© Crown Copyright Imperial War Museum (Ref
IND3971)
(Photo courtesy of
Nigel Holmes ©) |
|
Major Frank Gerald Blaker VC,
Chindit
|
|
|
Extract from
Supplement
to
The London Gazette
of Friday, the 22nd of September, 1944
|
|
|
War Office, 26th
September, 1944
|
|
|
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the posthumous award
of the VICTORIA CROSS to :- |
|
|
Captain (temporary Major) Frank Gerald Blaker, M.C. (193864), The
Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment) (attached 9th
Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army).
In Burma on 9th July, 1944, a company of the 9th Gurkha Rifles was
ordered to carry out a wide, encircling movement across unknown and precipitous
country, through dense jungle, to attack a strong enemy
position on the summit of an important hill overlooking Taungni.
Major Blaker carried out this movement with the utmost precision and
took up a position with his company on the extreme right flank of
the enemy, in itself a feat of considerable military skill.
Another Company, after bitter fighting, had succeeded in taking the
forward edge of the enemy position by a frontal assault, but had
failed to reach the main crest of the hill in the face of fierce
opposition.
At this crucial moment Major Blaker's Company came under heavy and
accurate fire at close range from a machine gun and two light
machine guns, and their advance was completely stopped.
Major Blaker then advanced ahead of his men through very heavy fire
and, in spite of being severely wounded in the arm by a grenade, he
located the machine guns, which were the pivot of the enemy defence,
and single handed charged the position. When hit by a burst of three
rounds through the body, he continued to cheer on his men while
lying on the ground.
His fearless leadership and outstanding courage so inspired his
Company that they stormed the hill and captured the objective, while
the enemy fled in terror into the jungle.
Major Blaker died of wounds while being evacuated from the
battlefield. His heroism and self sacrifice were beyond all
praise and contributed in no small way to the defeat of the enemy
and the successful outcome of the operation.
(Photo courtesy of Nigel Holmes ©) |
|
|
