Award Military Medal L/Cpl. K. Shephard RAMC 1st Bn London Scottish

Award Military Medal L/Cpl. Kenneth Shephard (7047727) 1st Bn London Scottish, RAMC

WO 373/12/396

L/Cpl. G. Shephard, M.M., (1st Btn. London Scottish, 167 Bde) whose parents live at 181 Coventry Road, Exhall, near Coventry, is a 23 year old medical orderly who has served 2 1/2 years of his 3 years with the 8th Army. Has attended wounded personnel during the battles of the rivers Volturno and Garigliano, the Anzio bridgehead, the Gothic Line, and the rivers Senio and Reno. He was awarded the Military Medal on 9th September 1944, during the battle for Croce in the Gothic Line, for repeatedly driving through heavy fire to evacuate the wounded when casualties had reached high proportions.

 

Croce was a blood bath for 1 London Scottish. GOC 56 Inf Div had been told to not worry about the high ground in his left but to make haste to get forward to Coriano Ridge.

In the rapid advance forward to Croce, up the wide River Conca valley, the battalion was very badly beaten up by the German Brigade on Gemmano - on their left, who hit them with masses of antitank fire. Securing and then holding Croce was a nightmare. From Gemmano, looking over to Croce, you simply could not miss.

Regards

Frank