Further to the blog post BTP officers honoured for heroic actions during London Bridge terrorist attack
The following citations were published on the Civilian Gallantry List: 2018
George Medal
PC Wayne Marques, British Transport Police, for confronting armed terrorists to protect others at London Bridge.
On 3 June 2017, three terrorists carried out a sustained attack on members of the public at London Bridge, resulting in 8 people being killed and 48 injuries.
PC Wayne Marques, a British Transport Police (BTP) Officer, left his police station at London Bridge to commence a routine patrol with his fellow officer PC McLeod. Almost immediately upon exiting the station they heard screaming and saw people running down Borough High Street. They ran towards the disturbance and found a man with stab wounds being tended to by members of the public. PC Marques heard further screaming, turned and saw a man (one of the terrorists) stab two people.
PC Marques charged at the terrorist and using his baton knocked the terrorist away from the victims. He continued to overpower the terrorist, striking him with his baton a number of times. As he was overpowering the terrorist PC Marques was stabbed in the head by a second terrorist. PC Marques continued hitting out at both men in an attempt to disarm them when he saw a third terrorist running towards him. At this point, he was confronting all three terrorists while they were slashing at him with their knives.
PC Marques suffered a number of knife wounds but continued to confront the terrorists, hitting at them with his baton. PC Marques carried on swinging with his baton in an attempt to disarm the men and managed to create some distance between himself and the three terrorists. Whilst doing this he pulled PC Guenigault, who was lying on the ground, away from the further threat of injury. The terrorists then suddenly turned and ran off. At this point PC Marques felt warm liquid on his body, realised it was blood, and sat down on the ground. Others went to PC Marques’ aid at this point.
Whilst PC Marques did not know at the time the suspects were terrorists, he knew the individuals were extremely dangerous and made a conscious decision to face that danger head on in an attempt to apprehend them and prevent further injury or loss of life. He demonstrated exceptional courage and resilience. He was subjected to a sustained attack involving extreme violence and faced overwhelming odds. Although seriously injured, he continued to try to protect the public without regard for his own personal safety.
Queen’s Gallantry Medal
PC Leon McLeod, British Transport Police, for confronting armed terrorists to protect others at London Bridge on 3 June 2017.
On 3 June 2017, three terrorists carried out a sustained attack on members of the public at London Bridge and Borough Market. That evening two British Transport Police (BTP) officers, PC Wayne Marques and PC Leon McLeod, left their station at London Bridge to commence routine patrol. Almost immediately upon exiting the station, they heard screaming. They ran towards the disturbance and were told by people running away from the scene that someone had been stabbed. They found a man on the ground that had been stabbed and who was being tended to by members of the public. PC McLeod stopped to help administer first aid to the man and radioed for assistance.
He then heard PC Marques shouting and saw him waving his arms about like he was trying to break up a fight. He ran towards PC Marques and saw men holding knives. He drew his baton and shouted at the men to ‘drop it’ when they suddenly ran off. As he ran after the attackers, he saw a man and woman on the ground, both who had been injured. He went to their aid and radioed for immediate assistance, confirming further casualties. At this point, he saw PC Marques covered in blood. He radioed again that an officer was injured.
PC McLeod ran in the direction the men had gone and came across many people running towards him shouting that people had been stabbed. He was told that the men had gone up a street and he ran in the same direction where he found further casualties. He stopped to help administer emergency aid to the victims when he heard gunfire in the immediate vicinity and became aware of armed police officers on the scene. Despite the danger, he continued to help treat a victim and assisted others to carry him out of the danger zone to an ambulance. He then returned to check on PC Marques, help the injured and evacuate people out of the danger zone. PC McLeod remained on the scene until the following morning.
With little regard for his own safety, he demonstrated exemplary bravery by running into what he quickly recognised as a terrorist attack to help the many innocent people who were caught up in it. His courage in the face of adversity as one of the first police officers on the scene during this atrocity is highly commendable.
In addition PC Charlie Guenigault of the Metropolitan Police was awarded the George Medal in relation to the same incident:
PC Charlie Guenigault, Metropolitan Police, for confronting armed terrorists to protect others at London Bridge on 3 June 2017.
On the evening of 3 June 2017, three terrorists carried out a sustained attack on members of the public in the vicinity of London Bridge and Borough Market. PC Charlie Guenigault was in the immediate vicinity. He was first alerted to the incident at approximately 21:30 when, despite being off duty, he responded to a call for assistance from a member of the public who had been stabbed in the arm. He went to assist and requested the attendance of the police and ambulance services via mobile phone. Two uniformed officers then approached the scene. He briefed them on what he knew. As he was doing this he heard a further commotion and observed what at that stage appeared to be a street brawl involving six to eight people about 10 to 15 metres away. Despite having no personal protective equipment, he ran toward the group and saw that in fact two British Transport Police (BTP) officers were being attacked and that this was a violent and dangerous situation. Both officers were experiencing a sustained attack and were fighting back using their batons. Without any thought for his own safety, PC Guenigault sprinted towards the group to assist his fellow officers. On reaching them, he ran between the two BTP officers and pushed away one of the attackers, receiving a stab wound to the back of his neck as he did so. Despite this, he forced his way further into the group, at which point it became clear to him that there were three assailants. He pushed one of the attackers away from a BTP officer. The attacker then turned on PC Guenigault and stabbed him multiple times resulting in injuries to his face, back, and hands. He collapsed to the ground and despite his injuries had the presence of mind to lay still. The attackers then fled the scene. He was assisted by members of the public and was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
PC Guenigault was off–duty when he showed exemplary action in response to this terrorist attack. He tried to protect fellow police officers and members of the public by distracting and attempting to stop the terrorists. He placed himself in danger and was aware of the possibility of serious personal injury.