Onward, Christian Soldier
A lesson from the rake’s hard-won experience: don’t try to win an argument with Christian Craighead by asking him to show you his medals. This, to be clear, is what a lifetime of fine military service looks like...
The British army is famously stingy at handing out medals. In contrast to our cousins in the United States, where there is a medal for showing up on the first day of training, the Brits leave it to (largely) operational matters, as well as the marking of national events, such as the Queen’s jubilees. This, we hope, puts into context how extraordinary it is to see this collection of medals pinned to Christian Craighead.
In normal circumstances, this level of service would go unnoticed by the general public, for Christian spent a sizeable proportion of his career in the army (from which he retired in 2020) as a member of the SAS. While serving with the regiment in Kenya in 2019, a call came in about a terrorist raid by Al-Shabaab on a large luxury hotel in Nairobi.
And so this was how, on a regular March day on Savile Row, I was able to notice Christian ordering coffee at The Service (while wearing a Huntsman suit and looking immaculate). I asked if we could meet again and take a look at the medals that mark an exceptional career of service, to which we offer our most fervent gratitude and respect.
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