BRAVE TANK LEADER

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 199, 20 May 1944, Page 7

BRAVE TANK LEADER

Gallantry In Libya Wins Victoria Cross ' (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 18. „ The Victoria Cross has just been awarded to Major (Temporary Lieut.Colonel) H. R. B. Foote, D. 5.0., of the Royal Tank Regiment, for outstanding gallantry during June, 1942, in the Libyan campaign. , , . The War Office says that the lapse or time between the action and the announcement of the award was due to full details not being available till certain officers who witnessed the event were repatriated recently, and confirmation was subsequently obtained from others who had singe gone to other parts of the world. The citation states: “On June 6, 1942, Major Foote led his battalion, which had been subjected to very heavy artillery fire, in pursuit of a superior force of the enemy. While changing to another tank after his own had been knocked out, Major Foote was wounded in the neck. In spite of this, he continued, from an exposed position on the outside of a tank, to lead his battalion. “The enemy, who was holding strongly entrenched positions with anti-tank guns, attacked his flank. As the further tank had been disabled, he continued on foot under intense fire, encouraging his men ’by his splendid example. By dusk Major Foote, by brilliant leadership, had. defeated the enemy’s attempt to encircle two of our divisions. Fought on Foot. “On June 13, when ordered to delay enemy tanks so that the Guards Brigade could be withdrawn from the Knightsbridge escarpment, and when the first wave of our tanks had been destroyed, Major Foote reorganized- the remaining tanks, going on foot from one tank to another under intense artillery and antitank fire to encourage the crews. “As it was of vital importance that his battalion should not give ground. Major Foote placed his tank, which he then entered, in front of the others, so ■that he could be plainly visible in the turret as an encouragement to the other crews, despite the tank being badly damaged by shellfire and all its guns rendered useless. ‘By his magnificent example, a corridor was kept open and the brigade was able to march through. “(Major Foote was. always at the crucial point at the right moment, and over a period of several days he gave an example of outstanding courage and leadership which would have been difficult to surpass. His name is a byword for bravery and leadership throughout the brigade.”