Post by BereniceUK on Apr 14, 2017 18:57:03 GMT
A hero soldier is to have the main street in his home town named after him. Lance Corporal Stephen Shaw, 24, was awarded the Military Cross after risking his life to save that of a colleague in Afghanistan. Now town chiefs in Heywood are planning to rename part of Church Street in his honour. Part of the road, which runs through the town centre, would instead become L/Cpl Stephen Shaw MC Way. The family of LC Shaw said they it was a fantastic honour.
The dad-of-one, a former St Joseph’s High School pupil, stays with his family in the town when not on active duty.
Mum Carolyn, 48, said: “It is brilliant. Stephen does not know what all the fuss is about. At the end of the day it is just his job, but really this is massive. It is such an honour. Stephen is Heywood born and bred. It is for everyone in the town as well.”
LC Shaw, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, was given the Military Cross – the third highest honour that can be bestowed – after pulling a fellow soldier to safety after he had been shot in the leg last July.
Harry Mills, chairman of the Lancashire Veterans’ Association, said: “The medal Stephen has been given is a huge honour and everyone at the Veterans Association are so proud of him.”
Councillors plan to present a report proposing the name change for the street at the next full council meeting in April.
Coun Alan McCarthy, chairman of Heywood Township, said: “Something like this has never been done before, but this seems like an appropriate way for the whole of Heywood to recognise Stephen’s bravery and the pride we have in him.”
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/hero-soldier-lance-corporal-stephen-2492095
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Heywood’s Lance Corporal Stephen Shaw has attended Buckingham Palace to collect his Military Cross for heroism while serving in Afghanistan.
Lance Corporal Shaw, 24, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, was praised by Prince Charles for having pulled an injured comrade to safety while under fire and giving him life-saving treatment. The Prince of Wales remarked: “Well done, it must have been a bad situation to get in.”
The attack occurred at a checkpoint in the upper Gereshk Valley in Helmand, when an Afghan policeman opened fire on Lance Corporal Shaw and his team from a watchtower. The medic returned fire and dragged his team commander, Lieutenant John Scarlett, out of the line of fire after he had been shot and injured. After giving life-saving first-aid, Lance Corporal Shaw returned to the checkpoint to help 3 other colleagues who had been seriously injured in the fire-fight, although they later died from their injuries.
Lance Corporal Shaw said: “Nothing went through my head. It was all instinct. I had to get through to the casualties and then triage and treat, it’s all I could do. I don’t remember much. People say it was 40 or 50 minutes, to me it was over like that.”
The Military Cross is the third highest honour that can be bestowed upon military personnel and was given to Lance Corporal Shaw in recognition of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land. The citation for his medal said: “Shaw’s actions during that horrific attack were in the very finest traditions of the British Army.”
On receiving his award, Lance Corporal Shaw said: “Today is a proud day but I was in a team in Afghanistan. If it was not for everyone doing their thing I would not be here. It is a team effort. I just see it as me doing my job.”
The Heywood soldier had previously attended a ceremony at the Civic Centre in his hometown, where he was awarded the freedom of the borough by Rochdale Council for his bravery.
Councillor Alan McCarthy, who proposed the honour, said at the time: “Lance Corporal Shaw M.C. is a true hero, and one the borough of Rochdale should be proud of. Despite being shot, this young and inexperienced soldier had the presence of mind to return fire and give directions to his commander. He then took the deliberate decision to enter the killing area to the aid of four of his colleagues who lay wounded. The borough has been shown in a positive light by his actions.”
www.rochdale.gov.uk/health_and_social_care/armed_forces_personnel/medals_and_honours/military_cross.aspx
The dad-of-one, a former St Joseph’s High School pupil, stays with his family in the town when not on active duty.
Mum Carolyn, 48, said: “It is brilliant. Stephen does not know what all the fuss is about. At the end of the day it is just his job, but really this is massive. It is such an honour. Stephen is Heywood born and bred. It is for everyone in the town as well.”
LC Shaw, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, was given the Military Cross – the third highest honour that can be bestowed – after pulling a fellow soldier to safety after he had been shot in the leg last July.
Harry Mills, chairman of the Lancashire Veterans’ Association, said: “The medal Stephen has been given is a huge honour and everyone at the Veterans Association are so proud of him.”
Councillors plan to present a report proposing the name change for the street at the next full council meeting in April.
Coun Alan McCarthy, chairman of Heywood Township, said: “Something like this has never been done before, but this seems like an appropriate way for the whole of Heywood to recognise Stephen’s bravery and the pride we have in him.”
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/hero-soldier-lance-corporal-stephen-2492095
-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
Heywood’s Lance Corporal Stephen Shaw has attended Buckingham Palace to collect his Military Cross for heroism while serving in Afghanistan.
Lance Corporal Shaw, 24, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, was praised by Prince Charles for having pulled an injured comrade to safety while under fire and giving him life-saving treatment. The Prince of Wales remarked: “Well done, it must have been a bad situation to get in.”
The attack occurred at a checkpoint in the upper Gereshk Valley in Helmand, when an Afghan policeman opened fire on Lance Corporal Shaw and his team from a watchtower. The medic returned fire and dragged his team commander, Lieutenant John Scarlett, out of the line of fire after he had been shot and injured. After giving life-saving first-aid, Lance Corporal Shaw returned to the checkpoint to help 3 other colleagues who had been seriously injured in the fire-fight, although they later died from their injuries.
Lance Corporal Shaw said: “Nothing went through my head. It was all instinct. I had to get through to the casualties and then triage and treat, it’s all I could do. I don’t remember much. People say it was 40 or 50 minutes, to me it was over like that.”
The Military Cross is the third highest honour that can be bestowed upon military personnel and was given to Lance Corporal Shaw in recognition of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land. The citation for his medal said: “Shaw’s actions during that horrific attack were in the very finest traditions of the British Army.”
On receiving his award, Lance Corporal Shaw said: “Today is a proud day but I was in a team in Afghanistan. If it was not for everyone doing their thing I would not be here. It is a team effort. I just see it as me doing my job.”
The Heywood soldier had previously attended a ceremony at the Civic Centre in his hometown, where he was awarded the freedom of the borough by Rochdale Council for his bravery.
Councillor Alan McCarthy, who proposed the honour, said at the time: “Lance Corporal Shaw M.C. is a true hero, and one the borough of Rochdale should be proud of. Despite being shot, this young and inexperienced soldier had the presence of mind to return fire and give directions to his commander. He then took the deliberate decision to enter the killing area to the aid of four of his colleagues who lay wounded. The borough has been shown in a positive light by his actions.”
www.rochdale.gov.uk/health_and_social_care/armed_forces_personnel/medals_and_honours/military_cross.aspx