A paratrooper who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross yesterday for his inspirational leadership during battles with the Taleban in southern Afghanistan was described by his widow as a man prepared to make the very highest sacrifice to save the lives of others.

Lorena Budd, 23, the wife of Corporal Bryan Budd, of the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, delivered her tribute soon after Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Defence Staff, announced the award of the VC and a posthumous George Cross for Corporal Mark Wright, of the same regiment.

Mrs Budd received the VC on behalf of her husband, who died in August. Although injured, he continued with a lone assault on the Taleban, “attacking and killing the enemy as he rushed their position. His action inspired the rest of the platoon, who had taken cover after coming under enemy fire. They reorganised and mounted an attack, eliminating more Taleban and eventually forcing their withdrawal. When Corporal Budd’s body was later recovered, it was found surrounded by three dead Taleban.”

Corporal Budd, 29, from Ripon, North Yorkshire, had been involved in an earlier attack, on July 27, in which he also displayed exceptional courage while rescuing a wounded colleague under fire.

Mrs Budd, a clerk in the Royal Artillery, said: “Bryan will always be remembered by me as a loving husband and father to our two beautiful daughters, Isabelle and Imogen.” Imogen was born a month after Corporal Budd died. He is only the second recipient of the VC in 24 years. The last soldier to receive the award was Private Johnson Beharry, of the 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, in 2004.

Corporal Wright, 27, from Edinburgh, was killed while trying to save comrades trapped in a minefield in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.

Among the 134 service personnel to be honoured with operational gallantry awards was Private Michelle Norris, 19, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, who was awarded the Military Cross for giving first aid to her commander while under sniper fire in al-Amarah, southern Iraq, in June.

Private Norris, who was 18 at the time, ignored the risk to her own life as she clambered out of her Warrior armoured personnel carrier to help Colour Sergeant Ian Page.

Private Norris said that she saw Sergeant Page as a father figure and kept on telling him during the incident: “Come on, Dad, keep awake.” The sergeant is back in the Army with a scar to remind him of what Private Norris did to help him.

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