Days before he was supposed to return home, Cpl. Bryan Budd gave his life to protect his wounded men

The Victoria Cross is the United Kingdom's most prestigious military award, given for exceptional bravery in combat. Sadly, many recipients never live to know they’ve received it, as their heroic deeds often come at the cost of their own lives. Such was the case with Cpl. Bryan Budd, who made the ultimate sacrifice by launching a solo charge under heavy Taliban fire.

With just five days remaining before he was set to return home, one might think Budd’s thoughts would be on reuniting with his family. Yet, his selfless actions secured the safety of his fellow soldiers, embodying the unwavering courage of the British Parachute Regiment in his final moments.

Stories like Budd’s remind us to honor the fallen, but, as the saying goes, to be thankful that such men lived.

Bryan Budd was a professional soldier

Bryan Budd was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1977. From a young age, he knew he wanted to be a soldier. In 1996, he joined the Parachute Regiment, determined to be part of the elite forces that would lead the way into battle.

But Budd didn’t stop at being a PARA. He pushed further, passing the rigorous tests required to join the 16 Air Assault Brigade’s Pathfinder Platoon. This specialized unit, tasked with conducting reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines, allowed him to lead the charge in various combat zones, including the former Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Macedonia, Iraq and, ultimately, Afghanistan .

Increased Taliban activity in Helmand province

In 2006, Bryan Budd joined the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) as part of a British task force headed for Helmand province, Afghanistan. The region was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting of the war at this time, and the town of Sangin was the epicenter of it all.

The Taliban had grown increasingly accustomed to Western military intervention and adapted tactics to make themselves a more aggressive and resilient opponent. While previous engagements saw them engage from afar, the insurgents were now unafraid to take the fight up closer and compete for the occupation of rural Afghanistan.

For Budd’s final engagement, this meant meters away in a field head-high full of corn.

His Victoria Cross citation actually references two incidents, one coming on July 27, 2006. When his section became engaged with multiple Taliban militants firing from a rooftop, several British PARAs were injured and in need of evacuation. Realizing the suppressive fire made that impossible, he stood up, exposed to heavy fire, and charged the building.

Budd's assault caused the Taliban to flee across an open field, where they were given an education on British marksmanship.  The PARA's action allowed his colleagues to be evacuated, and were be the first of two inexplicably gallant actions.

Bryan Budd was just five days from home

Although deployment dates can often change unexpectedly at the last moment, it was reported that Bryan Budd was set to return home on August 25, 2006. On August 20, he found himself in Sangin, where his unit was tasked with defending a remote outpost. The outpost’s location made it a frequent target for Taliban attacks, requiring a strong defense that included regular patrols around the perimeter.

During one of these patrols, Budd was leading his men through dense vegetation, primarily human-height corn. Despite the limited visibility, he spotted a significant number of Taliban insurgents roughly 30 meters ahead. In an effort to maintain the element of surprise, Budd initiated a flanking maneuver to eliminate the enemy.

However, the Taliban spotted the approaching patrol, sparking a fierce firefight.

Taliban insurgents versus the British Parachute Regiment

With three of his men wounded, Bryan Budd, once again, recognized the need to regain the initiative and pressed forward with the attack - alone. He rushed through the corn and assaulted the enemy. Despite being wounded in the firefight, he continued the assault, giving his men the cover needed to reorganize.

As a result of this assault, the Taliban militants were silenced and the wounded able to evacuate.

However, there was no sign of Budd as his unit withdrew. He was initially listed as missing in action (MIA) while a quick reaction force assembled to search for him. As the reactionary forces pushed through the vegetation, air power beating back the Taliban, Budd’s body was discovered lying in the field next to three dead insurgents.

Bryan Budd met a tragic end

For his actions on August 20, 2006 and a few days prior, Bryan Budd was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was one of less than 20 to receive the honor since the end of the Second World War . A subsequent examination might have proven that the fatal shot came from a 5.56 mm NATO weapon, which indicated friendly fire. However, that only occurred because he saw fit to close in and destroy the enemy.

On not one, but two occasions, Budd deemed it advisable to launch a counterattack and gift violence to the enemy, rather than receive it. An unexpected counterattack disrupts enemy momentum, but often at a great cost to those who pursue it. Budd will rest in the hall of history that recognizes him as a warrior who understood that battle is fought one moment at a time, with little disregard for when you might be going home.

More from us: James Ashworth: The Victoria Cross Recipient Who Gave His Life to Take Out An Enemy Sniper

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If it's indeed the case that Bryan Budd would have returned home with his family in just five days, then history owes him the recognition for conducting such a feat and sacrificing his life for his comrades.