Awards DCM & Victoria Cross Alan George Horwood KIA Burma (Escaper & Evader France 1940)

brithm · Sep 5, 2024

Sgt. Alan George Horwood, 1/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal (West Surrey) Regiment, 131st Infantry Battalion, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division, 3 Corps
Service No.: 6089257
Award Distinguished Conduct Medal

26th May 1940

This officer and N.C.O. was taken prisoners when their post was surrounded by greatly superior numbers and after five days journey were confined in a large barn near ANTWERP. On 26th May finding a window unfastened Captain TRENCH accompanied by Sgt. HORWOOD leapt out and ran for a neighbouring wood. After six days they reached DUNKIRK in a rowing boat having walked over, 100 miles and adopted various disguises. Both officer and N.C.O. showed great encourage and considerable coolness and resource.
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WO 373/16/19

WO 208/3298/01

Lieutenant Alec George Horwood, DCM The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) attached 1st Bn The Northamptonshire Regiment
Award: Victoria Cross
Service No.: 165583
Date of Act Of Bravery: 18th to 20th January 1944

At Kyauchaw on 18th January 1944, Lieutenant Horwood accompanied the forward company of The Northamptonshire Regiment into action against a Japanese defended locality with his forward mortar observation post. Throughout that day he lay in an exposed position which had been completely bared of cover by concentrated air bombing and effectively shot his own mortars and those of a half troop of another unit while the company was manoeuvring to locate the exact position of the enemy bunkers and machine-gun nests. During the whole of this time Lieutenant Horwood was under intense sniper, machine-gun, and mortar fire, and at night he came back with most valuable information about the enemy.

On 19th January, he moved forward with another company and established an observation post on a precipitous ridge. From here, while under continual fire from the enemy, he directed accurate mortar fire in support of two attacks which were put in during the day. He also carried out a personal reconnaissance along and about the bare ridge, deliberately drawing the enemy fire so that the fresh company which he had led to the position, and which was to carry out an attack, might see the enemy positions.

Lieutenant Horwood remained on the ridge during the night 19th-20th January and on the morning of 20th January shot the mortars again to support a fresh attack by another company put in from the rear of the enemy. He was convinced that the enemy would crack and volunteered to lead the attack planned for that afternoon. He led this attack with such calm resolute bravery, that the enemy were reached and while standing up in the wire, directing and leading the men with complete disregard to the enemy fire which was then at point blank range, he was mortally wounded.

By his fine example of leadership on the 18th, 19th and 20th January when continually under fire, by his personal example to others of reconnoitring, guiding and bringing up ammunition in addition to his duties at the mortar observation post, all of which were carried out under great physical difficulties and in exposed positions, this officer set the highest example of bravery and devotion to duty which all ranks responded to magnificently. The cool, calculated actions of this officer, coupled with his magnificent bearing and bravery which culminated in his death on the enemy wire, very largely contributed to the ultimate success of the operation which resulted in the capture of the position on the 24th January.
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WO 98/8/801

Lieutenant Alec George Horwood | War Casualty Details 2511584 | CWGC

Killed in action 21st January 1944 aged 30 remembered on Rangoon Memorial

Alec Horwood was born in South Deptford, London, on 6th January 1914. He joined 6th Bn The Queen’s Royal Regiment at Bermondsey on 3rd April 1939 and was mobilised in the following September at the outbreak of war. As a sergeant he was captured during the evacuation from Dunkirk but escaped via Antwerp in 1940. For this very gallant escape he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Commissioned on 28th December 1940, he was attached to 1st Battalion The Northamptonshire Regiment and was serving with them in Burma when he was mortally wounded on 20th January 1944 and was buried at the Rest Home Kyauchaw, being later reinterred in the War Cemetery at Imphal, India. His widow received his Victoria Cross from HM King George VI at Buckingham Palace on 4th December 1944.

https://web.archive.org/web/20150919075020/http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/vc/vc18.shtml

brithm · Sep 5, 2024

IWM HU 2043

brithm · Sep 5, 2024

The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

brithm · Sep 5, 2024

Interview with John Edgar Alexander Hopkins

British officer served with 1st Bn Northamptonshire Regt in India and Burma, 1941-1944; served as staff officer with 17th Indian Division in Burma, 1944-1945

REEL 3 Continues: Gurkha response to lurid Japanese propaganda leaflet; sight of Imperial Japanese Army sentry on reconnaissance patrol; use of fireflies; attack on Imperial Japanese Army positions, 1/1944; effect of lack of training for conscripted soldiers, 1/1944; effect of cold night in open, 1/1944; nature of wound; method of passing time on first day of attack on Japanese, 1/1944; second attack on Imperial Japanese Army positions led by Lieutenant Alec Horwood at Kyaukchaw, Burma, 20/1/1944; heroism of Private Eric Jarvis in rescuing Lieutenant Alec Horwood's body; award of posthumous Victoria Cross to Lieutenant Alec Horwood and Military Medal to Private Eric Jarvis; capture of Imperial Japanese Army prisoners of war and arrival of media at Kyaukchaw, Burma; formation of 4 Coy; role of Chaplain Daly; character of reinforcements; alarm caused by British Indian Army units opening fire on each other; shooting down of Imperial Japanese Army Air Service reconnaissance aircraft; reaction to orders to withdraw border town Moreh in India; move to Palel, Burma and Ukhrul, India, 6/1944; death of NCO from tic typhus; losses of mules.

Interview with Terence Rupert Molloy

British officer served with 1st Bn Northamptonshire Regt in India, 1939-1942; served with 1st Bn Northamptonshire Regt, 32nd Indian Infantry Bde, 20th Indian Infantry Div in Ceylon, India and Burma, 1942-1944

REEL 3 Continues: terrain in Kabaw Valley, Burma; reconnaissance patrols preceding attack on Imperial Japanese Army strongpoints 'Bath and Wells'; attack on 'Bath and Wells' and their capture; memories of Lieutenant Alec George Horwood who won a posthumous Victoria Cross, 1/1944; discovery of another Imperial Japanese Army strongpoint; question of Japanese belief that British Army troops would disperse if attacked from rear; reconnaissance patrol to search for wounded Imperial Japanese Army soldier.

Sharp, Peter Llewellyn Frank (Oral history)

British civilian conscientious objector in Bermondsey and Leatherhead, GB, 1939-1945; anti-nuclear protester with Committee of 100 in GB, 1961-1980s:

REEL 1 Background in Bermondsey, London, GB, 1920-1939: family home; memories of childhood and family; 1926 General Strike including story of parade at the end; education including political and pacifist influences at school; civilian work including reason for leaving Scouts; cycling activities; membership of Bath Road Cycling Club including memories of Alec Horwood VC;

brithm · Sep 5, 2024

Daily Mirror 31st March 1944

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Awards DCM & Victoria Cross Alan George Horwood KIA Burma (Escaper & Evader France 1940)

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Awards DCM & Victoria Cross Alan George Horwood KIA Burma (Escaper & Evader France 1940)

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