183424 Captain James Francis SINCLAIR, MC, REME, att'd 73 A/T Regt RA

30 Corps
183424 War Substantive Lieutenant, Temporary Captain James Francis SINCLAIR, ROYAL ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS attached 73rd Anti-Tank Regiment, ROYAL ARTILLERY

On the afternoon of 17 June 1944 when our Infantry withdrew from the area of the wood at 8768 and M10 17 pounder, in action at 877690, which would not start owing to mechanical defects, had to be abandoned.

On the following evening I went to see if it was possible to remove the M10 but as POINT 102 was being heavily counter-attacked when I got near the wood I decided that for the time-being it would be best not to attempt recovery, and issued orders accordingly.

On the following morning, 19 June, Captain SINCLAIR, hearing that the wood was again in our hands took with him War Substantive Lieutenant J.A.B. COOKE, ROYAL ARTILLERY, and the No. 1 of the M10 and, with a Crusader Gun Tower, set to recover the M10.

When he got to the wood Captain SINCLAIR found that there were neither our Infantry nor Tanks within 400x of the M10. Nevertheless, he proceeded and coupled the M10 to the Crusader. The noise of the Crusader attracted the enemy, and the party from then on were subject to shell and mortar fire. The Crusader developed track trouble and had to be withdrawn without having moved the M10.

Captain SINCLAIR withdrew, and borrowed a recovery vehicle from a Workshop near CRISTOT, and returned to the M10, which he this time succeeded in recovering. He also recovered at 17 pounder of 55th Anti-tank Regiment, ROYAL ARTILLERY from the same wood.

The whole of the operation took about 7 hours, and for practically all that time the party was under mortar and shell fire, also it was completely cut off from our Infantry and Tanks.

Captain SINCLAIR showed coolness, bravery, and devotion to duty of a high order, and recovered two valuable pieces of Ordnance which might well have otherwise been lost.


Awarded Immediate Military Cross

LG 31 Aug 1944

WO 373/48-ir1145-pgs285 & 286