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Auction: 7012 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 566

The Second War Miteiriya Ridge ´North Africa´ M.C. Group of Five to Captain H.A.L. Vetch, ´A´ Assault Regiment, Royal Engineers, For Repeated Acts of Gallantry Under Heavy Shell Fire During October 1942; He Was Later Reported Missing In Action Near the River Merano, Italy, 5.9.1944 a) Military Cross, G.VI.R, reverse dated ´1942´ b) 1939-1945 Star c) Africa Star, with 8th Army Bar d) Italy Star e) War Medal, extremely fine, mounted for display, with original card box of issue addressed to ´H.A.M. Vetch Esq., Cheltenham´, and named condolence slip (5) Estimate £ 800-1,200 M.C. London Gazette 23.2.1943 Lieutenant Hamilton Adye Lous Vetch (201220) R.E. ´On the 24th October, 1942, a battalion of the Royal Tank Regiment was ´hull down´ behind the Miteiriya Ridge, their movement laterally hampered by a large minefield running at right angles to the ridge. Lieutenant Vetch with five Sappers at once commenced clearing a wide path through the minefield, using bayonets and knives to prod with. At the time there was fairly heavy shelling and one man was killed, another wounded. Lieutenant Vetch sent back for reinforcements, evacuated the wounded man and continued to work. This was his first time under shellfire but he showed great coolness and leadership. On the 26th October, 1942, three battalions of the Royal Tank Regiment were to take ´hull down´ positions behind the ridge running North West. There were known to be a large number of mines scattered about together with booby traps. Over the ridge was a minefield through which that night the Brigade was to advance. Lieutenant Vetch went forward with a reconnaissance section of an N.C.O. and six Sappers, they cleared many scattered mines, then going on the ridge they met with heavy shell fire and machine gun fire from the enemy, who were returning to their positions on the enemy´s side of the ridge. This officer ordered his section to fix bayonets and he led them against the enemy, co-operating with some men of the King´s Royal Rifle Corps who were on the ridge further to the North West. He turned the enemy back and took three prisoners. He then arranged the evacuation of a badly wounded officer of the Rifle Corps and two Riflemen. He sent back information to the squadron and under heavy shell-fire remained on the ridge getting information about the minefield. When darkness fell he met the troop of Royal Engineers coming forward to clear the gap and led them to the best position. By his calm and courageous action he made possible the clearing of the gap through which, at dawn, on the 27th October, two battalions of the Royal Tank Regiment passed through. At all times Lieutenant Vetch showed great powers of leadership and encouraged the men working with him under heavy shell fire for the first time.´ Captain Hamilton Adye Louis Vetch, M.C., born Devon, 1920; educated at Chipping Camden Grammar School, Cheltenham College, and Glasgow University, winning the Bilsland Cup for Fives at the latter establishment; enlisted in the Grenadier Guards, 1940 before entering the Officer Cadet Training and six months later being appointed a commission in the Royal Engineers; posted to North Africa to serve with the Armoured Division of the Corps (M.C.); saw further service with the advance through Libya and Tunisia and took part in the Sicily landings, clearing beachheads, later fulfilling the same task at Salerno on the mainland; he continued northwards with the his unit via Monte Cassino, Rome and the River Po, before being reported missing in action near the River Merano, North East Italy, 5.9.1944; Vetch´s body was never found and as such he is commemorated on the Cassion Memorial, he is also commemorated on the Borough of Cheltenham War Memorial and in the Church of St. Philip and St. James, Cheltenham.

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