Gallantry medal awarded in Iraq goes on display

A collection of medal including a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) awarded to an army veteran in 2008 has gone on display.

Cpl Adam Miller, from Calne, was given the honour for repairing a cargo truck while under heavy fire during an ambush in Iraq on 21 May 2007.

He put his medals up for sale in 2023 to give the money to his son.

Cpl Miller said: "For the medal to end up here (REME Museum) there literally is no better outcome."

They were acquired by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) Museum in Lyneham, after a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England.

A painting by David Cobley depicting Cpl Miller in action in Basra, Iraq, hangs over the medal display

The CGC is the second level of military decoration, behind the Victoria Cross.

Only 60 CGCs have been awarded and no other members of Mr Miller's corps have been given higher honours, so he is the corps' highest-decorated soldier.

The medal's citation read: "The soldiers, fighting for their lives from under armour, watched in fear of Mr Miller's life, as he ran forward 50 metres across the exposed bridge, in complete view of the enemy to begin his assessment.

"For the next two hours he worked on the recovery.

"Throughout this period, he was under continuous and heavy fire with bullets striking the road, bridge railings and vehicle he was working on, often only inches from him."

Cpl Miller was awarded the CGC by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2008

"It was only when I watched the footage back that it became real, you can see me running across the bridge and machine gun fire near me," Cpl Miller told the BBC.

"I was laying in bed that night, just going over the what ifs."

Of the medal he said: "It was on a wall in my living room and selling it was the right thing to do.

"My son can bring his children for years to come."

Opening the new display, Col Jason Philips said: "For the wider family that is REME, your medals are totemic in their significance.

"They will serve as a focal point of this museum, as symbols of the demanding combination of engineering excellence and professional soldiering."

Major (retired) Rick Henderson said he hoped the display would inspire others

Major (retired) Rick Henderson, director of the REME Museum said: "To have the Corps highest ever gallantry award hanging in our museum is absolutely huge.

"And the man himself (Cpl Miller) and his family is here to do the actual unveiling, that's even better."

Junior REME soldiers learn their trade at MOD Lyneham, located next to the museum.

Mr Henderson said: "It just inspired the young tradesmen coming through.

"(Showing them) what they could achieve, it's fantastic."