Awards
- 12th June
On 12 Jun 44 at the mouth of Riv. TENNA Italy, then in enemy hands, Capt Yunnie was landed from the sea to make arrangements for the subsequent landing of a raiding force of armed vehicles. On the night 15/16 Jun. the L.C.T. carrying this force was successfully signalled in from the shore by Capt Yunnie. The landing craft broached to, the vehicles could not be landed and the ship had to be abandoned. Capt Yunnie declined to be taken off by the escorting vehicle and having volunteered to remain on shore with a foot party, he operated for several days in the immediate rear of the retreating enemy, causing considerable confusion. In the course of a well timed action he overpowered the German guard and the Demolition party responsible for blowing up of a main road bridge which was thus preserved for the use of our own pursuing forces.
- 21st June
On 21 Jun. 44 near TOLENTINO, Italy, at night, behind enemy lines, the patrol in which he was travelling in the second vehicle fell into an ambush and came under MG fire at very close range. With the utmost coolness he returned the enemy fire and covered the party recovering the leading vehicle which had left the road. Though his vehicle was hit several times he kept up his fire for more than 15 minutes until the patrol proceeded on its way. Owing to his steadiness and to his disregard of danger only one casualty was suffered by the patrol in this encounter.
- 29th June
On 29 Jun44 at Castel San Pietro, Italy, Sgt Porter, in charge of a patrol of three, was ordered to reconnoitre a track leading to the village of Castel San Pietro. Finding the village apparently deserted, he entered it and in one of the houses he surprised a German Post. Two of the enemy were killed and a third one captured. When they came back into the street Sgt Porter's patrol came under heavy fire from three Spandaus concealed in the hillside above the village and also from a patrol of eight men armed with automatic rifles. With great gallantry and considerable skill Sgt Porter beat off the enemy who were attempting to cut off his retreat, and after two hours rejoined his own positions without suffering any casualties and brought back with him a prisoner and a German wireless set.
- 17th July
On 17 Jul 44 at Scheggia, Italy, on his own initiative, with great gallantry and complete disregard to his own safety, stayed with his Jeep under heavy mortar and shell fire, in a completely exposed position, so as to give covering MG fire to a foot patrol operating ahead of him. He withdrew only after the patrol had returned to safety.
- 22nd August
On 24 Aug 44 near FICHILLE Italy, while in command of HQ Patrol P.P.A. reconnoitered an extensive area held by the enemy in the mountains.
He took his Jeeps across country over difficult mountainous going, and penetrated several miles within the enemy positions. In spite of heavy machine gun and mortar fire to which he was repeatedly subjected in the course of the day he successfully completed his reconnaissance with great daring determination and skill.
- 25th/26th October
On the night of 25/26 October two companies of HABHA AKAL State Force Infantry crossed the RIVER RONCO near MEDOLA. Just after the infantry had crossed very heavy rain began and continued for almost thirty-six hours. By the night 27/28 October the river had risen in flood and as all bridges had been blown the only method of establishing communication for the evacuation of wounded across the river seemed to be by aerial rope-way. The officer in charge of the ADS 21 Indian Field Ambulance was ordered to construct this ropeway. During the night 27/28 this officer made his way to the site selected accompanied by a work party which included as a volunteer a temporarily attached British other rank Mo.T/2981417 Dvr. HIGGINS J. RASC. At first light on the morning of the 28th it was found that the RONGO was in spate: at the site selected for the original ropeway the river was about twenty-five yards wide; well over eight feet deep, with a very strong current. This area was also under shell and mortar fire. In spite of the hazardous nature of the undertaking Pte HIGGINS volunteered to swim the river carrying a wire attached to the cable of the ropeway.
He succeeded in crossing, but when he attempted to pull the cable across the wire broke under the strain of the current. Pte HIGGINS got into touch with the infantry across the river, and then swam back to the East bank with a message from them. Although he was by then exhausted Pte HIGGINS volunteered to make a second attempt to swim the river with a wire and try to pull the cable across. He again succeeded in crossing but again the wire broke under the strain. Further attempts were then found unnecessary by the discovery of a boat crossing some distance up river.
In my opinion this soldier's performance of swimming across a river in spate three times in an area under enemy fire shows courage and determination of a very high order.
- November
The area between Route 16 and Adriatic, from the SAVIO to the UNITI canal presented a problem to Porterforce. The area was intersected by canals, in some places densely wooded, and for the rest a flooded marsh. Major Peniakoff during the first fortnight in November with three patrols has liquidated all enemy opposition in this area. Every operation was planned by him, and in the majority of cases he actually led the patrols which have resulted in 31 PW and many enemy cas, and a retreat by the enemy from the SAVIO to the UNITI.
His own personal courage and drive have been the dominant factors in a notable achievement. When the floods made operations seemingly impossible Major Peniakoff personally led a Duck assault patrol, and supervised the building of a most unorthodox bridge over the GHIAIA canal in face of enemy Spandau fire. This bridge enabled a joint 27 L and PPA raid to surprise and capture 14 enemy in the village of GHIAIA.
This officer's consummate coolness and gallantry has not only made it possible to clean up a wide area of country which should easily have been held by the enemy, but his own personality has so impressed itself upon the Partisans in the coastal sector that their activities under his guidance have proved quite exceptional.
- 13th November
On 13th Nov. 1944 an order was given to attack and capture a German outpost in a farmhouse (Ravenna area), which was holding up our advance towards the FIUME UNITI. A condition was laid down that the operation had to take place without firing of weapons, in view of denying to the enemy the knowledge, for several hours or even days, that he had lost that important strong point. At approx. 0930hrs the PPA party commanded by an officer rushed into the farm and captured four surprised enemy who were on the bottom floor. Cpl O'Leary without hesitation or orders ran upstairs and meeting an enemy soldier with an automatic weapon in his hand, who has obviously heard the noise of our entrance below, charged him and knocked the weapon from his grasp. Then completely regardless of his own personal safety rushed into a room in which the other enemy were, three of the remaining four were in bed, but the fourth was caught reaching for an automatic weapon by Cpl O'Leary who knocked him on his back, and called on the four enemy to surrender, which they did. There is no doubt that the prompt action and the high standard of courage shown by this NCO withholding his fire when he was one against four, to obey orders received, ensured the success of the attack.
- 1st December
On the 1st December 1944, Capt. JD Campbell was ordered to take the last enemy stronghold south of FIUME UNITI, a fortified house named CASERMA DEI FIUME UNITI. During the night he moved forward commanding a party of six men across marshy country, walking in water breast deep for about six miles. At dawn, cold and tired, he was hidden in a wooden shack approx 25 yds of completely open ground away from the enemy strong point, here a German dog came in - but a tin of bully was just enough to keep him quiet.
After an hour of waiting for a suitable opportunity Capt. Campbell decided to rush the house, which was built on a concrete and high base. In full view of the enemy he led his men up to the barbed wire fence at the double, took the only passage to the house, broke the door in, and before the enemy could take any action captured, practically single-handed, 11 enemy soldiers and all their equipment, inclusing 3 LMGs. Then keeping cool after his success he managed to evacuate his 11 prisoners without attracting the attention of the enemy in another house 350 yds away - he then occupied the house and took defensive measures.
During the evening of the same day, still with the same little force, very tired by now, he ambushed two unaware enemy relieve parties, captured four more prisoners, and killed six more of the enemy including two officers.
This feat of arms is one of the best example of courage and leadership and self control of an officer. For his brother officers and his men such an action is and always will be a daring and difficult aim to reach.
- 9th December
Military Medal - Galloway, DonaldOn 9 Dec North of RAVENNA in the area M 5847 Dvr. BURROWS found himself in a wood with his armd Jeep 50 yds South of a bridge where enemy infantry supported by arty and mortars were attacking. His Commanding Officer was away at the time on a recce. He held his fire until the enemy started to cross the bridge. He then opened up and held the posn for ten mins, preventing the enemy from crossing the bridge. All this time he was under direct fire from the enemy who were less than 60 yds away.
His CO returned from his recce severely wounded, and with perfect coolness Dvr. BURROWS drove him back to safety, together with another casualty.
On the afternoon of 9 Dec 44 'B' patrol, PPA, were ordered to go to the relief of a dismounted posn of 'D' Sqn 27L in the area M 5847 who were being strongly attacked by the enemy. When about 50 yds from this fwd enemy posn, and under hy mortar and MG fire, Cpl. GALLOWAY left his jeep and ran fwd to help a wounded Lancer who was in danger of drowning in the marshes. He succeeded in rescuing the wounded man and carried him to his Jeep. While he was doing this he was wounded in the leg.
Nevertheless, although bleeding profusely he continued to engage the enemy with his gun for at least ten mins before driving his Jeep to safety, where he fainted from loss of blood.
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