1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 1944-45 - Awards and Citations

Corporal, Lance Sergeant Norman STOKES (1700083)

Norman Stokes was recommended by Lieut.-Col. A. W. N. L. Vickers on the 2nd December 1944 for an immediate Military Medal.

 

Military Medal (London Gazette date 22nd March 1945)

Citation:

“Corporal STOKES was a Section Commander of the right hand forward Platoon during the enemy counter-attack in the early hours of the morning of 19th November 1944. Notwithstanding heavy machine gun fire and many grenades, the enemy had succeeded in getting to within about 10 yards of the forward Platoons which were situated in a maze of small fields and gardens to the North-East of TRIPSRATH. Enemy machine gun fire was heavy, liberally sprinkled with stick and egg grenades, but Corporal STOKES, seeing a goodly bunch of Germans over the hedge a few yards away, got out of his trench with a Bren Gun, advanced to the hedge, and firing from the hip and shoulder mowed down the enemy who became totally disorganized. By this action he greatly inspired his men, and when dawn came, 18 enemy dead were counted within 20 yards of his section post. He later brought in two casualties on a stretcher from his Platoon when the Company stretcher bearers were busy elsewhere. Throughout the intense shelling which followed during the next few days, Corporal STOKES continued to carry out his duties with customary cheerfulness and calm, and was an outstanding example of a section leader efficient in battle.”

 

Background:

Norman Stokes was from Basford, Nottinghamshire.
He died in 1986

(Photo kindly supplied by Helen Ilic [nee Stokes] Norman Stokes was her great uncle)

Lance Sergeant Norman Stokes


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