The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details Drake, Albert George Rank: Guardsman Service No: 2623062 Regiment: 5 Battalion Grenadier Guards Theatre of Combat or Operation: Italy Award: Military Medal Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 07 December 1944 Date 1944 Catalogue reference WO 373/8 24th Guards Brigade, 6th S.A. Armoured Division, 13 Corps 2623062 Guardsman Albert George DRAKE, 5th GRENADIER GUARDS At 0400 hours on 12th July this Guardsman's Company was the forward company of the Battalion holding some ground vital to the defence of the defence of the important feature (CAMPI) North of S. GUSME village. At that hour the enemy attacked the Company under a heavy mortar concentration. Owing to thick scrub, trees and high corn the difficulties of the defenders were very great and twice between 0400 hours and 0530 hours they had to be driven out of the forward Platoon positions by a Section assault through the scrub. By 0530 hours the Left forward Platoon had had to join up with the Right forward one which had enabled the enemy to infiltrate with a flame thrower and some spandaus round the left of the position held by these two Platoons. This Guardsman's Section was then ordered to drive the enemy out of some slit trenches which they had occupied at that point. Guardsman DRAKE rushed forward under considerable spandau fire at point blank range and, with his rifle and some grenades, shot the enemy out of the slit trenches they had occupied. A short time later another enemy section infiltrated to approximately the same place and again this Guardsman took a conspicuously prominent and courageous part in the successful assault which his Section put in against them. On both these occasions Guardsman DRAKE displayed courage of a high order and he played no small part in the breaking of what was a most determined attack by the enemy. Signed G.C. GORDON-LENNOX, D.S.O., Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding 5th Battalion GRENADIER GUARDS Granted an Immediate M.M.
