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Auction: 5005 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 452

An El Alamein Second War ´Immediate´ M.C. attributed to Captain J.B. Carruth, Royal Corps of Signals Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1942, reverse also privately engraved ´J.B. Carruth Oct.´; nearly extremely fine Estimate £ 400-450 M.C. London Gazette 31.12.1942 Second Lieutenant John Bolt Carruth (201608) Royal Corps of Signals (Motherwell) The Recommendation states ´Throughout the night of 23/24 Oct 42, and throughout 24 Oct 42, 2/Lt. John Carruth, by his own personal energy, courage and initiative, succeeded in keeping in working order the 130 miles of field telephone cables which interconnected the Divisional Headquarters, the Headquarters of the Infantry Brigades and Field Regiments of the Highland Division. This was done in spite of continuous shelling from enemy artillery which rendered the mending of joints in these cables an extremely hazardous undertaking. Throughout the night of 23/24 Oct, and during 24 Oct, 2/Lt. Carruth was continuously employed in organising and carrying out the repairing of breaks in this network of field telephone cables caused by enemy shelling and the passage of tanks. This was many times done at great risk, and with a complete disregard of personal danger. Many of these cables ran through gaps in minefields which had been registered by enemy artillery; in other places, the wires ran actually through the minefields and had to be repaired where they lay. 2/Lt. Carruth, with seven of his men of his Cable Section, laid this extensive field telephone system in less than 2 weeks. Much of it they buried underground. If this system had not been kept intact during the night 23/24 Oct 42, much vital information would not have reached main 30 Corps. 2/Lt Carruth´s personal leadership and gallantry in the face of enemy artillery fire on the night of 23/24 Oct 42 was a considerable factor in the success of the Highland Division.´ Captain John Bolt Carruth, Second Lieutenant 51st Highland Divisional Royal Corps of Signals, 16.8.1941; Lieutenant 1.10.1942; Temporary Captain 10.4.1944.

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£500