The widow of a paratrooper who was killed during an audacious charge at Taleban fighters has accepted on his behalf the first posthumous Victoria Cross to be awarded in 25 years.

Lorena Budd, 23, said yesterday that she was “enormously proud” of her late husband, Corporal Bryan Budd. She added that he had died doing the job that he loved.

Corporal Budd, 29, had been on a routine patrol with 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment on August 20 last year when it came under “withering fire” from a Taleban position in southern Afghanistan.

He charged at the enemy to give his colleagues a chance to retreat. His body was found alongside three dead Taleban fighters.

Mrs Budd, of Ripon, North Yorkshire, collected the Victoria Cross from the Queen at a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace. She was accompanied by her husband’s stepfather, Trevor Girdham, and his sister, Tracey, and brother, Stephen. She said: “I am enormously proud of him and it has been an emotional day. The award of the Victoria Cross recognises his conspicuous gallantry, inspirational leadership and supreme valour.

“Tragically, acting in the highest traditions of The Parachute Regiment, he made the ultimate sacrifice by laying down his life.”

She said that his two daughters, Isabelle, 2, and Imogen, who was born the month after her father died, would always miss him. She added: “But his memory continues to live on.”

Corporal Budd was also recognised for spearheading an attack on two rooftop gunmen to allow the evacuation of a wounded colleague.

Seven other members of his regiment also received honours in recognition of their service in Afghanistan. The regiment’s commanding officer, Lieuten-ant-Colonel Stuart Tootal, who was awarded the distinguished service order, said that he was “immensely proud” of his soldiers. “All these awards today have been in the highest traditions of The Parachute Regiment, and the Army as a whole.

“It’s what these soldiers go and do and, if necessary, they will do it day in, day out. Most importantly, they will go back and do it again.”

The Chief of the Defence Staff announced last year that another member of Corporal Budd’s regiment would be awarded a posthumous George Cross. Corporal Mark Wright, 27, of Edinburgh, was killed while trying to save comrades trapped in a minefield in Helmand province.

The Victoria Cross has been awarded 13 times since the Second World War. The last soldier to receive it was Private Johnson Beharry, of 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, in 2004.

Last month it was revealed that Corporal Budd may have been killed accidentally by his own forces. An investigation into his death discovered that the ammunition that killed him was of the calibre used by British forces.

The Ministry of Defence said that the corporal’s death was “currently the subject of a routine service police investigation”. It is understood that pathologists who examined his wounds concluded that they were inflicted by British troops.

Lieutenant-Colonel Tootal said of the revelation: “Given the dynamics of close-quarter combat . . . there is always the possibility of casualties caused by friendly fire.

“However, this does not in any way detract from the utmost valour of Corporal Budd’s actions.”

Fifty British troops have died since soldiers were deployed to southern Afghanistan last year. The most recent were two soldiers from 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery who were killed on Saturday.

Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, recently announced that 1,400 more troops would be sent to bolster the Nato force, which includes 7,700 British servicemen and women.

Highest award for bravery

The Victoria Cross was created in 1856 as the first British medal for bravery

It is the highest award for acts of gallantry, alongside the George Cross, which is presented for bravery while not under enemy fire

Each medal is said to be made from bronze taken from two Chinese cannons captured from the Russians at the siege of Sebastopol during the Crimean War

Private — now Lance Corporal — Johnson Beharry became the first living recipient of the medal since 1965 for remarkable acts of bravery in Iraq after he saved members of his unit during two separate ambushes in al-Amarah in May and June 2004

Corporal Bryan Budd, whose family received his award from the Queen today, is the fifth paratrooper to win a posthumous VC

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