I've been betrayed by this Government, says Iraq War hero who won George Cross...

The youngest soldier to win the George Cross has criticised Gordon Brown for ‘betraying’ the Armed Forces and revealed he now works in a call centre, selling insurance.

‘My medal says I am a hero of the Iraqi conflict, a man of extraordinary valour and strength of character,’ says Chris Finney. ‘But now I work in a call centre. My life has gone from one extreme to the other.’

At 18, he won Britain’s highest civil accolade for rescuing a wounded comrade from a burning Scimitar armoured vehicle. If his courage had been in response to an attack by the enemy, he would have won the Victoria Cross.

They were victims of US ‘friendly fire’ that killed comrade Matty Hull during the Iraq invasion in 2003.

In a moving interview in tomorrow's Mail on Sunday 2, Mr Finney says that when he received his George Cross, ‘the Queen told me she had not presented a GC for “such a long time” and that it was “a privilege” to give it to me’.

I was sitting in the hatch of my Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicle waiting to be told where I should drive to next. To me, the map references provided by my commander were just another sandy track in the Iraqi desert.

It was March 28, 2003: I was just 18 and the Iraq War had begun eight days earlier. Although we had already seen some heavy fighting, this was a quiet moment.

Like most days since crossing the border from Kuwait, I didn't know where I was. Approaching a village, I could see some women hanging out their washing.

And however much they say they've fixed the Army's kit and equipment, it's still not enough. Your average squaddie doesn't really want much - decent food, the right clothing and the tools to do the job is enough. It's not a lot to ask. I am not alone in feeling betrayed and let down by this Government.

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

Right, I did not get this article at all. What is wrong with working in a call center selling insurace? It is a worthwhile job.

I can understand him wanting more responsiblity, but like in the military he will have to pay his dues in his new organization. People don’t hire outsider to run their organizations from the start thus we have fantasy baseball etc.

And you make a great point, he can reup if he wants.

Right, I did not get this article at all. What is wrong with working in a call center selling insurace? It is a worthwhile job.

And you make a great point, he can reup if he wants.

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