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Auction: 17003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 704

An outstanding Second World War immediate D.C.M. group of four awarded to Trooper L. Acaster, 4th Royal Tank Regiment (R.A.C.), who feigned death after his tank was hit by enemy fire at Ed Duda in North Africa in November 1941

Although 'he was badly wounded in the face and his eyes were filled with blood, rendering him half blind', he subsequently drove his tank back to our lines and 'set an example which has rarely been equalled in the service'

Just five days later he was evacuated from Tobruk in the S.S. Chakdina, which ship fell victim to a torpedo dropped by a Luftwaffe aircraft and sank in three minutes: he was not among the survivors

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.VI.R. (7888516 Tpr. L. Acaster, R. Tank R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, together with the recipient's Army Council condolence slip in the name of '7888516 Tpr. L. Acaster, D.C.M.' and Buckingham Palace investiture letter addressed to his father, this dated 20 November 1944, extremely fine (4)


D.C.M. London Gazette 24 February 1942. The original recommendation states:

'On the night of 30 November 1941, Trooper Acaster was driver of an 'I' Tank which went into action when the Squadron counter-attacked on Ed Duda. A shell penetrated killing the gunner and wounding Trooper Acaster in the face. The tank halted and being close to the enemy was quickly invested by them in the darkness. Trooper Acaster, with great presence of mind, feigned death, and the remainder of the crew were taken prisoner. As soon as the enemy moved off Trooper Acaster started up his tank again and drove it back in the direction of our lines where he met other soldiers who helped him to a R.A.P. Trooper Acaster was badly wounded in the face and his eyes were filled with blood, rendering him half blind, while the pain was intense. His courage and presence of mind was most conspicuous and his devotion to duty in thus saving his tank from capture under the most trying circumstances sets an example which has rarely been equalled in the service.'

Leonard Acaster, a native of Leeds, was decorated for the above cited deeds in Operation "Crusader", the ill-fated attempt to break out of Tobruk. Notable among his comrades in 4th Royal Tanks was Captain P. J. "Pip" Gardner, M.C., who was awarded the V.C. for his gallantry on 23 November 1941, when he went to the rescue of two armoured cars.

One week later, Acaster won his D.C.M. at Ed Duda, where Rommel's 15th Panzer Division faced determined defences. A counter-attack on the night of the 29th-30th - led by Acaster and his comrades in 4th Royal Tanks and gallantly supported by the 2/13th Australian infantry battalion - pushed the enemy back by 1,000 yards and netted 167 prisoners. Following this action, Rommel decided to withdraw his panzers to new positions to the south.

Acaster's subsequent loss in the S.S. Chakdina on 5 December 1941 was a fate shared by many: she was carrying nearly 400 wounded, most of whom had no chance of escape from below deck.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial.


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Sold for
£3,200