Hero soldier's parents forced to buy back his posthumous gallantry medal after his widow lists it on Gumtree for just £500 - without even telling them

Fusilier Simon Annis, 22, killed by a bomb in Helmand in 2009

Wife Caroline presented with posthumous Elizabeth Cross as next of kin

Pete and Ann Annis have bought it back from new owner for £1,757

Soldier's widow is in a new relationship and has a young daughter

Caroline says soldier's parents have not spoken to her in four years



The parents of a war hero killed in Afghanistan have spoken of their disgust after his widow sold a medal honouring his sacrifice.

Fusilier Simon Annis’s young wife Caroline, 26, listed the Elizabeth Cross on the online noticeboard Gumtree for just £500.

The medal, which recognises the loss borne by Service families, was awarded to her after her 22-year-old husband died in an explosion in Afghanistan.

'Callous': Fusilier Simon Annis' wife Caroline sold his Elizabeth Cross over the internet for £500

'Insulting': Fusilier Annis' morther Ann said she would have re-mortgaged her house to get her son's medal back

But Fusilier Annis’s devastated parents have criticised their daughter-in-law for not offering it to them before selling it.

Pete and Ann Annis have now paid the new owner £1,757 – more than three times the initial listing – to retrieve the medal.

They only found out that the Cross had been put up for sale when a friend spotted an advertisement online.

Mrs Annis, 49, last night branded her daughter-in-law as ‘callous’ and ‘despicable’.

She said: ‘It’s as if my boy’s life meant nothing to her.



‘It was terribly insulting that she didn’t offer us the medal instead of sneakily selling it.’

Fusilier Annis, from Salford, was serving with the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in the feared Helmand Province.

He and his wife had been married for just a few months when he was killed on his six-month tour of duty.

Along with comrade Fusilier Louis Carter, 18, he died on August 16 in 2009, trying to save their severely wounded commander, Lance Corporal Jamie Fullarton, 24.

The soldiers had been advancing into Sangin, a Taliban outpost dubbed the most dangerous place on earth.



During the mission, L/Cpl Fullarton triggered a bomb, badly injuring himself and three others.

Fusiliers Annis and Carter rushed forward to help the wounded.



As they carried their commander away on a stretcher, they set off a second blast – killing them both. L/Cpl Fullarton later died of his wounds.

Paying tribute to her husband following his death Caroline Annis described Simon as the ‘perfect husband, son and brother’.

‘He will be sorely missed by all of us,’ she said at the time.

‘He was a true hero who made all of us so very proud and he will always have a place in our hearts. We will love and miss him always.’

Sacrifice: The Elizabeth Cross was presented to Fusilier Simon Annis' bride Caroline after he was killed in an explosion in Helmand in 2009 (file picture)

But four years after Fusilier Annis’s premature death, his young widow – who had fallen out with the soldier’s family and is now in a new relationship – advertised the Elizabeth Cross on the internet.

It was snapped up by a dealer in Altrincham, who paid £1,200 – £700 above the initial asking price – and then placed it with the London Medal Company, a shop that specialises in selling military memorabilia.

The London Medal Company insists it did not make a profit on the transaction.

Heartbroken Mr and Mrs Annis have said they would have re-mortgaged their house in order to retrieve the award.

When asked about her decision to sell the Elizabeth Cross, Caroline said: ‘It was given to me as next of kin and it was mine to sell.’

Two years ago Fusilier Annis’ family were sickened when his grave was desecrated by vandals.

Twenty small crosses, three wreaths and two crosses were taken from Hollins Park Cemetery in Warrington.