2720987 Samuel James NICHOLSON, DCM, 1 Irish Guards

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Name Nicholson, Samuel James
Rank: Guardsman
Service No: 2720987
Regiment: 1 Battalion Irish Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia)
Award: Distinguished Conduct Medal
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 08 July 1943
Date 1943
Catalogue reference WO 373/1
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LG - Viewing Page 3088 of Issue 36083

2720987 Guardman Samuel James NICHOLSON, 1st Bn IRISH GUARDS
24th Guards Brigade, 1st British Division, 5 Corps

Attack and Occupation of Pt 212 & 214, April 28th to May 1st.

This Guardsman was wounded on the afternoon of Tuesday 27th April 43 in the attack on Pt 212, but continued on with his company, and his self-dressed wound was only discovered on Wednesday morning, when he was sent back to the R.A.P.

He re-appeared on the hill on Thursday nigh (29 April) having, on his own initiative, made his way back to the Bn’s position. On the way he had to pass through enemy occupied territory and past their tanks. He came across a company of the 1st LOYALS, who had been overrun and separated from the remainder of their Bn. He took charge of his coy, and gave it instructions not to move till he returned. He then set out alone to find a way up to the Bn - an extremely difficult feat in the dark, without a map and in the midst of the enemy, but he achieved it. Reporting to officer [this name has been struck out: Major H.L.S. YOUNG], he asked him if he would like some LOYALS, because, it he so he could provide some. On learning that they would be acceptable, he went back, found the company of LOYALS, and led it up to the Bn. The following morning he acquired a Tommy Gun and took and active and leading part in the subsequent fighting, urging on the LOYALS, for whom he considered himself in some way responsible.

The initiative and daring shown by this Guardsman was of the highest order and, in my opinion, quite extraordinary. Officers, with maps, in daylight and with not danger from the enemy, lost their way trying to reach Pt 212, while this Guardsman, with no maps, only a very general idea of the Bn’s positions, and the pitch dark succeeded in bringing a company safely up to the Bn through the enemy lines and within 200 yards of their tanks.

I recommend this Guardsman for gallantry and initiative.

Immediate DCM

Signed C.A. MONTAGU-DOUGLAS-SCOTT, Lieut.-Colonel, Commanding 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS
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From History of the Irish Guards in the Second World War, FitzGerald, page 182:

About midnight Guardsman J. Nicholson suddenly walked up to Major Young to say that he had found 'some infantrymen' in the plain and could bring them up if we wanted them. Guardsman Nicholson had been wounded in the attack on 212 and had been sent back to the R.A.P. on the Wednesday morning. On Thursday evening he walked out of the Field Ambulance hospital 'to be with the boys again.' It was a remarkable achievement. Officers with maps in daylight and little danger lost their way trying to reach 212, while Nicholson with only a general idea of the positions, and in the pitch dark, not only found his way through the enemy lines, but went back and brought up a body of troops lying within 200 yards of the enemy tanks. He had come across the survivors of a Loyal company, which had been overrun, imposed his command on them and told them not to move till he came back. They followed him on to the hill and were superimposed on the existing sections to thicken them. We expected more reinforcments from another unit, but these never appeared. Otherwise it was a quiet night. The men 'off duty' sat on the rocks and took their boots off to air their feet. It was an opportunity also to clear some of the corpses from the top of the ridge. The Germans killed there on Wednesday morning had already putrefied in the sun, and the flies were beginning to bother us.
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On pg 274 of the same book there is mention in Italy of a Nicholson - possibly the same man - who with 2 others Flanagan and Malony, manned Vickers MMGs. They were faced with

Germans shouting and gesticulating wildly as if doped ... shouting 'Sieg Heil! Gott mit Uns!' .... As soon as the MMG had fired its last round three Germans jumped into the trench, shouting, "Hands up Englishmen!" The three 'Micks' were not going to stand for any insults; they flattened the Germans with their fists and made off to No. 4 Company.
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