The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details Name Sparrow, Cecil William Rank: Guardsman Service No: 2738159 Regiment: 3 Battalion Welsh Guards Theatre of Combat or Operation: Italy Award: Military Medal Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 07 December 1944 Date 1944 Catalogue reference WO 373/8 1st Guards Brigade, 6th Armoured Division, 10 Corps 2728159 Guardsman Cecil William SPARROW, 3rd Battalion WELSH GUARDS 20th June 1944. Map Ref 667950, Sheet 122/II, 1/50,000, ITALY. During No. 3 Company's attack on 'TULIP' (Map Ref 667950) on 20th June 1944, this Guardsman volunteered as runner when the platoon runner was wounded. Owing to the positions of the sections which had taken up positions in houses and the distance of 300 yards which separated Platoon from Company H.Q. this Guardsman had to cross ground continually swept by two or more enemy Machine Guns, which he did on seven separate occasions. One one occasion the information that he brought caused on our our tanks to occupy a good fire position from which it destroyed an enemy section in a house and caused it's capture. Throughout the battle he was quite fearless, encouraging the rest of his platoon by his example and on one occasion actually loading a group of men who had lost touch with their commander. Signed Lieutenant-Colonel D.E.P. HODGSON, Commanding 3rd Battalion WELSH GUARDS.
