Army hero puts CGC he won for repairing low loader while being shot at up for sale for £140,000 

A British army veteran has become the latest Iraq War hero to sell his gallantry medals for £140,000 to secure his and his family’s future.

Corporal Alan Miller received the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) after he tried to repair an army truck while being shot at by 75 enemy insurgents.

The recovery mechanic in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) from Calne, Wilts, dodged a hail of bullets to reach the transporter that had been shot up during an ambush in Basra, Iraq, in 2007.

He then worked for almost two hours to repair it while all the time being fired upon from all angles by enemy fighters less than 50 metres away.

His CGC for ‘displaying icy nerve, professional dedication and almost suicidal courage in an impossible situation’ was the only one awarded to a REME serviceman during the Iraq War.

The recovery mechanic in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) dodged a hail of bullets to reach the transporter that had been shot up during an ambush in Basra, Iraq, in 2007. Pictured: Cpl Miller’s CGC inscribed with his name and the date

Now aged 42, Cpl Miller decided to sell his medals for £140,000 to help his 10-year-old son get through university or buy a house in the future. Pictured from left: Cpl Miller’s Conspicuous Gallantry Cross medal, N.A.T.O 1994 Kosovo medal, Iraq 2003-2001, Jubilee 2012 medal, Regular Army medal and the Jubilee 2022 medal

Now aged 42, Cpl Miller left the Army in January after 24 years of service including operations in Iraq and Kosovo, and tours of Germany and Canada.

He decided to sell his medals for £140,000 to help his 10-year-old son get through university or buy a house in the future.

Cpl Miller said: ‘I know that several people pass medals down their families, but I have decided to sell them now, so that my son, who is 10 years old, can benefit from the proceeds.

‘It can help him with his education or buying a house.’

In the last few years a worrying number of Iraq veterans have ended up selling their gallantry medals after entering ‘Civvy Street’.

Warrant Officer Shaun Jardine sold his CGC group of medals for £140,000 to buy a house in 2021.

Colour Sergeant Martin Caines served three tours in Iraq and was awarded a George Cross for his heroic service before also deciding to sell it for £40,000 to buy a house.

In 2019, Warrant Officer Terrence Thomson sold his CGC group for a record £173,000 to secure his family’s future.

Cpl Miller was one of just two soldiers to be awarded a CGC in Iraq that year. He even had Miller’s Bar, in Tidworth, Wilts, named after him by Lieutenant-General Sir Barney White-Spunner. Pictured: Cpl Miller being honoured by the Queen

Cpl Miller’s only shield was a Bulldog armoured vehicle as he bled the low-loader’s brakes then unhooked the tractor unit. Bullets were striking the road and the vehicle he was working on, whizzing inches past his head. Pictured: print depicting Cpl Miller by David Copley

Sergeant Gordon Robertson’s CGC was estimated to sell for £100,000 and he decided to sell it to get his son on the property ladder in 2016.

Iraq veteran Colour Sergeant James Harkess sold his CGC for £156,000 in 2015 to help financially support him financially for the future.

Cpl Miller joined the army in 1998 aged 17.

On May 21, 2007, a civilian low-loader carrying high-profile military vehicles was attacked by insurgents and left stranded.

Cpl Miller was on standby in Basra Palace and was sent three miles to the breakdown site.

By the time he arrived the platoon of British soldiers were engaged in an intense gun battle with about 75 militia engaging from up to 20 firing positions.

Cpl Miller’s only shield was a Bulldog armoured vehicle as he bled the low-loader’s brakes then unhooked the tractor unit.

Bullets were striking the road and the vehicle he was working on, whizzing inches past his head.

Rockets were also fired at Cpl Miller but he was undeterred as he kept trying to get the truck going.

He also ran through another hail of bullets to relay news of his progress to his company commander’s Bulldog.

Cpl Miller was one of just two soldiers to be awarded a CGC in Iraq that year.

He even had Miller’s Bar, in Tidworth, Wilts, named after him by Lieutenant-General Sir Barney White-Spunner.

He later recealled: ‘At the time, I was completely unaware of the severity of the situation, my sole focus was to extract the casualty vehicle to a place of safety, it was only afterwards that I realised how dangerous the situation had actually been.

‘Being given the CGC was pretty surreal, and I am so proud that I am still the only member of R.E.M.E to have been awarded this.

‘As there are no major conflicts now, I can’t see that any more will be presented soon.’

His medal group is going under the hammer at London-based auctioneers Noonans.

Warrant Officer Shaun Jardine (left) sold his CGC group of medals for £140,000 to buy a house in 2021. Colour Sergeant Martin Caines (right) served three tours in Iraq and was awarded a George Cross for his heroic service before also deciding to sell it for £40,000 to buy a house

Sergeant Gordon Robertson’s CGC was estimated to sell for £100,000 and he decided to sell it to get his son on the property ladder in 2016. Pictured: receiving medal from the Queen

Christopher Mellor-Hill, head of client liaison at Noonans, said: ‘Adam Miller was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for his gallantry under heavy enemy fire in Basra, on the first day of his battle-group’s tour of the city.

‘After dodging bullets and rocket propelled grenades for two hours in trying to move the low-loader truck that was blocking a key bridge over the canal.

‘The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross was instituted in 1993 following the review of the British Honours System and is awarded ‘in recognition of an act or acts of conspicuous gallantry during active operations against the enemy and his gallantry award ranks second only to the Victoria Cross for gallantry in the face of the enemy.’

The sale takes place on April 19.