A ROYAL SALUTE TO NATION'S BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE

In the elegant surroundings of St James’s Palace in London, 26 holders of Britain’s highest awards for gallantry ­– the Victoria Cross and the George Cross – posed with their association’s president, Prince Charles, and  Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, pictured right yesterday.

The heroes, brought together for a four-day reunion of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, had earlier attended a service at St Martins-In-The-Fields to commemorate decorated heroes who have died. The Rev Dr David Coulter said: “The men and women of the George Cross and Victoria Cross Association are a rare breed. It is an elite club where only the bravest of the brave are allowed to enter. Today, we salute you all.”

Among the group were seven VC holders, including the two most recent recipients – Lance-Corporal Johnson Beharry, decorated for twice saving members of his unit from ambushes in Iraq in 2004, and Corporal Willie Apiata, a New Zealand SAS man honoured for his bravery under fire while rescuing a comrade in Afghanistan in the same year.

The holders of the Victoria Cross and the George Cross

Lance-Corporal Beharry, 29, is still recovering from wounds he sustained in Iraq. He said: “It’s great to be around VC holders, we don’t see each other much.

I enjoy every moment of it but I’m still having treatment ­– I have to  deal with both ends of the package.”