War
Office, 2nd January, 1945.
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the posthumous
award of the
VICTORIA CROSS to: —
No. 4751678 Corporal John William Harper, The York and Lancaster
Regiment (Doncaster).
In North-West Europe, on 29th September, 1944, the Hallamshire
Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment attacked the Depot
de Mendicite, a natural defensive position surrounded by an
earthen wall, and then a dyke, strongly held by the enemy.
Corporal Harper was commanding the leading section in the
assault. The enemy were well dug in and had a perfect field of
fire across 300 yards of completely flat and exposed country.
With superb disregard for the hail of mortar bombs and small
arms fire which the enemy brought to bear on this open ground,
Corporal Harper led his section straight up to the wall and
killed or captured the enemy holding the near side. During this
operation the platoon commander was seriously wounded and
Corporal Harper took over control of the platoon. As the enemy
on the far side of the wall were now throwing grenades over the
top, Corporal Harper climbed over the wall alone, throwing
grenades, and in the face of heavy, close range small arms fire,
personally routed the Germans directly opposing him. He took
four prisoners and shot several of the remainder of the enemy as
they fled. Still completely ignoring the heavy spandau and-
mortar fire, which was sweeping the area, once again he crossed
the wall alone to find out whether it was possible for his
platoon to wade the dyke which lay beyond. He found the dyke too
deep and wide to cross, and once again he came back over the
wall and received orders to try and establish his platoon on the
enemy side of it. For the third time he climbed over alone,
found some empty German weapon pits, and providing the covering
fire urged and encouraged his section to scale the wall and dash
for cover. By this action he was able to bring down sufficient
covering fire to enable the rest of the company to cross the
open ground and surmount the wall for the loss of only one man.
Corporal Harper then left his platoon in charge of his senior
section commander and walked alone along the banks of the dyke,
in the face of heavy spandau fire, to find a crossing place.
Eventually he made contact with the battalion attacking on his
right, and found that they had located a ford. Back he came
across the open ground, and, whilst directing his company
commander to the ford, he was struck by a bullet which fatally
wounded him and he died on the bank of the dyke. The success of
the battalion in driving the enemy from the wall and back across
the dyke must be largely ascribed to the superb self sacrifice
and inspiring gallantry of Corporal Harper. His magnificent
courage, fearlessness and devotion to duty throughout the battle
set a splendid example to his men and had a decisive effect on
the course of the operations.
LG 2nd January 1945 |