VICTORIA CROSS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21604, 5 January 1945, Page 3

VICTORIA CROSS

BRITISH SOLDIER GALLANTRY IN ITALY GUN-POSTS~;STORMED (11 a.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 4. The Victoria Cross has been awarded to Private Henry Burton, of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. The citation says that in Italy in October, 1944, two companies of the regiment moved forward to take a strongly-held feature 760 metres high, the capture of which was vital. Twenty yards from the top the leading platoon was held up by withering Spandau fire. Private Burton rushed forward and engaged the first Spandau position with his Tommygun and killed the crew of three. When the assault was again held up by murderous fire from two more machine-guns, Private Burton, again showing complete disregard for his own safety, dashed forward towards the first machine-gun, using his Tommy-gun until the ammunition was exhausted. He then picked up a Bren gun and, firing from his hip, succeeded in killing or wounding the crews of the two machine-guns. Thanks to his outstanding courage, the company was then able to consolidate on a forward slope feature. In subsequent counter-attacks, Private Burton, on his own initiative, directed such accurate fire on the enemy that they retired, failing to dislodge our forces. Private Burton’s magnificent gallantry and total disregard for his own safety during many hours of fierce fighting in mud and continuous rain were an inspiration to all his comrades.