Royal Army Medical Corps

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Captain Kelvin Francis Patton, Royal Army Medical Corps, was awarded the Military Cross.

During the break through the enemy line towards El Hamma by an armoured division at first light on March 27th, 1943, the rear of the column was attacked by 10 enemy tanks at close range.

Despite experiencing a broken ankle as a result of a fall from a portee, Captain Patton tended to, and evacuated, all wounded from the scene of action the face of very heavy and accurate shellfire and machine-gun fire from the enemy tanks.

During the approximated 30 minutes of the action, this officer not only showed complete disregard for his own personal safety, but also a very high standard of devotion to duty.

Captain Patton was born in Mullingar.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7656809&queryType=1&resultcount =2

Name Patton, Kevin Francis
Rank: Captain
Service No: 111780
Regiment: Royal Army Medical Corps attached 12 Royal Lancers
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Middle East (Egypt and Libya)
Award: Military Cross
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 17 June 1943
Date 1943
Catalogue reference WO 373/25

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Captain John Stuart Martin, M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps, was awarded the Military Cross.

On August 9th, 1943, the battery was in action south of Bronte. Captain Martin was with the battery. During the evening the road between the battery position and Bronte was very heavily and accurately shelled and mortared. This road was very congested with stationary guns and vehicles, and Captain Martin, realising that there were likely to be casualties, immediately proceeded to the place which was being most heavily shelled. A vehicle had been hit and there were a number of casualties, making it very dangerous to remain in the open.

Captain Martin was quite undaunted by this heavy shellfire and attended to the wounded men without regard for his personal safety.

By his brave action he undoubtedly saved some lives and his example had a steadying effect on all around him.

Captain Martin was born in Robinstown, Co. Meath.

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Captain Stephen Martin Patrick Conway, Royal Army Medical Corps, was awarded the Military Cross at El Alamein.

On the morning of October 28th, 1942, the position to which we had advanced during the night was the object of heavy and intense enemy shellfire and numerous casualties were caused. For more than three hours Captain Conway made unceasing journeys rendering aid to wounded personnel in that locality. All ranks were forced by this shellfire to take cover either in their tanks or dug positions, but Captain Conway, without a thought for his personal safety, continued to carry out his duty even to the extent of visiting areas where casualties might have occurred. His coolness and courage were an example to all.

Captain Conway was born in Dublin.

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http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post195852

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Captain Alfred Denis Parsons, M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps, was awarded the Military Cross.

Captain A.D. Parsons is a medical officer attached to the Buffs. Throughout a period of almost continuous action, from early August, 1942, to March, 1943, the personal bravery and determined initiative of this officer have been responsible for the saving of a great many lives. On every occasion he was to be found at the spot where casualties were most likely to occur and it is due to his complete disregard of danger, the calm skill and speed of his work, and his devotion to duty under fire that so many men owe their lives. The following are but a few examples of his consistent behaviour.

On the morning of October 24th, 1943, he was with a company of Buffs behind the Miteiriya Ridge in a position which had just been captured by New Zealand battalions. A number of the New Zealanders had been lying for most of the night with severe wounds almost untreated. Under continuous shell and mortar fire, Captain Parsons collected about a dozen severely wounded men from an area exposed to direct small-arms fire in the middle of a minefield. He would not have failed in his duty had he devoted himself to casualties nearer at hand and less exposed to fire. Throughout the twelve days of the Alamein battle he repeatedly recovered wounded men from forward slopes under fire, who must otherwise have lost their lives.

On January 19th, south of Tarhuna under heavy shellfire, a General was severely wounded. Captain Parsons at the time was characteristically returning in his jeep with a badly wounded man from the most shelled area, but on being informed he put the man in an ambulance and under continued fire went to the General, and there is little doubt that his calm skill saved a valuable life.

Again on the morning of January 22nd, in the Tarhuna pass at a time when four men had just been killed by close-range heavy mortar fire, after dressing several wounds Captain Parsons crawled out on to a forward slope under direct fire to rescue a man believed to be alive.

West of Zavia on January 25th, 1943, his work under very heavy shelling while others were taking cover again saved several lives.

It is in fact not possible to speak too highly of the sustained and unselfish courage of this officer in saving life throughout eight months of nearly continuous periods of action.

Captain Parsons was born in Athlone, and his home is in Greystones, Co. Wicklow.

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http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post195852

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Lieutenant John Graham Lord, M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps, was awarded the Military Cross.

On May 29th, 1940, when one of our anti-tank guns was in action near his Aid Post, engaging advancing enemy tanks, Lieutenant Lord displayed courage and devotion to duty of a very high order. In the ensuing action, while fighting at very close range, the anti-tank gun was gradually overcome by superior numbers and all the gun crew hit.

Lieutenant Lord attended to each casualty at the gun position as it occurred, under heavy fire, treated them at his Aid Post and eventually got the wounded away in his truck under heavy machine-gun fire.

Lieutenant Lord comes from Mullingar.

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http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post195852

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Captain Basil Ernest West Aldwell, M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps, was awarded the Military Cross.

Captain Aldwell, during the period of the Sicilian campaign, as medical officer of his regiment, has shown a complete disregard for personal safety in his efforts to give the earliest possible attention to battle casualties. In particular, on July 13th, 1943, he worked in the open under enemy fire for long periods. On July 20th, when the battalion had reached a very exposed position after a night attack in the Cardone area, which could only be reached by moving across open country, Captain Aldwell, although himself hit by a piece of shrapnel, came forward in daylight to the battalion forward defence lines and brought additional stretcher bearers and some badly needed water. He continued to work in this area until another medical officer was able to relieve him to have his wound attended. On all occasions his firm determination and personal courage have contributed much to the moral of the troops, and sustained their confidence in the quick treatment and evacuation of casualties.

Captain Aldwell comes from Dublin.

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http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post195852

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Captain Aiden Asquith Byrne, Royal Army Medical Corps, was awarded the Military Cross.

On the night of June 14th, 1942, this officer proceeded with his section and an ambulance car with an infantry column in an endeavour to break through the enemy lines to the west of the Brigade “box”.

Emerging through the “Stanley Gap”, which was then under heavy shellfire, the section under Captain Byrne picked up and attended to wounded occasioned by the shelling and they were placed on the ambulance car which accompanied the section.

Soon after this the ambulance car ran on to one of our own minefields in the dark. Captain Byrne, who was travelling on another vehicle, immediately went on to the minefield and assisted in extricating the patients from the vehicle, and he then marked a way out of the minefield along which patients could be brought, and led them to safety.

Captain Byrne was born in Dublin.

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http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post195852