Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Sergeant

Unit:

2 Canadian Provost Company

Awarded on:

December 22nd, 1945

"On 13 April 1945 at approximately 0900 to 1000 at Map Reference 140750 Bielen, Province Drente, Holland, M.24212 Corporal (Acting Sergeant) Gouldie, S.W., 2 Canadian Provost Company, accompanied by Lieutenant R.W. Lawlor, an officer of 2 Canadian Provost Company, were on a reconnaissance to ascertain the required needs for the handling of their Provost duties, at the approaches to the bridge to be erected by 7 Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, 2 Canadian Infantry Division. While on this reconnaissance they found that the infantry were seriously pinned down about 250 yards from the canal by concentrated enemy small arms fire and mortaring. Needless of this they pushed on with their task in spite of the fact that the intensity of enemy fire was ever increasing. Learning from two infantry stretcher bearers that the Reconnoitring Engineer Officer had been badly wounded while at the proposed bridge site, Map Reference 140750 over the canal, they pressed on fearlessly right to the edge of the canal, and thence to the house on the right of the road Map Reference 140750. Here they discovered the wounded Engineer Officer who had been laying there, after crawling to there from the proposed bridge site, for over three hours under heavy fire. The officer and Corporal (Acting Sergeant) Gouldie immediately gave first aid to the wounded Engineer Officer, who by this time was close to dying. This was done under heavy fire. The Provost officer remained with his brother officer, sheltering him at all times with his own body from the enemy fire. Corporal (Acting Sergeant) Gouldie made his way back to get his own Provost car 5-cwt, just in the rear of the infantry battalion. He procured it and again bravely made his way back in spite of the enemy's murderous fire along the road and at the house by the road and canal. He passed the first ambulance car 5-cwt, which had been knocked out of action, and made sure there were no wounded there. On arriving at the side of the house, they both placed the wounded officer in the Provost car 5-cwt, and Corporal (Acting Sergeant) Gouldie, S.W. drove from the house to the road and down to the nearest Regimental Aid Post. The intensity of the enemy fire was terrific which, by this time included shelling by German 88-mm artillery. The highly courageous action not only saved the life of the Engineer Officer, but also stimulated the morale of the hard pressed infantry so that when the time came for them to attack there was no question or hesitation."