Dec 9, 2020
The very best of Global Britain
The latest Operational Honours and Awards list recognised the bravery, hard work and devotion of our Armed Forces whilst on operations around the globe
The Operational Honours and Awards demonstrate the sheer commitment of personnel to keeping Britain safe. 24/7, 365 days a year, the work they do ensures Britain remains ready to face any potential threats both at home and abroad.
Take a look at some of those who have recently been honoured.👇
Commander Richard P Hewitt MBE — Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Cdr Richard Hewitt MBE has been awarded an OBE (Officer (of the Order) of the British Empire) for his work as Commander of HMS Defender in the Middle East. He has been described as having shown a “masterclass in Destroyer operations”.
Initially scheduled to take his ship to the Asia Pacific, Commander Hewitt was re-tasked to the Middle East. Commander Hewitt acted as the principal Commander at sea, taking tactical control of all UK units.
He was tasked to ensure the safety of British shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in response to heightened tensions following the capture of British flagged Merchant Vessel Stena Impero.
Commander Hewitt’s actions were critical in the combined US-UK plan to defend several coalition ships.
In total they escorted 38 British flagged vessels.
Lieutenant Colonel Matthew James Edney-Smith — Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service
Lt Colonel Matthew Smith has been honoured for his leadership and conduct whilst deployed with the United Nations to South Sudan.
While deployed, his Task Group were isolated from supporting units with fragile lines of communication and no roads but he was still able to organise his Task Force to complete vital engineering projects.
This included completing a safe route to Dhorbor, resulting in 10,000 villagers returning from the UN’s protection to their homes. Under Lt Col Smith’s command the Task Group also completed and handed over a functioning field hospital to the UN despite technical difficulties.
- In Pictures: The British Army’s four years in South Sudan
- Operation TRENTON: Four things you need to know
Lance Corporal Hannah Richardson — Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service
LCpl Hannah Richardson has been recognised for her quick-thinking and outstanding resourcefulness whilst deployed to Afghanistan as a Combat Medical Technician.
LCpl Richardson received a warning to expect a high number of casualties following an insurgent attack.
She then realised the transfer mechanism from the helicopter landing site to the hospital wasn’t able to cope with the numbers.
She quickly requested the support of the British Force Protection Company to help move and support the casualties.
Despite enormous pressure, she remained composed among the surrounding chaos, treating the critically wounded personnel and improving their chances of survival. Meanwhile she instructed her team of soldiers to bandage wounds and fetch crucial supplies.
- Op TORAL: Three things you need to know
- From extracting casualties to providing safety: The role of a vehicle commander
Lieutenant Commander Ben Martin — Member of the Order of the British Empire
Lt Cdr Ben Martin has been awarded an MBE in recognition of his 15 years of service in the Navy and exceptional command of HMS Blyth in the Gulf over the last year. He faced many complex challenges before and during his deployment as Commanding Officer.
When many engineering defects reduced time for training his crew, he calmly readied them for operations. Then, amidst growing regional tensions following the capture of Stena Impero by Iran, Martin delivered steadfast leadership, ensuring that his ship was ready to respond to a rapidly changing and demanding situation.
