The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details Foster, Jack Rank: Guardsman Service No: 2614073 Regiment: 5 Battalion Grenadier Guards Theatre of Combat or Operation: Italy Award: Military Medal Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 08 February 1945 Date 1944-1945 Catalogue reference WO 373/9 24th Guards Brigade, 6th S.A. Armoured Division, 13 Corps 2614073 Guardsman Jack FOSTER, 5th Battalion GRENADIER GUARDS At 0515 hours on 25th July 1944 this Guardsman's Company, in which he was a bren gunner, was defending a high feature (Point 643) of vital importance to the operations of 6th S.A. Armoured Division, when it was attacked by a strong force of German infantry. In the first instance this Guardsman's Platoon was not directly attacked although it came under severe small arms fire as soon as the attack started. Owing to the dense bush running close up to the position and the great determination with which the attack was launched, the other two Platoons, however, which were very weak in numbers, were soon hard pressed. Guardsman FOSTER was ordered to take his bren group to assist the Platoon on top of the hill which he instantly did, moving across to it under heavy fire. He then went into a small house and fired at the approaching Germans from a top window, inflicting a considerable number of casualties. When, in spite of this fire, the Germans succeeded in establishing Spandau posts within 30 yards of the house and out of sight of his window, Guardsman FOSTER came down and stood in the open doorway on the ground floor and for an hour kept up steady and deadly accurate fire with his bren gun, mostly from the hip, at the considerable number of enemy who were attempting to form op in the bushes. Throughout this period he was under constant Spandau, grenade and rifle fire from very close range and was himself without any cover whatever from the direction of the enemy Spandaus. On this occasion the outstanding personal gallantry of this Guardsman (whose steadiness under fire had always been notable) and his great skill with his weapon was largely responsible for the easing of a situation who had, by the time he arrived on the scene, become extremely critical. G.C. GORDON-LENNOX, D.S.O., Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding 5th Battalion GRENADIER GUARDS Granted an Immediate M.M.
