Medal group, Warrant Officer I Terence 'Tommo' Thomson, 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment

The medal group includes the ribbon Thomson's Conspicuous Gallantry Cross; General Service Medal 1962-2007, with clasp, 'Northern Ireland'; NATO Medal, with clasp, 'Kosovo'; Iraq Medal 2003-2011; Operational Service Medal, with clasp, 'Afghanistan'; Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal 2002; Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012; Accumulated Campaign Service Medal; Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

Thomson joined the Army in 1995, aged 18. He was rapidly promoted after joining the 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, becoming one of their youngest corporals. Thomson served in Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Afghanistan. In Iraq, during Operation TELIC, he was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

On 9 August 2004, Thomson was commanding a Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle as part of a Quick Reaction Force extraction in central Basra City. His unit's mission was to extract a small group of soldiers, who were surrounded by armed local militia. Thomson and his crew found themselves isolated and under constant heavy rocket propelled grenade (RPG) and machine gun fire as they tried to locate their target.

Thomson's Warrior was hit by an RPG fired at close range and its communications system was knocked out. Continuing to engage the militia, Thomson was only able to communicate with his colleagues in other vehicles by the use of hand-signals which meant exposing himself to hostile fire.

Believing the stranded soldiers to be within a compound housing the former Iraqi Ba'ath Party local headquarters, Thomson's Warrior entered the complex under heavy fire. Unable to locate their comrades, Thomson and his crew fought their way out of the compound. While his gunner dealt with a jammed turret, Thomson engaged opposition positions with his personal weapon and grenades. It was for this action that Thomson was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.