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Finally six are recognised for bravery on 7/7
Rashid Rasaq31 Dec 2008
PEOPLE caught up in the 7 July bombings have been recognised for their bravery with New Year honours.
Civilians and off-duty emergency staff were among those who receive MBEs for their actions during the attacks which killed 52 people three years ago.
It comes a year after the Cabinet Office previously dismissed calls for them to be honoured because honours could only be given to people "for meritorious service over a sustained period and not for specifically saving someone's life".
Six people will now be honoured for their bravery and actions in the aftermath of the bombings.
Tim Coulson, 53, smashed his way into the wreckage of the train destroyed near Edgware Road Tube station to give first aid to those injured. The teacher from Henley-on-Thames helped one man, who had lost both legs in the Circle line blast, and watched him die in his arms.
Stephen Hucklesby, of Leamington Spa, who was in the same carriage as Mr Coulson, was also honoured for tending to the injured. He said: "It was an enormous surprise to be given this award. A lot of people helped there on that day and I was only one of them. I am very honoured and very humbled." Off-duty PC Elizabeth Kenworthy, 46, from Waltham Abbey, Essex, was on the same Tube as bomber Shehzad Tanweer, and made her way through the devastated carriage to help survivors, including a man who had had a leg blown off by the blast.
Other 7/7 civilians honoured are Gerald McIlmurray and Antonio Silvestro, both from Epsom, Surrey, and David Matthews, of Luton.
And one of the victims of the attacks, Gill Hicks, who lost both legs in the bombings, received an MBE for charitable work after completing a month-long 200-mile peace walk on her prosthetic limbs.
Ms Hicks is a representative for Peace Direct, Leonard Cheshire Disability and her own organisation MAD for Peace, which encourages people to make a positive difference.
"It is truly wonderful to receive such a great honour," she said.
"There is not a day that goes by, however, that I am not filled with gratitude for those who saved my life. Every day I have I owe to their courage and determination to never give up. They have set the example by which I lead my life."
Reader views (4)
The honoured persons, Gerald McIlmurray and Antonio Silvestro are serving police officers, not civilians. Gerald McIlmurray was involved in the 21st July events & not the 7th July events.
- Bob, UK, 04/01/2009 10:26
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I also agree with Mike Melbourne. The honours system was debased by Blair when he was PM. He seemed to think that anyone was a suitable candidate just so long as they had made the pages of the newspapers. Sportsmen and women have been honoured for excelling in their particular sport but they have either been paid to do it or have been rewarded by being presented with a trophy. This once was sufficient reward enough but things have changed, thanks to our second rate rulers.
- David, Peterborough, 01/01/2009 15:29
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An athlete, admittedly a very good one, gets a knighthood because he excels at what he does.
Genuine heroes, a much overused word in sport, get the lowest award in the Honours chest.
What a crazy world we live in.
- charles, Stanmore. London, 31/12/2008 17:31
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I have real doubts about the "honours" system because so many people either get honoured for making vast sums of money or for doing things that they really enjoy doing.
These people and many others showed great courage and bravery in terriyfing conditions on that dreadful day and should have been awarded these awards some time ago.
However our politicians seem to believe that "actors", people in the music business and the rich deserve to be honoured first.
- Mike Melbourne, Bedford England, 31/12/2008 15:46
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