With over 100 members, supporters of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Surrey including mayors from as far as Sevenoaks, Bracknell Forest and Epsom & Ewell as well as Farnham and Waverley present, LSgt Beharry – who was awarded the VC ‘for valour in Iraq’ - in a 30-plus minute speech began by praising the work of The Soldiers’ Charity, who literally “picked him up” and helped him after the major injuries that he received in 2004.
He explained that he had to be looked after and that, along with the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court near Leatherhead, he was put back together mentally and physically.
His medical treatment cost over £325,000 to get him better having been shot five times, blown up twice and shot twice in the head.
He explained that the hardest part was the recovery process, having been admitted to Headley Court twice as an in-patient. The ABF The Soldiers’ Charity really looked after him and his family then and since.
“I couldn’t speak and I couldn’t walk,” Johnson said, adding “13 years on, I am still in pain”.
Talking candidly about the injuries that he first sustained on May 1, 2004, Johnson explained that he was driving a Warrior tracked armoured vehicle, when he was called to assist a foot patrol caught in a series of ambushes.
As he approached the foot patrol to attempt to rescue them, his vehicle was hit by multiple rocket propelled grenades. Despite the Warrior being badly damaged, he kept pushing the vehicle forward after having opened his hatch, exposing his face and head to enemy fire, to steer the vehicle through the ambush despite driving over a mine with his injured colleagues with him.
He would not and could not proceed without them. He was oblivious of the danger of his own safety and that of his accompanying Platoon Commander had been critically injured, along with other colleagues, whom he later extracted from the vehicle. He was cited for “valour of the highest order”.
The second round of injuries came on June 11, 2004, when the Warrior that he was driving as the lead Warrior on that day was again ambushed and a rocket propelled grenade hit the vehicle just six inches from Johnson’s head.
He suffered serious shrapnel injuries to his brain and face. Other crew and his commander were also injured. But Johnson managed to drive his Warrior out of the ambush area despite life-threatening injuries before losing consciousness.
He required brain surgery and was still recovering in March 2005 when he was awarded the Victoria Cross “for two individual acts of great heroism”.
He remembers being shot in the shoulder – but, “not receiving a bullet in my head” as he went instantly into a coma.
He was flown back at sea level because of his injuries to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham and later, he went to DMRC Headley Court for rehabilitation.
The audience were amazed at the matter of fact way as he reported on how he sustained such serious injuries.
In question time and after the first of two standing ovations, he was asked about the affect of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how it had impacted on him with his regular flashbacks, 13 years on. He was very matter of fact and said basically “that you live with it 24/7 as small things can trigger it off”.
He then talked modestly about finding out that he had been awarded the VC and his painful trip to Buckingham Palace to receive the award, the highest award of the United Kingdom honours system, from The Queen.
He could not understand the fuss, nor the protocol which meant that he went ahead of General Sir Mike Jackson, who was receiving a Knighthood (GCB) as a “VC recipient took precedence over anyone else present”.
He almost kept the Queen waiting and had difficulty in remembering what Her Majesty said to him other than her saying “I don’t do this very often!” - as she pinned on his VC.
As Johnson Beharry VC sat down, there was a further standing ovation.
As Major Anthony Jacques MC, chairman of Farnham Hub, said: “The dinner was a sell out and now we know why! Everyone wanted to both see and hear Johnson Beharry in the flesh.
“He made an outstanding speech without any notes and is a great credit to our country and to the Army. He showed great bravely 13 years ago and continues so to do today.”
Johnson Beharry served with ‘C’ Company of the 1st Battalion Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (PWRR), today’s infantry regiment of Surrey. 4th Battalion PWRR has a company base at Farnham Reserve Centre.
On June 1, 2012, LSgt Beharry was given a public relations role with the Household Division, a position that he still holds.
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