Speech by Nicholas Soames at the Official Opening of Ashworth House, Lodge Park Academy in memory of the late Lance Corporal James Ashworth VC, Grenadier Guards, Wednesday 13th November 2013.

“It is truly a very great honour for me to have been invited to attend the official opening of Ashworth House, most especially in the presence of Mrs. Ashworth, and to have been asked to say a few words.

Winston Churchill said of courage that it is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because it is the quality which guarantees all the others.

Lance Corporal James Ashworth VC, after whom this house is named, was clearly a young man of real quality and great courage. Educated at Lodge Park, he followed his father to serve in the Grenadier Guards. He was clearly a very fine young soldier, amongst the very best, since he was posted from the Grenadiers to the Guards

Parachute Platoon, part of B Company 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment, serving with it on operations in Afghanistan. He had a very successful tour and subsequently returned to his own Battalion of the Grenadier Guards where he became a member of the Reconnaissance Platoon for further operations in Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK 16.

On 13th June 2012, in a desperately hard fought fire fight, Lance Corporal Ashworth was killed leading his men from the front, advancing on an insurgent compound.

His citation says that “Despite the ferocity of the insurgent’s resistance, Ashworth refused to be beaten. His total disregard for his own safety in ensuring that the last grenade was posted accurately, was the gallant last action of a soldier who had willingly placed himself in the line of fire on numerous occasions earlier in the attack. This supremely courageous and inspiring action deserves the highest recognition”.

His actions demonstrated in the most extraordinary way the core values of the British Army: discipline, loyalty and above all, and particularly in James Ashworth’s case, courage and selfless commitment and he was awarded the Victoria Cross, a distinction very rarely given, and only for the most outstanding gallantry in the face of the enemy.

When we remember James, let us remember that
It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us
Freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us
Freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the student activist, who has
Given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the solder, not the lawyer, who has given us the
Right to a fair trial.
It is the soldier who salutes the flag,
And who thus permits the protester to burn the flag.

In this Remembrance Week, I hope it will be of comfort to his family and his friends that James’ life was not given in vain and we are here, all of us today, to remember him at his old school and to commit ourselves to the cause of peace and justice throughout the world.

Lodge Park Academy is rightly very proud of James Ashworth and his name and example will live in the permanent memorial of Ashworth House.

His memory and his heroic deeds will live on as an inspiration to young people and an example to us all.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning -
We will remember them.