Curridge family receives Elizabeth Cross for Royal Marine who died 50 years ago
A Curridge family has received an Elizabeth Cross in honour of a relative who was killed in action more than 50 years ago.
Captain Stuart James Rae, who died while serving in Oman on June 12, 1971, famously became one of the first men to climb the 21,140ft peak of Mount Menthesa in the Himalayas.
Elizabeth Keevill, Captain Rae’s sister, went to the presentation ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Friday, March 4 along with her husband Alan, and two of their sons David and Gareth.
Mrs Keevill said: “We are very proud that they actually considered him and thought it was well worth the presentation.”
Captain Rae joined the Royal Marine Corps on September 19, 1966, and after he had completed his training he joined the 42 Commandos in Singapore, where he remained for two years.
He then joined the Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces where he was part of the Northern Frontier Regiment.
During this time, Captain Rae, who was a King Alfred Scout in his youth, went on a variety of adventurous expeditions which included climbing Mount Cook in New Zealand in 1969, and then ascending up Mount Menthesa a year later.
Captain Rae, a 24-year-old Lieutenant at the time, climbed the previously unconquered peak of Mount Menthesa, along with Captain Rory Cape, 29, in November 1970.
The pair, who were the only two within their eight-member mountaineering team to reach the peak, planted a Union Jack, Singapore and Indian flag at the summit.
Tragically, a year later at the age of 25 and just a few months before he was due to be married, Captain Rae was killed in action when his regiment sprung an unsuccessful ambush on an enemy supply route.
Due to his years in the Scouts and his accomplishments in the Royal Marines, the Scouts set up the Stuart Rae challenge in 1972 in his memory and it still runs today.
The challenge is for Scouts between the ages of 14 and 16 and it involves them completing a number of badge activities before it culminates in a two-day hike in the Welsh hills in October.
Talking about the challenge, Mrs Keevill said: “At that age, it gives you a sense of achievement and pride in yourself.”
The Elizabeth Cross is awarded to the next of kin of armed forces personnel killed on operations or as a result of terrorism as a mark of national recognition for their loss.
The Keevills were presented with the award and a commemorative scroll signed by the Queen herself by Lieutenant General Charlie Stickland.