downsmail.co.uk News Lance Ser- geant John- son Beharry, centre, with Gordon New- ton of The Stone Shop and mason Ian Acott, left Plaque tribute to a local hero AMONG the dozens and dozens of Hunton primary school (pic- of local people at a simple service tured). of commemoration – not least the In attendance at the unveiling of 90 or so Hunton primary school- the plaque were members of the children – only two had one dis- Borton family, including Major tinct thing in common. A Victoria General Nicholas Borton DSO Cross. MBE, as well as Lance Sgt Beharry, One was a surviving VC holder, who served with the Princess of Lance Sergeant Johnson Beharry; Wales’s Royal Regiment. the other, Lieutenant Colonel "It was a great honour to meet Arthur Drummond Borton, long Maj Gen Borton and his family and dead yet evidently not forgotten. Lance Sgt Beharry, who suffered Lance Sgt Johnson horrendous injuries Beharry won the high- when he won his VC. est medal for battle- But you’d never have field “valour” for known it,” said Gor- trying to save the lives don Newton of The of his comrades under Stone Shop. “It was a fire in Iraq, suffering lovely event and a terrible injuries doing privilege to be part of so. this important event On November 7, to mark the achieve- 1917, in Palestine, ments of Lt Col Bor- Hunton man Lt Col ton.” Arthur Drummond The unveiling was Borton led his battal- attended by the ion into a dawn attack THE Victoria Cross Mayor of Maidstone against a strongly- (VC) is awarded for Cllr Malcom Greer, held enemy position acts of “most conspic- local Maidstone bor- under withering fire uous bravery, or some ough councillors and until it was captured. daring or pre-eminent all the pupils of Later, he led a party act of valour or self- Hunton school who of volunteers against a sacrifice, or extreme sang the national an- battery of field guns devotion to duty in them during the cere- in action at point- the presence of the mony. Cllr Brian blank range, again enemy”. Mortimer had made showing fearless lead- the suggestion of a ership during the Battle of Gaza. plaque and he was able to track So on the exact centenary, to the down Maj Gen Borton, who is a day, his admirers gathered to re- distant cousin of the VC holder. member his gallantry, his defiance Lt Col Borton survived the war and contempt for danger. Local but died in 1933, aged 49, at South- firm The Stone Shop, in East Far- wold in Suffolk. He is buried in the leigh, sponsored the installation of churchyard at Hunton. a memorial plaque in the grounds