Award BEM LACs. R.N. Garred & S.W. Read, RAFVR mine clearing 1944

Award British Empire Medal (Military)

Leading Aircraftman Roland Norman Garred (1805558), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Leading Aircraftman Samuel William Read (1666507), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

 

Garred -


Read -

 

I had the honour of meeting 'Garry' Garred some years ago and made notes as he talked about his time in BD, including -
'On the 6th of January, 1945. Corporal Francis 'Bat' Battersby BEM was working just in front of Leading Aircraftsman Garry Garred. Battersby caught the prongs of an 'S' mine which detonated, killing him instantly. Garred, who was just behind, was only slightly injured, protected from the blast by Battersby's heavy frame. However, another man, Corporal Gerry Shearman, who was some distance away outside the minefield, was hit by shrapnel and lost an eye. Having come round from the explosion, Garred could see Battersby was dead, and as nobody else was around (apart from Shearman, who had his own problems to deal with), he followed the safety tape back to the edge of the minefield. He was sure that he was bleeding badly from the top of his head. On checking in the truck's wing mirror he was relieved to find his hair was just full of dirt thrown up from the explosion. His ear drums had been perforated, so too his trousers, but his general health was remarkably good. The M.O.'s treatment in fact just consisted of dispensing half a tumbler of Scotch.'