We reveal the courageous men and women honoured for their bravery at Sun Military Awards 2016
Brave Brits were handed awards in recognition of their hard work and contribution to the Armed Forces
GONGS were handed out last night to these worthy winners at the annual Sun Military Awards.
A shortlist of nominees were whittled down from thousands of entries, before our judging panel of former top brass and military champions made their final decisions.
Here, Defence Editor DAVID WILLETTS reveals the winners and shares their inspirational stories.
I am humbled to be in the presence of so many brave people
Prof Ian Pallister, Innovation Award Winner
Hero at Home: Unit
Winner: 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Regiment
The bomb hunters of 11 EOD Regiment are on standby 365 days a year to respond to explosive threats in the UK.
The Regiment responded to an eye watering 1,502 incidents in the first eight months of 2016 alone, of which 241 were possible improvised explosive devices.
Their incredible skills were tested to the limit in May when an unexploded 500kg German WWII bomb was uncovered in Bath — triggering a 30-hour operation to make it safe and move the bomb.
Hero at Home: Individual
Winner: Sergeant Adam Threlfall RAF Airborne Delivery
Sgt Threlfall showed incredible presence of mind to react when two fellow parachutists got tangled up at 12,000ft and plummeted to the ground.
The 35-year-old from Upper Rissington, Gloucs, switched course and dodged five others in the sky before landing a stone’s throw from them, far from the original drop spot.
He administered lifesaving first aid while the emergency services headed to the scene and both survived.
Hero Overseas: Unit
Winner: RAF contribution to Operation Shader
The RAF is conducting its most intense flying mission in a single theatre for 25 years — dismantling ISIS from the skies.
In the 12 months since September 2015, it has flown 5,500 sorties over Iraq and Syria, providing 40,000 hours of air surveillance and support and carrying out more than 1,000 strikes.
Some of the personnel picked up their trophy from Prime Minister Theresa May at the ceremony.
Hero Overseas: Individual
Winner: Surgeon Cmdr Matthew Turner Royal Navy Medical Services
The 44-year-old from Somerset led a medical team on chartered commercial ship VOS Grace to help tackle the migrant crisis in the Aegean Sea.
During the three-month deployment from November 2015 to Januray 2016, he and his team tackled the migrant route from Turkey to the Greek islands.
His team rescued more than 4,250 migrants, including nearly 1,000 children, 200 of whom were under the age one.
Best Reservist
Winner: Lieutenant Ruairi Holohan HMS Hibernia
The dad of one from Dublin was one of the first Royal Navy Reservists to take part in last year’s migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean.
Called up for duty for his linguistic skills and deployed on board HMS Bulwark, Ruairi, 44, spent five weeks speaking French and Arabic to the thousands saved by the Royal Navy.
The social care worker cared for youngsters plucked from the sea — even making up bottled milk for scores of infants.
Inspiring others
Winner: Lieutenant Commander Joe Meadows, RNR, Beccles Sea and Royal Marines Cadet Unit
Married dad-of-four Lt Cdr Meadows, 49, of Lowestoft, Suffolk, has racked up three decades of volunteering, inspiring and nurturing hundreds of cadets achieve their potential.
He inspired Lt Nathan Buchanan, who completed two tours of Afghanistan with the Marines before being commissioned as an officer and gaining the Sword of Honour as top student on his Officer Training Course.
Overcoming Adversity
Winner: Former Corporal Stuart Robinson, RAF
The 34-year-old from Morecambe, Lancs was injured by a Taliban bomb on patrol in Helmand in February 2013.
Despite suffering 36 injuries, including the loss of both legs, Stuart started Team Legless to raise funds for service charities.
He has taken part in two Invictus Games and hopes to play wheelchair rugby for GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Stuart also gives motivational talks in schools and prisons.
Judges' Special Recognition
Winner: 2 Lancs
Last December parts of northern England were battered by a series of unprecedented storms.
As the UK Standby Battalion, 2 Lancs provided crucial manpower and equipment support to the emergency services.
Plunging into icy, dark flood water with little equipment or training, around 300 troops took part in searches and rescue operations, including carrying residents to safety.
With 2 Lancs’ help devastated areas of Carlisle, York and Calderdale, in West Yorkshire were cleared quickly.
Support to Armed Forces
Winner: Fisher House & Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity
Fisher House is an 18-bedroom “home away from home” for military patients and families, based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and run by QEHB Charity.
When military patients are being treated at the hospital, their loved ones can stay at Fisher House for free.
It is safe, welcoming and gives real support to those families who have to wait anxiously by a bedside.
Innovation Award
Winner: Trauma Simulation Ltd
The firm was set up by surgeon Professor Ian Pallister, 51, from Cardiff, who received his award from former Dragons’ Den star Duncan Bannatyne and model Amy Willerton.
Backed by the Ministry of Defence and academics, he has been able to design and develop realistic, life-size models to help our surgeons train on battle- casualty injuries.
Without this technology, they would not perfect skills needed to save soldiers’ lives.