'Award these heroes British Purple Heart' BROWN MEDALS BREAKTHROUGH.Byline: BY JAMES LYONS James Lyons can refer to:
GORDON Brown called on defence chiefs yesterday to give a Purple Heart-style medal to men and women killed or wounded in action A casualty category applicable to a hostile casualty, other than the victim of a terrorist activity, who has incurred an injury due to an external agent or cause. The term encompasses all kinds of wounds and other injuries incurred in action, whether there is a piercing of the body, as in . His decision to speak out on his visit to the US is a huge boost to the Mirror's Honour the Brave campaign. As he spoke the bodies of two airmen killed in Afghanistan arrived home. US servicemen and women killed or injured in battle are awarded the Purple Heart, and the PM believes the sacrifice of British heroes and families should be recognised in the same way. A medal could be included in plans to boost recognition for troops. Mr Brown has told MP Quentin Davies to draw up proposals to be published soon. Aides said the PM believes Britain can learn a lot from the way America treats its servicemen and women. He is impressed by the way the profile of the forces is boosted through homecoming parades and links with sports clubs. The US air force stages fly-bys at major events, such as the Superbowl. An aide said Mr Brown had noticed the forces were "a constant feature of US life while all too often a forgotten feature of life in Britain". Senior Ministers, defence officials and MPs have backed the Mirror campaign. Military chiefs have obstructed the move. Pearl Thrumble, 44, of Chelmsford, Essex - whose son John, 21, was killed in Afghanistan last year - said: "This is great news. I am delighted Mr Brown appears to be listening." Meanwhile, the bodies of Senior Aircraftmen Gary Thompson, 51, of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force The Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) is the volunteer reserve part of the Royal Air Force. It consists of paid volunteers who give up some of their weekends, evenings and holidays to train at one of a number of squadrons around the United Kingdom. Regiment, and Graham Livingstone, 23, of the RAF Regiment, arrived at RAF Lyneham, Wilts. They were killed by a roadside bomb near Kandahar on Sunday. Gary, of Nottingham, said before going to Afghanistan he wanted women there "to be given the same opportunity" his five daughters have had. CAPTION(S): HOME Hearses carry coffins away. Right, Gary Thompson and Graham Livingstone Picture: ADAM Adam, the first man, in the Bible Adam (ăd`əm), [Heb.,=man], in the Bible, the first man. In the Book of Genesis, God creates humankind in his image as a species of male and female, giving them dominion over other life. SORENSON |
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