b. 1979 Stepney, London.
DATE OF CGC ACTION: 10/07/2009 Sangin, Afghanistan.
Jaime Moncho CGC
Jaime Moncho was born in Stepney, London in 1979. He was with the 2nd Battalion of The Rifles Regiment, serving in Sangin, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when the incident occurred which led to the award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.
On 10 July 2009, during Operation Panther’s Claw, as a patrol crossed the Market Square, a huge explosion went off, and three Riflemen, William Aldridge, James Backhouse and Daniel Simpson were all hit. Aldridge and Backhouse were killed instantly, whilst Simpson lay badly wounded out in the open. Corporal Jay Horne and Rifleman Joseph Murphy went to the aid of the stricken three comrades, and as Murphy attempted to carry Simpson out of the area to safety, a second explosion killed them both. Horne was also killed in the second explosion.
Jaime Moncho arrived at the scene and immediately took charge. As he stated at the inquest into the deaths of his five comrades (and coincidentally the same day as his CGC was announced), he said “Once we got to the compound ourselves, we could see through the gap, the casualties and where they were. At that stage I heard a crack and a thump, a possible round of small arms fire. At that time we had to formulate very quickly a set of battle orders.”
Sgt Moncho’s medal citation reads: “His supreme courage in the face of the most testing of circumstances was exemplary and his personal actions steadied all those around him.”
Moncho went on to help found the charity Afghan Heroes, and is a patron of the William Aldridge Foundation.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: WITH RECIPIENT.
