1595481 Gunner Austin HEHIR, MM, Royal Artillery & SAS: POW, E&E

Army Number: 1595481
Rank: Gunner
Name: Austin HEHIR, MM
Unit: Royal Artillery ; SAS

Date of Birth:
Date of Enlistment:
Date of Capture:
Place of Capture:


London Gazette : 29 November 1945
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37368/supplement/5790/data.pdf
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field: —
The Military Medal.
No. 1595481 Gunner Austin HEHIR, Royal Regiment of Artillery (Lahinch, Co. Clare).

 

Name: August Hehir . Date of Birth: 21/1/1920 . Place of Birth: Ireland . Service:... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/170/234
Name: August [sic] Hehir.
Date of Birth: 21/1/1920.
Place of Birth: Ireland.
Service: British Army.
Rank: [Gunner].
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: [Royal Artillery].
Service Number: 1595481.
Date of Capture: [unspecified].
Theatre of Capture: [unspecified].
Camp Name/Number: [Stalag 339].
PoW number: [unspecified].
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 1.
Date: [1939-1945]

 

PART I.
GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE FOR BRITISH/AMERICAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR.

1. No. 1595481
RANK - Pct
SURNAME - HEHIR
CHRISTIAN NAMES - AUSTIN
DECORATIONS - AFRICA STAR

2. UNIT (ARMY) - SPECIAL AIR SERVICE
SQUADRON - W SQUADRON

3. DIVISION (ARMY) -

4. DATE OF BIRTH - 23/1/20

5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT - 21/10/40

6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION - LABOURER

7. PRIVATE ADDRESS - (LISMORE) 178 EASTERN RD., BRIGHTON 7, ENGLAND

8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE - ITALY 4/3/44

9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? - YES

10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
Camp No. / Location / From / Till
18A AUSTRIA
18C AUSTRIA
7A GERMANY


11. WERE YOU IN A WORKING CAMP?
Location / From/ Till / Nature of Work
GERMANY - - FARM


12. DID YOU SUFFER FROM ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES WHILE A P/W?
Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration
STOMACH FROM WOUNDS 6 MONTHS

12 b. DID YOU RECEIVE ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT?
YES


GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

1. No. 1595481
RANK - Pct
SURNAME - HEHIR
CHRISTIAN NAMES - AUSTIN


2. LECTURES before Capture:
( a ) Were you lectured in your unit on how to behave the event of capture? (State where, when and by whom).
Lectured in AFRICA & ITALY By Regt. Officer
( b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion? (State where, when and by whom.
I was lectured on escape & evasion by Regt Officer in AFRICA & ITALY.

3. INTERROGATION after capture:
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy? (State where, when and methods employed by enemy).
-

4. ESCAPES attempted:
Did yo make any attempted or partly successful escapes? (Give details of each attempt accurately, stating where, when, method employed, names of your companions, wherein when recaptured and by whom. Were you physically fit? What happened to your companions?)
4 Hours after capture tried to escape, got shot up.
After coming from Hosp tried to escape. 1 day out.
After I finished time in prison, escaped again. 6 days out.
Hitler's Birthday escaped again. 14 days out.


5. SABOTAGE
Did you do any sabotage or destruction of enemy factory plant, war material, communications, etc, when employed on working-parties or during escape? (Give details, places and dates.)
-

6. COLLABORATION with enemy:
Do you know of any British or American personnel who collaborated with the enemy or in any way helped the enemy agains other Allied Prisoners of War? (Give details, names of persons concerned, camps, dates and nature of collaboration or help given to enemy).
-

7. WAR CRIMES
If you have any information or evidence of bad treatment by the enemy to yourself or to others, or knowledge of any enemy violation of Geneva Convention you should ask for a copy of "Form Q" on which to make your statement.
(NOTE: Form Q is a separate form inviting information on "War Crimes" and describes the kind of offences coning under this title.)



GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET
(continued)

8. Have you any other matter of any kind you wish to bring to notice?
-


SECURITY UNDERTAKING
I fully realise that all information relating the matters covered by the questions in Part II. are of a highly secret and official nature.

I have had explained to me and fully understand that under Defence Regulations or U.S.A.R. 380-5 I am forbidden to publish or communicate any information concerning these matters.

Date 13/5/45
Signature Hehir, A.


===
CONFIDENTIAL

Extension: - 303

SUBJECT:- Honours and Awards
CMHQ

HQ Air Corps/ 4086/4/A

WS/Lt. D. WORCESTER (23285) 2 SAS Regt.
1595481 Gnr. A. HEHIR 2 SAS Regt.

1. Herewith AF W3121 in triplicate recommending the above-named officer and OR for the award of the D.S.O., and D.C.M., respectively as a result of their conduct in Italy in 1944.
2. They are forwarded to you for such action as you deem appropriate.

HQ First British Airborne Corps (Rear)
RICHMANSWORTH, Herts.
26 Jul 45.

Edwards Capt.
c Lt. Col, Comd 1 Br Airborne Corps (Rear).

Copy to: War Office MI9, SAS Ops Residues G(SAS)

 

Recommendation for Award for Hehir, Austin Rank: Gunner Service No: ... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 373/57/534
Name Hehir, Austin
Rank: Gunner
Service No: 1595481
Regiment: 2 Special Air Service Regiment
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Repatriated PoWs
Award: Military Medal
Date of announcement in London Gazette: 29 November 1945

Recommended for DCM
Awarded MM

1595481 Gunner Austin HEHIR, 2 Special Air Service Regiment, S.A.S Brigade, Airborne Corps
On 7th January, 1944, Pte HEHIR was dropped by parachute in the TERNI - RIETI valley to disrupt enemy lines of communication leading to the ANZIO beaches.
After he had carried out his allotted demolition tasks, the party commander decide to continue to attack enemy transport in the area, since the comparative failure of the ANZIO landings made it unlikely that he would be overrun as previously planned. Accordingly he constructed home made hand grenades with his remaining explosive and during February twenty-five enemy vehicles were destroyed.
In all these attacks which were carried out at extremely close range in heavy snow, HEHIR distinguished himself by his gallantry and complete disregard for personal safety. On two occasions, he stopped enemy staff cars by firing two colt pistols from the middle of the road. In an attempt to exfiltrate through the lines after their ammunition was exhausted, Pte HEHIR and his troop commander were captured in a hut near CASSINO. They made a concerted attempt to escape but after HEHIR had knocked out one German guard with a bottle he was shot six times in the stomach and recaptured.

During his year's imprisonment, Pte HEHIR did not cease to continue to display the same qualities of courage and initiative. On four different occasions he succeeded in escaping from various prison camps in GERMANY, but was always recaptured before he reached the frontier. On one of these occasions he was again wounded in the back.

Finally in April 1945 in spite of his ill health, HEHIR succeeded in escaping from STALAG 7A at MOOSBURG and reached an advanced American unit after a march of a fortnight. He obtained arms and continued to fight with this unit up to LINZ until the Armistice.

Pt HEHIR's conduct both during and subsequent to this operation showed a devotion to duty which never wavered.

 

See also:

• Operation Maple (Thistledown & Driftwood)
• 232585 Lieutenant David Grey WORCESTER, MC, 2SAS: POW
  
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