Award George Medal T/Lt-Col. R.D.R. Sale, 1st Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire L.I.

brithm · Mar 17, 2022

Award T/Lt-Col. Ronald Davidson Reed Sale, O.B.E., T.D. 1st Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (26375)

At La Breche, France, 8th June 1944, a bomb fell on one four Sector Stores Dumps containing approximately 700 tons of petrol, ammunition and supplies and ordnance stores. Petrol was set on fire and ammunition started to blow up. With the bursting ammunition on packages, red hot shell and lumps of burning wood were thrown about, setting fire to grass and causing casualties over a wide area. As the conflagration increased it was obvious that the fire would spread to two, if not all, dumps; their loss would have curtailed, if not put an end to, further operations at a most vital period.

All men in the vicinity of the dump took cover, but Lieutenant-Colonel Sale, with complete disregard for his personal safety, calmly walked straight to the dump, carried out a brief reconnaissance, got some men out of trenches and buildings in which they had been sheltering and set about removing all vehicles which it was possible to move. He then went back and collected half a dozen men with shovels. He then decided that the fire should and would be stopped on the line of a lane 14 ft wide, within 50 yards of the perimeter of the fire at the time of his reconnaissance. He personally set to work to beat out burning lumps of wood and camouflage nets and by his calm and bearing and personal example inspired those with him to such effect that after approximately three hours work the fire was in fact halted. One third of the dump was thus saved; this included approximately 200 tons of ammunition and rations, the only available supplies for a Division for the following day

Eventually Lieutenant-Colonel Sale was severely wounded by a piece of shell. He carried on until he was compelled to be taken away for medical attention
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WO 373/69/162

Bucks Herald 9th February 1945

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Award George Medal T/Lt-Col. R.D.R. Sale, 1st Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire L.I.

brithm Senior Member

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Award George Medal T/Lt-Col. R.D.R. Sale, 1st Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire L.I.

brithm Senior Member

Attached Files:

upload_2022-3-17_3-8-55.png

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