Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry 17
‘They were under the impression we were going to lie in our ditch, shoot the enemy from a distance and they would run away. But I believe we caught the enemy on the hop that day and we had to take the fight to them... I decided the best way to attack was a full-frontal assault. It was my decision to fix bayonets and assault their position.’
Corporal M. R. Byles, 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales Royal Regiment
The exceptional Iraq ‘Battle of Danny Boy’ M.C. group of six awarded to Corporal M. R. Byles, 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, who was awarded a Military Cross for gallantry on 14 May 2004 when he dismounted his Warrior armoured vehicle and led a full frontal assault with automatic fire, grenades and fixed bayonets to clear an enemy trench system – a comrade of Johnson Beharry, whose Victoria Cross was awarded for bravery during the same extraordinarily action-packed tour, Byles is extensively mentioned in Beharry’s memoir ‘Barefoot Soldier’ and also in Richard Holmes’s compelling account of this renowned 7 month deployment ‘Dusty Warriors’
Military Cross, E.II.R., reverse inscribed ‘24836752 Cpl M. R. Byles, PWRR, 2005’; General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24836752 Pte M R Byles R Hamps); N.A.T.O. Medal 1994, 1 clasp, Former Yugoslavia; Iraq 2003-11, no clasp (24836752 M R Byles PWRR); Jubilee 2002, unnamed as issued; Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 1994 (24836752 Pte M R Byles PWRR) good very fine and better (6)
£14,000-£18,000
M.C. London Gazette 18 March 2005.
The following is extracted from the official recommendation submitted by Lieutenant B. U. Plenge (Officer Commanding, 9 Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment):
‘Report on the actions taken by Corporal Byles on the 14 May 2004 at Danny Boy Permanent Vehicle Check Point: On the afternoon of 14 May 2004 Corporal Byles was travelling in the back of Warrior 30 with Private Beggs. The call sign had been crashed out in response to a mortar attack on camp and subsequent ambush on light call signs from 1st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. As W30 arrived on the scene to the north of Danny Boy, and to the west of the dual carriageway, Lieutenant Plenge gave the signal to debus and a quick steer to another friendly dismounted call sign (Lance-Corporal Wood, and Privates Rush and Tatawaki). Almost immediately they began to come under sporadic small arms and RPG fire. Corporal Byles was then quick to identify the enemy positions that posed the biggest threat. He issued Battle orders to the section and they broke down into fire-teams. He assessed that the best way to assault the positions was full frontal. This was due to the ground and also to minimise the threat of Blue on Blue [‘friendly fire’] from heavy call signs by remaining clearly visible to them. They then crossed the open ground using fire-team fire and movement. Approximately 10 metres from the position, the order, “Pairs assault” was given by Corporal Byles. At this point the section split with Lance-Corporal Wood assaulting one half and Corporal Byles the other. Bayonets were fixed and grenades and automatic fire was used to clear the 20m long trench position. There were several enemy on the position and 4 Prisoners of War were captured.
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