Telford to thank Shropshire George Cross hero Kim Hughes
Telford & Wrekin Council is to officially thank Shropshire George Cross hero Kim Hughes for his bravery, borough mayor Councillor Ian Fletcher told a full meeting of the authority last night.
Telford & Wrekin Council is to officially thank Shropshire George Cross hero Kim Hughes for his bravery, borough mayor Councillor Ian Fletcher told a full meeting of the authority last night.
Councillor Fletcher said he would be writing to Staff Sergeant Hughes on behalf of the council.
The 30-year-old Telford-based soldier, of the Royal Logistic Corps, was decorated with the George Cross by the Queen in June for the "single most outstanding act of explosive ordnance disposal" recorded in Afghanistan.
This month he was honoured at the Pride of Britain ceremony where millions of TV viewers saw him presented with a Special Recognition Award by presenter Myleene Klass and actor Dominic West.
Earlier in the day he had met the Queen for lunch and 24 hours before that sat alongside Prince Charles at a reception at St James' Palace for recipients of the Victoria and George Cross.
Councillor Fletcher told last night's meeting: "I shall be writing to Kim Hughes on behalf of the council to express our thanks for the work he has done."
The announcement was greeted with loud applause.
The council last month agreed to write to Telford hero Corporal Ricky Furgusson to express the borough's thanks for his bravery.
Corporal Furgusson, from Stirchley, is to be presented with the Military Cross for bravery on December 7 by the Queen. The 4th Battalion The Rifles soldier lost both legs, an eye and fingers on both hands in a bomb blast in January.
He won the Military Cross, given for "an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy", for going four times to the aid of wounded soldiers injured by improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan.