The Rifle Brigade

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by dbf, May 18, 2009.

  1. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Major (temporary Lieutenant-Colonel) Thomas Cecil Hook Pearson, D.S.O., the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort‘s Own), was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for conspicuous gallantry and leadership on May 9th/10th, 1943.
    When the armour was held up by anti-tank fire from positions which could not be observed, to the north and north-east of Djebel Ressas, Lieutenant-Colonel Pearson brought his battalion forward with great speed, and by brilliant personal leadership established them during the night in positions from which the enemy guns could be observed and neutralised in the morning. His reconnaissance was carried out under heavy shellfire and at considerable personal risk from enemy small arms as he himself was a long way in front of the leading tanks. The success of this manoeuvre of his battalion secured the observation necessary for the artillery and enabled the eventual advance of the armour on to Grombalia, and the capture of a very large number of prisoners. The manoeuvre was rendered possible only by Lieutenant-Pearson’s complete disregard of danger and magnificent personal leadership.

    Lieutenant-Colonel Pearson was born in Queenstown.


    http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=last_name%3dpearson%7cscope%3drifle%7cscope%3d1141&catid=22&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=*
    Recommendation for Award for Pearson, Thomas Cecil Hook
    Rank: Lieutenant
    Regiment: 2 Battalion The Rifle Brigade
    Award: Distinguished Service Order
    Recommendation for Award for Pearson, Thomas Cecil Hook
    Rank: Major
    Service No: 63639
    Regiment: 2 Battalion The Rifle Brigade
    Award: Bar to Distinguished Service Order
    Recommendation for Award for Pearson, Thomas Cecil Hook
    Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
    Service No: 63639
    Regiment: Rifle Brigade
    Award: Officer of the British Empire

    6 May 1941
    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35157/supplements/2645
    28 August 1942
    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35685/supplements/3806
    17 August 1943
    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36138/pages/3721
    26 August 1947
    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38058/supplements/4086

    Listed:
    The Times, Saturday, May 10, 1941, MIDDLE EAST AWARDS, GALLANT SERVICES RECOGNIZED
    The Times, Friday, Aug 20, 1943, ARMY AWARDS, SERVICES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

    http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/PEARSON.shtml
    Service biography
    Joined Rifle Bde 1934; World War II in Middle East and Europe 1939-1945; Staff Capt, Middle East 1941-1942; Staff College 1942; Commanding Officer, 2 Bn, Rifle Bde 1942-1943; General Staff Officer Grade 1, Force Headquarters 1943-1944; General Staff Officer Grade 1, General Staff Branch, Middle East 1944; Deputy Commander, 2 Independent Parachute Bde Group 1944-1945; Deputy Commander, 1 Air-Landing Bde 1945; General Staff Officer Grade 1, 1 Airborne Div 1945; Commanding Officer, 1 Bn, Parachute Regt 1946; Commanding Officer, 7 Bn Parachute Regt 1947; General Staff Officer Grade 1 (Land Air Warfare), War Office 1947-1949; Joint Services Staff College 1950; General Staff Officer Grade 1, Malaya Headquarters 1950-1951; General Staff Officer Grade 1 (Plans), Far East Land Forces 1951-1953; Instructor, Joint Services Staff College 1953-1955; Commander, 45 Parachute Bde (Territorial Army), Eastern Command 1955-1956; National Defence College, Canada 1956; Commander, 16 Independent Parachute Bde 1957; Chief of Staff to Director of Operations, Cyprus 1960; Head of British Military Mission to Soviet Zone of Germany 1960-1961; Maj Gen commanding 1 Div, British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) 1961-1963; Chief of Staff, Northern Army Group 1963-1967; Commandant, Far East Land Forces 1967-1968; Military Secretary, Ministry of Defence (Army) 1968-1972; Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Northern Europe 1972-1974; retired 1974

    See this thread for ref:
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post195852
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  2. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    From The Times, Saturday, May 10, 1941

    MIDDLE EAST AWARDS
    GALLANT SERVICE RECOGNIZED
    The War Office has issued a description of some of the deeds for which these awards were made. The following are a few typical episodes: -

    MAJOR (Tem. Lt.-Col.) J.M.L. Renton, O.B.E., The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) D.S.O.
    This officer held a line three and a half miles long, defended only by three and a half companies of infantry and one battery, for 36 hours against great odds. Four separate night attacks and several attacks a day, all supported by artillery fire and led by medium tanks, were beaten off and eventually 15,000 of the enemy, including generals and their staffs, were made prisoner. In addition, 27 medium tanks and large numbers of guns, Breda guns and armoured cars were destroyed.

    Lt.-Col. Renton displayed great ablility in the selection of the position to be held, and in the use of cover and cross fire, and in his expert tactical handling of the situation as it developed; and his inperturbability and personal courage in difficult circumstances were a splendid example to the men under his command.

    http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...&catid=22&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=*
    Recommendation for Award for Renton, James Malcolm Leslie
    Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
    Regiment: 2 Rifle Brigade
    Award: Distinguished Service Order

    Recommendation for Award for Renton, James Malcolm Leslie
    Rank: Major
    Service No: 10795
    Regiment: The Rifle Brigade
    Award: Bar to Distinguished Service Order


    RIFLEMAN R.C. GILLAN, THE RIFLE BRIGADE (PRINCE CONSORT'S OWN), D.C.M.
    Rifleman Gillan was wireless operator of a command carrier advancing towards the defences of an important enemy position under heavy artillery, anti-tank and machine-gun fire. When the carrier was 600 yards from the wire he was wounded by an anti-tank shell in both legs, one of which had subsequently to be amputated, but he continued to send and received messages for half an hour. When loss of blood made him too weak to carry on with his duties as wireless operator he continued to instruct the other occupant of the carrier how to manipulate the set. His courage and devotion to duty, while he was in great pain, enabled the patrol commander to keep in touch with company headquarters throughout the operation.

    http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...asp?Edoc_Id=7653231&queryType=1&resultcount=1
    Name Gillan, Robert
    Rank: Rifleman
    Service No: 6895247
    Regiment: 2 Battalion The Rifle Brigade
    Theatre of Combat or Operation: Middle East (Egypt and Libya)
    Award: Distinguished Conduct Medal
    Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 09 May 1941
    Date 1940-1941
    Catalogue reference WO 373/17



    [n.b. not mentioned in the publication Volunteers from Eire list]
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2023
  3. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Lieutenant Robert Francis Fairweather, the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own), was awarded the Military Cross.
    This officer was in command of a carrier platoon of a company of the Rifle Brigade in the advance from Djebel Rihane, starting on April 22nd, 1943.
    On April 24th the Lancers Regimental Group which the platoon was in, was held up by heavy anti-tank fire from anti-tank guns and tanks on the reverse side of a hill.

    Lieutenant Fairweather went forward on patrol with his carriers and when his carriers could go no farther, he went on his feet and brought back accurate information as to the exact location and types of fourteen enemy tanks which were in three different packets, and two enemy anti-tank guns, all on the reverse slope of the feature on which the Regimental Group was held up. On this a plan was made and an attack launched which succeeded in knocking out then of twelve enemy tanks without loss to ourselves.

    During the same operations, Lieutenant Fairweather carried out several other patrols locating enemy armour. In spite of his carriers being subjected to very heavy shelling and bombing, his leadership and disregard for personal safety were an example to his men at all times and reports from his reconnaissance patrols were of vital value to the operation’s successful accomplishment.

    Lieutenant Fairweather was born in Clonroche, Co. Wexford.


    http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7643414&queryType=1&resultcount=1
    Name Fairweather, Robert Francis
    Rank: Lieutenant
    Service No: 198403
    Regiment: 10 Battalion Rifle Brigade
    Theatre of Combat or Operation: North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia)
    Award: Military Cross
    Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 23 September 1943
    Date 1943-1944
    Catalogue reference WO 373/2

    London Gazette:
    21 September 1943
    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36180/supplements/4218
    The Military Cross.
    Lieutenant Robert Francis Fairweather (198403), The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) (Coulsden).

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

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Lieutenant James Benjamin Duncan Irwin, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort‘s Own), was awarded the Military Cross.
    Lieutenant Irwin was commander of a troop of 6-pounder anti-tank guns in the Snipe position on October 26th and 27th, 1942.

    His troop was ordered to take up position on the northern flank. This flank was attacked by tanks once during the night and four times during the day; on each occasion Lieutenant Irwin’s troop repelled the attacks with losses to the enemy. Lieutenant Irwin went from gun to gun encouraging his men and when one gun was knocked out supervised the removal of wounded and the redistribution of ammunition under heavy fire.

    In the final attack by 50-6- German tanks at 1700 hours Lieutenant Irwin’s troop had only 20 rounds left. He ordered his guns to hold their fire. When the nearest were only 100-200 yards away he gave orders to fire, setting four tanks on fire and helping to turn the attack. Under this officer’s cool leadership his troop accounted for 19 enemy tanks burnt and other vehicles hit during the action.

    His courage was of the highest order. He was killed in action in April, 1943.

    Lieutenant Irwin came from Moyard, Co. Galway.

    http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=first_name%3dbenjamin%7clast_name%3dirwin&catid=22&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=*
    Name Irwin, James Benjamin Duncan
    Rank: Lieutenant
    Service No: 175487
    Regiment: Rifle Brigade, Prince Consort's Own
    Theatre of Combat or Operation: Middle East (Egypt and Libya)
    Award: Military Cross
    Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 14 January 1943
    Date 1942-1943
    Catalogue reference WO 373/59

    Name Irwin, James Benjamin Duncan
    Rank: Lieutenant
    Service No: 175487
    Regiment: 2 Battalion The Rifle Brigade
    Theatre of Combat or Operation: Middle East (Egypt and Libya)
    Award: Military Cross
    Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 14 January 1943
    Date 1942-1943
    Catalogue reference WO 373/22

    London Gazette:
    4 April 1941
    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35129/supplements/2031
    The undermentioned Rifmn. to be 2nd Lts., 5th Mar. 1941: —
    James Benjamin Duncan IRWIN (175487).

    12 January 1943
    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35862/supplements/320
    The Military Cross.
    Lieutenant James Benjamin Duncan Irwin (175487), The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) (Moyard, Co. Galway).


    http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2196460
    Lieutenant JAMES BENJAMIN DUNCAN IRWIN M C 175487, 2nd Bn., Rifle Brigade who died age 27 on 26 April 1943
    Son of the Revd. Benjamin Christopher Bulteel Irwin, M.A., and Florence Irwin, of Ballinakill Rectory, Co. Galway, Irish Republic; husband of J. B. D. Irwin.
    Remembered with honour MASSICAULT WAR CEMETERY
    Grave/Memorial Reference: I. L. 6.
    :poppy:

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    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post19585
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