The Rifles in a mission to protect a key base after the Afghan National Army (ANA) came under serious fire.
His citation commended him for "exemplary leadership" and "inspirational motivation" as his men seized weapons, detainees and important communication equipment and ammunition from the enemy.
Major Geoff Brocklehurst, 36, of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, is one of more than 100 members of the armed forces listed to receive honours today.
They include a young soldier who helped to save his friend who had been shot in the neck by an Afghan insurgent and two Chinook helicopter crew members who evacuated six stranded troops despite the total failure of their communications and navigation system while on operations in Afghanistan.
Major Brocklehurst said he was shocked to receive the award.
"I was very surprised, and quite humbled to be honest," he said.
"I was just doing my job, as we all were.
"I feel I've earned it on behalf of the company doing the business on the ground itself.
"I had some fantastic guys under my command.
"The will of the guys was fantastic – they realised that they were there to do a job and they were willing to get out and make a difference."
The patrol base that Geoff and his team were working out of was in the northern, contested bank of the Boghra Canal, the boundary between the protected community and the uncontrolled desert where insurgents were operating with impunity.
His citation reads: "Brocklehurst's exemplary leadership of B Company and inspirational motivation of the Afghan company at Folad have set him apart from his peers.
"His courageous and decisive actions in the face of a capable and highly dangerous enemy played a fundamental role in achieving mission success in Nad-e-Ali district during Operation Herrick 18 and are worthy of national recognition."
The Military Cross is traditionally given out "in recognition of exemplary gallantry during active operations on land".
