The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details Name Blois, Gervase Ralph Edmund Rank: Lieutenant Service No: 765 Regiment: 1 Battalion Scots Guards Theatre of Combat or Operation: Italy Award: Military Cross Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 15 June 1944 Date 1944 Catalogue reference WO 373/6 24th Guards Brigade, 1st British Division, 6 American Corps 765 War Substantive Lieutenant, Temporary Captain Gervase Ralph Edmund BLOIS, 1st Battalion SCOTS GUARDS Place: ANZIO Bridgehead On the night of 29th / 30th January 1944, the Brigade was ordered to attack enemy positions in and left and right of the main road in squares 8735, 8835, 8736 and 8836. SCOTS GUARDS on Right. Captain BLOIS was responsible for getting up the Anti-Tank guns. Early on two Quads were set on fire, shells and petrol tanks exploding. When the temporary muddle caused by this was sorted out, by sheer determination he got both the Battalion guns and guns of the Anti-Tank Battery under command, up under the worst conditions of bog, and all under heavy shell fire brought down by the blazing Quads. He next found an American Tank Destroyer bogged. The driver told him it was impossible to move it, but again, by sheer determination, under most unpleasant conditions, as they were now under Machine Gun fire as well as shelling, he persuaded him to go on trying. He succeeded. The then climbed aboard and guided the driver across country to the objective. It was first light and Captain BLOIS spotted a Tiger Tank. He indicated the target, the gun engaged it and knocked it out. Captain BLOIS descended, took the crew prisoner, disarmed them and handed them over to an escort. He then climbed back into the vehicle and proceeded to look for more trouble. He found this and after several more engagements, in which he may have knocked out another tank (he does not claim this one as it went over a crest after being hit), the Tank Destroyer was hit and disabled. He then calmly led the crew back to our lines on foot. Captain BLOIS by his determination, courage and initiative was undoubtedly very largely responsible for a considerable proportion of Anti-Tank guns reaching the objective in time to make a certain success of a situation that was in the balance. Signed D.S. WEDDERBURN, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding 1st Battalion SCOTS GUARDS Granted an Immediate M.C.
