Baldwin & Sons
Auction 106 15 Sep 2022
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A Battle of Normandy, Operation Martlet, Immediate Military Medal awarded to Private, Acting Corporal, John James William Pearson, 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry who was later Severely Wounded by Shrapnel in the head near Caen, comprising, Military Medal, GVIR, (94459474 A/Cpl. J. W. Pearson. Durh. L.I.), 1939‑45 Star, France and Germany Star, 1939‑45 Defence Medal, 1939‑45 War Medal, all unnamed as issued, very fine (5)
Military Medal The London Gazette 19th of October 1944.
30 Brigade – 49 Division ‑ 30 Corps.
10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
94459474 A/Cpl Pearson John James William.
On the 28th of June 1944, after the attack on the ring contour 111, near Rauray, Map Ref 8865, a man of the Carrier Platoon was severely wounded brining up ammunition in his carrier. He managed to get out of his carrier but was run over by a tank and his foot was crushed. At this time the position came under fire, Spandau fire, and fire from snipers.
Corporal Pearson, asking another man to cover him, left his covered position and went forward under very heavy fire with complete disregard for his own safety. He picked up the man, dressed his wounds and carried him back, still under heavy mortar and machine gun fire. He then returned to command his section.
He was an inspiration to his men whose admiration and praise for his action have been unbounded.
Operation Martlet (also known as Operation Dauntless) was part of a series of British attacks to capture the French town of Caen. It was a preliminary operation undertaken on 25 June 1944 by XXX Corps to capture Rauray and the area around Noyers. The attack was to protect the right flank of VIII Corps as it began Operation Epsom. The 50th (Northumbrian) Division and the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division were to capture Juvigny‑sur‑Seulles, Vendes and Rauray, to prevent German counterattacks against VIII Corps from the area of the Rauray Spur and then extend the attack towards Noyers and Aunay‑sur‑Odon. It was the first time in Normandy that the 49th (West Riding) Division operated as a division.
The attack front was held by the right flank of the Panzer Lehr Division and the left flank of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, with the support of 60–80 88mm guns of the III Flakkorps. The attack failed to achieve its objectives by the end of 25 June and the 49th (West Riding) Division continued the operation until 1 July, when the division defeated a counterattack by Kampfgruppe Weidinger of 2nd SS‑Panzer Division Das Reich and the 9th SS‑Panzer Division Hohenstaufen, which lost c. 35 tanks and other armoured vehicles.
28th June 1944 Rauray.
At 6:50 a.m. a barrage by four field artillery regiments and the guns of an AGRA began and on the left flank, the attack by the 10th DLI and the 4/7th Dragoon Guards resumed through the positions of the 11th DLI in Rauray, towards the high ground south of the village, where the fighting went on all day. At 7:00 a.m. the 1st Tyneside Scottish in the centre, advanced through the bocage close to the creeping barrage, towards the objective of Brettevillette south‑west of Rauray. The Battalion reached the first objective "Jock" (Tessel‑Bretteville) after forty minutes, where two companies consolidated and two pushed on towards the final objective "Jones" (Brettevillette) behind another creeping barrage. German machine‑gun fire became intense, and the rear of the Battalion was bombarded by artillery and mortars but the advance continued and by 2:30 p.m. the Battalion had entered the village.
After thirty minutes the British were counter‑attacked by Kampfgruppe Weidinger of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich, which had arrived the day before from the area south of St. Lô and relieved the 12th SS Panzer Division west of Rauray. With a Panther company of the 2nd Panzer Division the kampfgruppe began several hours of mutually costly counterattacks as the Tyneside Scottish tried to consolidate their positions in the village. The Battalion was withdrawn to Tessel‑Bretteville by 9:00 p.m., with an advanced company dug in 400 yd (370 m) north of Brettevillette. By recovering the village and holding Queudeville to the south, Kampfgruppe Weidinger had kept open a route from Noyers‑Bocage for a forthcoming counter‑offensive by the II SS‑Panzer Corps against the VIII Corps salient to the east.
Sold with two original photographs, Buckingham Palace MM bestowal slip, Bestowal slip for WW2 Campaign Medals, notification of MM award in the London Gazette of the 19th of October 1944, 49th Division 1944 Christmas Card. Copied Gazette entry copy MM Citation.
Military Medal The London Gazette 19th of October 1944.
30 Brigade – 49 Division ‑ 30 Corps.
10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
94459474 A/Cpl Pearson John James William.
On the 28th of June 1944, after the attack on the ring contour 111, near Rauray, Map Ref 8865, a man of the Carrier Platoon was severely wounded brining up ammunition in his carrier. He managed to get out of his carrier but was run over by a tank and his foot was crushed. At this time the position came under fire, Spandau fire, and fire from snipers.
Corporal Pearson, asking another man to cover him, left his covered position and went forward under very heavy fire with complete disregard for his own safety. He picked up the man, dressed his wounds and carried him back, still under heavy mortar and machine gun fire. He then returned to command his section.
He was an inspiration to his men whose admiration and praise for his action have been unbounded.
Operation Martlet (also known as Operation Dauntless) was part of a series of British attacks to capture the French town of Caen. It was a preliminary operation undertaken on 25 June 1944 by XXX Corps to capture Rauray and the area around Noyers. The attack was to protect the right flank of VIII Corps as it began Operation Epsom. The 50th (Northumbrian) Division and the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division were to capture Juvigny‑sur‑Seulles, Vendes and Rauray, to prevent German counterattacks against VIII Corps from the area of the Rauray Spur and then extend the attack towards Noyers and Aunay‑sur‑Odon. It was the first time in Normandy that the 49th (West Riding) Division operated as a division.
The attack front was held by the right flank of the Panzer Lehr Division and the left flank of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, with the support of 60–80 88mm guns of the III Flakkorps. The attack failed to achieve its objectives by the end of 25 June and the 49th (West Riding) Division continued the operation until 1 July, when the division defeated a counterattack by Kampfgruppe Weidinger of 2nd SS‑Panzer Division Das Reich and the 9th SS‑Panzer Division Hohenstaufen, which lost c. 35 tanks and other armoured vehicles.
28th June 1944 Rauray.
At 6:50 a.m. a barrage by four field artillery regiments and the guns of an AGRA began and on the left flank, the attack by the 10th DLI and the 4/7th Dragoon Guards resumed through the positions of the 11th DLI in Rauray, towards the high ground south of the village, where the fighting went on all day. At 7:00 a.m. the 1st Tyneside Scottish in the centre, advanced through the bocage close to the creeping barrage, towards the objective of Brettevillette south‑west of Rauray. The Battalion reached the first objective "Jock" (Tessel‑Bretteville) after forty minutes, where two companies consolidated and two pushed on towards the final objective "Jones" (Brettevillette) behind another creeping barrage. German machine‑gun fire became intense, and the rear of the Battalion was bombarded by artillery and mortars but the advance continued and by 2:30 p.m. the Battalion had entered the village.
After thirty minutes the British were counter‑attacked by Kampfgruppe Weidinger of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich, which had arrived the day before from the area south of St. Lô and relieved the 12th SS Panzer Division west of Rauray. With a Panther company of the 2nd Panzer Division the kampfgruppe began several hours of mutually costly counterattacks as the Tyneside Scottish tried to consolidate their positions in the village. The Battalion was withdrawn to Tessel‑Bretteville by 9:00 p.m., with an advanced company dug in 400 yd (370 m) north of Brettevillette. By recovering the village and holding Queudeville to the south, Kampfgruppe Weidinger had kept open a route from Noyers‑Bocage for a forthcoming counter‑offensive by the II SS‑Panzer Corps against the VIII Corps salient to the east.
Sold with two original photographs, Buckingham Palace MM bestowal slip, Bestowal slip for WW2 Campaign Medals, notification of MM award in the London Gazette of the 19th of October 1944, 49th Division 1944 Christmas Card. Copied Gazette entry copy MM Citation.