The BBC Turns Its Back On A Tale Of Heroism

The British Broadcasting Company is refusing to air a teledrama about a British soldier whose heroism in Iraq earned him the Victoria Cross because it might offend the sensibilities of those who are opposed to the war.

Britain, once one of the proudest and strongest nations on Earth, appears to be suffering from the same internal rot as the rest of Europe in which the mushy transnational ideal wipes away the values that make a nation strong. It’s more understandable for a nation like Germany whose radical nationalism twice ravaged a continent, but for Britain, the guardian of Western Civilization, to suffer the same muddle-headedness is deeply distressing. It was the strength of the British people that held back the darkest tide during the Second World War. Now the BBC can hardly be bothered to recognize the bravery of one of their own citizens.

Mark Steyn tells the tale the BBC will not:

How brave is Private Beharry? He’s the first living recipient of the Victoria Cross since two Aussies, Keith Payne and Rayene Stewart Simpson, were honored with the Commonwealth’s highest award for gallantry in 1969 for their service in Vietnam, and he’s the first living recipient in the British Army since Lance-Corporal Rambahadur Limbu of the 10th Princess Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles won his in the Confrontation with Indonesia in 1965. Private Beharry is one of only 12 living Victoria Cross holders. But his story might “alienate” the British public.

As The Telegraph tells it:

He was cited for “valour of the highest order” after he drove a Warrior tracked armoured vehicle through heavy enemy fire in May 2004 to come to the rescue of a foot patrol that had been caught in a series of ambushes. The 30-ton Warrior was hit by multiple rocket-propelled grenades, causing damage and resulting in the loss of radio communications. Pte Beharry drove through the ambush, taking his own injured crew and leading five other Warriors to safety. He then extracted his wounded colleagues from the vehicle, all the time exposed to further enemy fire.

The following month, Pte Beharry was again driving the lead Warrior vehicle of his platoon through al-Amarah when his vehicle was ambushed. A rocket-propelled grenade hit the vehicle and Pte Beharry received serious head injuries. Other rockets hit the vehicle incapacitating his commander and injuring several of the crew.Despite his very serious injuries, Pte Beharry then took control of his vehicle and drove it out of the ambush area before losing consciousness. He required brain surgery for his head injuries and he was still recovering when he received the VC from the Queen in June last year.

Private Beharry exemplifies every aspect that distinguishes a hero from the rest of us. The fact that the BBC finds his story so abhorrent as to be unfit for the British public says a great deal about the debased state of the BBC.