Award Military Cross Lt. Douglas Ewart HARRIS, 2/5th Bn. The Queen’s Royal Regiment (Italy)

brithm · Nov 21, 2022

]Award Military Cross Lt. Douglas Ewart Harris, 2/5th Bn. The Queen’s Royal Regiment (324910)
Italy, Lake Commacchio.

Lt D. E. Harris commanded 11 platoon 'B' Coy and took part in all actions from the MENATE landings to the fighting at the approaches to PORTOVERRARA when he was wounded. Throughout this period Lt Harris displayed courage and resolution of the very highest order. In the landings on 11th April 1945, he was the first ashore and wading through two dykes he reached his Platoon objective several hundred yards ahead of the rest of the Platoon and by effective use of his tommy gun he took several prisoners and caused the rest of the enemy to withdraw.

In all actions this officer led his men, sometimes using a PIAT, sometimes a Bren gun and even captured enemy weapons, Lt Harris displayed aggressive courage of the highest order. On the 12th April he captured an officer and two men, one of whom was wounded, from a house which he himself tackled with a PIAT. On the 13th April when his Coy was counter attacked North of FILO, the Coy Cdr was killed, a number of other casualties suffered and two of the supporting tanks were knocked out. Lt Harris at once took charge, reorganised the Coy and dug in. It was entirely due to his efforts that wounded were evacuated from a very exposed position.

Later, on April 18th, when leading his men against the enemy, Lt Harris was himself seriously wounded. At all times this officer displayed gallantry and determination of the very highest order and carried out all tasks given to him in a cheerful and wholehearted manner, even in the face of heavy opposition. He was completely indifferent to danger.
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WO 373/13/308

HARRIS, Douglas Ewart | ͏

minden1759 · Nov 21, 2022

This was the period immediately after the Final Offensive kicked off on 9 Apr 45 as Brigades from 56 Inf Div cleared the approached to Argenta. In this, 169 Inf Bde were attacking eastwards in the centre, 167 Inf Bde in the south along the northern banks of the River Reno and 24 Gds Bde along the southern shore of Lake Commachio.

The German Army was in its dying days but were still putting up a strong fight.

Regards

Frank

BFBSM · Nov 21, 2022

Details from History of the Queen's Royal Regiment Vol. VIII 1924 - 1948, Major R.C.G. Foster, M.C.:

THE ADVANCE ON FILO

p. 467 At dawn on the 12th there were signs that the enemy were withdrawing. The road behind the 169th Brigade was clear of Germans, but was badly cratered and all bridges had been blown; diversions were almost impossible because of the embankments and floods, and the Royal Engineers were working desperately on it. So for the time being the Brigade follow-up must be unsupported except by two batteries of 113 Regiment who had come up in Fantails and two troops of the 10th Hussars who had managed to work their way up the road.

At 1045 hrs. Brigadier Stratton gave out his orders. The 2/7th were to advance on the right along the Strada Della Pioppa and the 2/5th were to exploit down the main Filo—Bastia road, while the 2/6th were to concentrate ready to follow up on either road. Forward battalions were each to have a troop of tanks under their orders and to start as soon as ready. The 24th Guards Brigade was carrying out a further Fantail operation over the floods to the north.

2/5th The 2/5th Queen's were first off, led by "A" Company, who advanced a couple 2/5th BD. of miles against slight opposition. "B" Company then passed through and were p. 468 fired at from the right flank. Lieutenant G. E. F. Brownell's platoon of "C" Company, with the help of a tank, captured the enemy post with thirty prisoners.

On the outskirts of Fornace di Filo, "B" Company struck an enemy rear-guard with a self-propelled gun. The gun was knocked out by one of our tanks, and

Lieutenant D. Harris with Il Platoon crossed the bridge and overran the German post, capturing the officer in command and several of his men.

The road was now lined with farms and buildings, which had to be cleared by house-to-house fighting, and as the 2/5th got near to Filo they came under considerable artillery and machine-gun fire. It was clear that the village was held in Strength. Darkness was falling and "C" and "D" Companies dug in on the outskirts.

2/7th Bn The 2/7th in the morning had to concentrate, so moved off rather later than the 2/5th. "A" Company (Major O. H. Scammell) led throughout the day and had some difficult fighting. The front was limited, with floods on the right of the road and extensive minefields on the left, and the road itself was frequently cratered. Some houses met early on were quite strongly held, but "A" Company attacked with determination and captured about thirty prisoners. By nightfall "A" had advanced about three miles, and Lieut.-Colonel MacWilliam ordered "D" under Major A. G. Sanders to be prepared to pass through to continue the advance in the dark.

At 2000 hrs. the Brigadier issued further orders. The 2/7th was to continue its advance during the night in order to be far enough forward to help the Fantail landing by the 24th Guards Brigade on the right flank next day. The 2/5th were to hold their present positions and patrol energetically. This they did, capturing, among others, a German officer who said that three companies had just arrived in Filo with orders to hold it at all cost.

The brigade advance was threatening the vital bridge at Bastia, a key-point on the enemy line of retreat, so tough opposition was clearly to be expected. It was intended to link up with the 78th Division at this bridge.

Apr. 13 2/7th Bn The 2/7th Queen's night advance could make little progress. Enemy were in the houses at La Pioppa in strength, and an attempt at a left hook by 16 Platoon ran into a minefield and lost several casualties. At dawn "D" Company successfully attacked the houses under cover of smoke, took a number of prisoners and started to push on; but the Brigadier stopped them as they were in danger of running into the barrage covering the Fantail landing of the Guards Brigade.

2/5th Bn On the 2/5th front Filo had been severely punished by the fighter-bombers at dawn, and the 2/5th were then ordered to outflank it to the north. The men had had three almost sleepless nights and were very tired. "B" Company under Major Cole, with a troop of tanks, were first directed around the right of the village on to Casa Risarola. The move was difficult and two hours were spent making crossing places for the tanks over the intervening ditches, but by 1730 hrs. they had reached their objective.

Four German self-propelled guns now appeared, knocked out two of the tanks and caused a number of casualties. The house occupied by "B" Company headquarters was hit several times and Major V. W. Cole and several of his headquarters were killed. He had seen a great deal of hard fighting with the Battalion, and his loss, so nearly at the end of the war, was deeply regretted.

p. 469

After sterling efforts the Royal Engineers cleared the road, and Captain H. F. Bott came up, with several carriers, to take over command. One of these, on turning into company headquarters, blew up over a mine, set fire to another carrier and a jeep, and one driver was burned to death. "B" Company moved north and joined "A" Company, who had come up behind them, and then moved to their northern flank.

C Company, 215th, meanwhile had fortified themselves strongly into the buildings on either side of the main road facing Filo. An enemy counter-attack seemed most probable, but none materialized.

In the evening the Brigade Commander held an "O" Group in the 216th Battalion Headquarters. The 216th was to attack at first light, again with a flanking attack to the north of Filo. They were to have full artillery and air support. The 215th were to capture Filo village and follow up to the road junction beyond. The 217th, who had been withdrawn for the night to the west of Menate, were to be prepared to pass through either battalion and press on up the Argenta road.
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Award Military Cross Lt. Douglas Ewart HARRIS, 2/5th Bn. The Queen’s Royal Regiment (Italy)

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Award Military Cross Lt. Douglas Ewart HARRIS, 2/5th Bn. The Queen’s Royal Regiment (Italy)

brithm Senior Member

minden1759 Senior Member

BFBSM Very Senior Member

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